The Detroit Pistons struck gold this past month when the franchise earned the No. 1 overall pick in the looming 2021 NBA Draft.
This year’s draft is set to take place on July 29.
Oklahoma State star Cade Cunningham is widely regarded as the consensus top pick in this year’s proceedings.
If the Pistons ultimately retain their place in the draft, they’ll inevitably take him. The big question at this point, however, is whether they’ll trade down.
According to Jonathan Givony of ESPN, four teams are currently in the hunt for a trade with the Pistons should they be willing to make something happen.
Those teams: the Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, New Orleans Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder.
“Teams including Cleveland, Houston, New Orleans and Oklahoma City are among those making overtures to evaluate what it would take to move up to the No. 1 slot,” he wrote.
“But those talks are at an early stage, and any trade is unlikely to be consummated until much closer to the draft, if at all. From all accounts, Detroit is comfortable standing pat at No. 1 and taking Cunningham but will be active in exploring the possibility of trading down and obtaining additional assets, with Mobley a potential target if something gets done.”
Since Conor McGregor is so quick to talk about Dustin Poirier’s wife… https://t.co/dutD0Q3zac
— Game 7 (@game7__) July 9, 2021
Two of those names in particular really stand out: the Cavaliers and Pelicans.
Cleveland has made it no secret that its willing to part with its best player this summer. New Orleans, similarly, appears willing to deal one of its foundational stars if it means getting something truly great back. Whether the opportunity to draft Cunningham fits the bill remains to be seen.
One way or another, things promise to get crazy ahead of July 29.
Will Detroit ultimately part with its prized pick? Time will tell.
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A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
