The Detroit Pistons spent much of the offseason exploring blockbuster possibilities.
Their smartest move, however, may have been one of the quietest.
After showing interest in high-profile trade targets such as Trey Murphy III, the Pistons instead acquired elite shooter Isaiah Joe from the Oklahoma City Thunder for two second-round picks—a move ESPN data scientist Dean Oliver believes could become the NBA’s most underrated transaction of the summer.
Asked to identify the league’s best under-the-radar offseason move, Oliver pointed directly to Detroit’s addition of the 27-year-old guard.
“Isaiah Joe has been in the top 20 in 3-point shooting net points the past three seasons,” Oliver wrote. “And Detroit was 21st as a team in producing value from 3.”
For a Pistons team built around All-NBA guard Cade Cunningham, the logic was straightforward.
Detroit needed shooting.
Joe provides it at one of the league’s highest levels.
Pistons Landed Elite Floor Spacer
GettyIsaiah Joe’s elite three-point shooting has drawn praise from ESPN, with one analyst calling Detroit’s acquisition one of the NBA offseason’s most underrated moves.
Joe arrives with exactly the skill set Detroit lacked.
Last season, he averaged a career-high 11.1 points while shooting 42.3% from 3-point range and making 2.5 three-pointers per game despite averaging only 21.2 minutes. Adjusted to a per-36-minute basis, that production jumps to 4.5 made threes, illustrating both his efficiency and high-volume shooting ability.
Those numbers help explain why the Pistons were comfortable pivoting away from more expensive trade targets.
NBA insider Jake Fischer previously reported Detroit had legitimate interest in Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III but ultimately balked at New Orleans’ asking price of at least three first-round picks.
Instead, the Pistons acquired Joe for just two second-round selections, preserving both their future draft capital and financial flexibility.
Championship Experience Could Pay Off
Oliver also pointed to Joe’s development environment as another reason the move could exceed expectations.
Joe spent the past four seasons with the Thunder, growing alongside MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and learning within one of the NBA’s premier player-development systems before Oklahoma City’s championship run.
“If he doesn’t maximize what he does well in Detroit, that could be a risk for Joe,” Oliver wrote. “But he could fit into a similar role to Duncan Robinson.”
Oliver believes Joe’s shooting could have a ripple effect throughout Detroit’s offense.
“Robinson played well with Detroit’s group, helping a team that lacked shooting,” Oliver wrote. “Three-point shooting is contagious, so having a second guy whose paycheck is all about making that shot can only help the Pistons’ group.”
Pistons’ Patience May Be Paying Off
Detroit’s offseason reflected a broader organizational philosophy.
Rather than sacrificing multiple first-round picks for a bigger name, Pistons president Trajan Langdon chose targeted upgrades that complement Cunningham while maintaining long-term flexibility.
The Pistons also continue working toward a long-term extension with restricted free-agent center Jalen Duren after clearing additional financial flexibility through a six-team trade earlier this week.
Joe may never generate the headlines attached to players such as Murphy, Kevin Durant or Kawhi Leonard, marquee players whom Fischer reported Detroit explored internally.
But his impact could prove just as meaningful.
For a Pistons team that finished 21st in creating value from the three-point line, according to Oliver, adding one of the NBA’s premier high-volume shooters without surrendering premium assets may ultimately stand as the offseason move that ages the best.
Sometimes the biggest roster upgrades aren’t the loudest.
Sometimes they’re the ones that quietly give a rising contender exactly what it was missing.
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