The two players that the Pistons must trade this summer

The Detroit Pistons' season was one of the most surprising stories in the entire NBA. After years of rebuilding, the team went from losing 60 games to winning 60 in just two seasons, finished as the Eastern Conference leader, and secured its first divisional title since 2008.

However, the decisive loss in the seventh game against the Cleveland Cavaliers completely changed the franchise's outlook. The playoffs exposed several structural weaknesses, and now Trajan Langdon faces a much more complex preseason than it seemed just a few weeks ago.

Detroit has confirmed that it has a competitive foundation. What it doesn't know yet is if this roster can truly contend for the championship.

The most delicate situation is likely that of Jalen Duren.

During the regular season, the center had the best year of his career and established himself as one of the team's interior leaders. His physical impact, rebounding, and defensive prowess were crucial to Detroit's identity, in addition to earning his first All-Star selection.

But the series against Cleveland changed many perceptions.

Cavaliers consistently collapsed the paint, forcing Duren to play away from his comfort zone. His lack of outside shooting allowed the defense to focus even more on Cade Cunningham, making the Pistons' offense predictable for extended parts of the series.

Furthermore, athletic uncertainties are mixed with a significant financial problem.

Duren is approaching restricted free agency and could command a contract exceeding $30 million per season. With Cunningham's future maximum extension nearing $50 million annually, Detroit must decide if it's worth committing such a percentage of the salary cap to a traditional center whose offensive impact diminishes in the playoffs.

Duncan Robinson could become a trade piece

Another crucial decision revolves around Duncan Robinson.

The shooter proved valuable during the regular season due to his ability to stretch the floor, something Detroit urgently needed. His presence helped improve spacing and granted more offensive freedom on the perimeter.

However, issues arose in the playoffs.

Cleveland consistently targeted Robinson defensively, limiting his offensive influence. Despite having one of the league's top three-point specialists, the Pistons ended the postseason among the weakest teams both in three-point volume and efficiency.

This made it clear that Robinson's shooting alone isn't sufficient to address the structural problems in the offense.

His contract could prove very valuable

Because of this, Detroit might try to move him before his contractual situation loses value.

Robinson has a partially guaranteed salary of $15.9 million for the upcoming season, a figure useful for mid-sized trade constructions. For rebuilding teams or franchises in need of outside shooting, he remains an attractive asset.

Detroit could leverage that contract to acquire a more defensively versatile profile or to gain more salary flexibility for the future.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los dos jugadores que los Pistons deben traspasar este verano