The Detroit Pistons were one of the few to get left out of the LeBron James sweepstakes. Until recently.
Fresh off a 60-win season, the Pistons are looking to continue making moves to complement ascending superstar point guard Cade Cunningham, who was firmly in the NBA MVP race before an ill-timed late season injury.
So far, Detroit has had somewhat of a shaky offseason. Not only have negotiations with star big man Jalen Duren not progressed, but the Pistons lost a key playoff contributor in Tobias Harris in free agency earlier this week. The Pistons are reportedly in the market for a swing — so why not jump in the James race?
LeBron James to the Pistons? This Proposal Might Be Convincing …
GettyDETROIT, MICHIGAN – NOVEMBER 21: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on before the game against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on November 21, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan.
James and the Pistons in the same sentence long meant one thing. That spring night back in 2007 where a 22-year-old wearing No. 23 for the Cleveland Cavaliers went on a late-game scoring rampage. (And boy, is that putting it lightly!) James joining the Pistons, however? Unheard of. But according to The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov, Detroit presents a real opportunity for James’ next — and likely final — career chapter.
“I can keep going, but, here’s why the Pistons are the right answer,” Vorkunov wrote. “Mostly, because the Pistons make basketball sense. It is a young team with a new star who can take some of the burden off LeBron and let him cook as a playmaker and basketball genius. He’d be part of the emerging West-to-East talent flow. And if the Pistons can win a championship, what a coda it would be for James’ career. It would be unexpected and it would be novel and Madonna-esque. The rare superstar who can still surprise us with his reinventions decades into their career. (And you know where Madonna is from…).”
Vorkunov isn’t the only one at The Athletic who sent Detroit a vote of confidence; writer Mirin Fader agrees the Pistons are a strong option for James.
“There’s something so classic and throwback about a player like LeBron coming to Detroit,” Fader wrote, “a city with so much soul and so much history that would be extremely cool. The retro jerseys, the sellouts. I mean, Detroit is a 60-win team that earned the right to have sellouts. But since they are kind of blowing it all up — Is Duren really going to the Lakers?! — why not throw a Hail Mary and bring LeBron.”
This Much Can Be Said: the Fit Would Be Clean
GettyLeBron James takes it to the basket over the contest of Cade Cunningham.
If James has done something even better than the gazillion amazing things he has done in his 23 decorated seasons, it’s gelling with high-motor, score-first point guards.
You reading, Cade!?
From his days playing wonderfully off of a young Kyrie Irving to just recently, where he began finding unique rhythm with Luka Doncic.
James next to Cunnigham, the face of Detroit’s franchise, would give the Pistons a 1-2 punch lethal enough to make a serious push for the Eastern Conference crown. Remember, the Pistons have a stout defensive unit, which would serve well for James, who is creeping up on age 42.
If anything, James would slide into the spot vacated by Harris, who left for the San Antonio Spurs in free agency. And James would be quite the Harris replacement. James very well could be the veteran leader that is separating the Pistons from reaching the Finals.
As The Athletic notes, Detroit seems like a highly unlikely landing spot for James, but James’ agent, Rich Paul, reportedly hasn’t turned down any team who has contacted him to express interest in acquiring the four-time MVP.
That says the Pistons have a shot, if they’d like one.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Pistons Receive Unexpected LeBron James Proposal as Race Heats Up appeared first on HEAVY.