Detroit Pistons Can Supercharge Their NBA Title Window with This Blockbuster Trade

Despite Jalen Duren being sidelined for most of the season so far, the Detroit Pistons continue to hover around the tippy top of the Eastern Conference. When you also consider the time Isaiah Joe has missed, the integration of John Collins and Ausar Thompson's revamped offensive role, this is a genuinely big deal.

Want to know what would be an even bigger deal?

Adding Naz Reid to the core and playoff-proofing the Pistons' offense once and for all.

Charlotte Hornets Receive: Ron Holland II, Detroit's 2027 first-round pick (unprotected), Detroit's 2029 first-round pick (top-four protection), $23.3 million trade exception (Naz Reid)

Chicago Bulls Receive: Kevin Huerter* (into room exception), 2029 second-round pick (most favorable of DET, MIL and NYK, via DET), Detroit's 2030 second-round pick, $3 million cash (via Charlotte)

*Note: This trade cannot be completed until Dec. 15.

Out: Ron Holland II, 2027 first-round pick, 2029 first-round pick, 2029 second-round pick, 2030 second-round pick

Detroit doesn't have to wait on a larger sample with Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson to know it needs another long-term forward. John Collins is an imperfect, temporary answer.

Reid is a more permanent solution. He is in the heart of his prime at 27 years old. His contract has him under team control through 2028-29 at less than 15 percent of the salary cap. (He holds a 2029-30 player option.)

The offensive fit should be divine and effortless. Reid is shooting over 38 percent from deep on real volume over the past four years. While he doesn't need to dominate the ball, he has the reps as a creator to slide neatly into the second or third scorer's role, depending on where Duren settles.

Offloading Holland on top of two firsts can't be a deal-breaker just because he was a top-five pick in 2024. He looks more comfortable firing away from three this year, but defenses are never going to care. Javonte Green has also usurped him in the rotation. The Pistons already don't like to play him with Thompson.

The path to Holland panning out in Detroit is difficult to envision. The Pistons have already hurt his value by holding onto him this long. It's time for both parties to move on. It shouldn't be an especially hard call when at least one of the two first-rounders Detroit is surrendering will land in the 20s.

In: Ron Holland II, Detroit's 2027 first-round pick, Detroit's 2029 first-round pick, $23.3 million trade exception (Naz Reid)

Nothing suggests Charlotte has made Reid available after head coach Charles Lee benched him for the second half of the team's Oct. 28 game against, ironically, Detroit. But the Hornets' season is threatening to go off the rails.

Kon Knueppel hasn't been healthy all year. Brandon Miller is all over the place. Coby White began the season injured and is only a few games into his return. The offense desperately misses LaMelo Ball's shot-making and passing. (Who knew?!)

Charlotte didn't trade its only star with the intention of getting immediately better. That's sort of the point. The front office is clearly open to bigger-picture swings.

Acquiring Holland qualifies. His shooting limitations shouldn't be as much of an issue for the Hornets, who have plenty of spacers (in theory) but not enough playmaking avenues. His activity in transition, driving flashes and defensive hustle make him an intriguing running mate for a healthy Miller, Knueppel and White. With another year left on his rookie-scale deal, Charlotte has plenty of time to assess his fit.

Grabbing a 2027 first leaves the Hornets with up to four selections this June. That's trade-up ammo, baby. Or consolidation-trade goodies, friends. Detroit's 2029 first has some upside, knowing how quickly NBA windows open and shut these days.

Taking Holland's salary into the Ball trade exception also allows the Hornets to create another one for Reid. At the end of it all, they'd be left with two gargantuan TPEs: $23.3 million for Reid and $31.7 million remaining from LaMelo.

For what it's worth, the Hornets can take on Kevin Huerter if they want those seconds. But they'd have to waive a player first. Sending Huerter elsewhere lets them shave a total of $13.5 million off next year's payroll by going from Reid's $25 million to Holland's $11.5 million.

In: Kevin Huerter, 2029 second-round pick, 2030 second-round pick, $3 million cash

Reacquiring Huerter after shipping him to Detroit at last season's trade deadline is bound to get the Bulls meme'd. But this is a nice bit of business overall.

Executives around the league expect to receive one second-round pick for every $5 million in salary their squad gobbles up, per The Stein Line's Jake Fischer . Chicago is getting two seconds and $3 million in cash—the rough equivalent of $13 million.

Huerter is owed about $18 million between this season and next, with a team option for 2028-29. This puts the Bulls at a $5 million valuation deficit, which is more than reasonable when they're not taking on dead money.

Although Huerter's stroke has come-and-mostly-gone over the past few years, he's clearing 37 percent from distance this season. Defenses also respect his range and movement even when shots aren't falling.

Adding him helps what is the league's worst team from beyond the arc. With only one guaranteed year left on his contract after this one, the Bryson Graham-led front office might be able to parlay him into more second-round equity down the line.

Dan Favale is a National NBA Writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Bluesky ( @danfavale ), and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, co-hosted by Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes .