After being one of the worst teams in the NBA just a few years ago, the Detroit Pistons have made some massive improvements. During the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, the Pistons failed to win even 20 games.
Last year, the Pistons took a massive leap, winning 44 games. Led by Cade Cunningham, this team is good, but there’s certainly a ton of work to be done.
Over the entire summer, one player who has been brought up constantly in trade talks is Austin Reaves. Although Dalton Knecht didn’t have a great summer league, he still has a ton of potential.
Today, we’ll be creating a mock trade scenario that sends Reaves to the Pistons and analyzing why this move could make sense for both sides.
This is a PREDICTION REACTION, not a REPORT.
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Los Angeles Lakers Trading Austin Reaves to the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons Receive: Austin Reaves, Maxi Kleber
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland, 2032 1st Round Pick
Overall, the value of this mock trade seems very fair. While Reaves should net the Lakers a strong return, it’s not as if he’s a superstar already.
This deal makes sense because the Lakers get to upgrade their frontcourt while also building for the future. While adding Isaiah Stewart helps improve their production, all of these assets will help build for the future when LeBron James is gone.
Does Austin Reaves Fit in Detroit?
While a team such as the Utah Jazz would be an ideal landing spot, there’s been no buzz around a trade between those two teams. With that being the case, the Pistons should try to land Reaves.
The Pistons could run a small ball lineup with Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Reaves, Ausar Thompson, and Jalen Duren. Even when they’re not looking to do that, though, adding a scorer like Reaves is going to be beneficial to this roster.
Especially when you look at the cost, in the mock trade above, the Pistons wouldn’t be giving up a single starter. Reaves could be a fantastic offensive option to pair with Cunningham while also giving the Pistons a new starter in certain lineups.
Detroit Pistons 2025-2026 Outlook
Right now, the Pistons aren’t being viewed as a serious contender around the NBA. While the Pistons have -550 odds to make the playoffs (per FanDuel), their odds to win the NBA Finals are +3500.
Adding Reaves may not drastically boost the Pistons’ odds, but it would make this Pistons team just a bit better. If the Pistons were able to complete this mock trade, they should jump up to around the Atlanta Hawks and Golden State Warriors range, who are at +3300.
As for the Lakers, adding a player like Stewart could be exactly what they need. With James and Luka Doncic, the Lakers just need role players to fit around them. Stewart would fit that mold perfectly.
Austin Reaves Stats
Reaves entered the NBA at 23 years old, and his stats weren’t necessarily great right away. We first saw a Reaves show promise in his 2nd year when he had 13 PPG, three REB, and 3.4 AST in just 28.8 MPG.
Last year, Reaves jumped all the way up to 20.2 PPG, 4.5 REB, and 5.8 AST. Again, this is just a trade prediction about the Los Angeles Lakers trading Austin Reaves to Detroit Pistons, not a report.