The NBA as a whole doesn't seem very interested in trading for Anthony Davis, but that won't stop him from being pitched to new teams in mock trade proposals. Analyst Sam Vecenie recently on the Game Theory podcast, but the fit doesn't make any sense at all.
The deal would only make sense if the Pistons decide to move on from Jalen Duren at center, which they have not shown any sign of entertaining so far. But Davis' fit also doesn't work beyond his overlap with Duren. Davis is more known for his injury history than his play at this point, and even the production on the court isn't what the Pistons need.
Davis' production has not lived up to his reputation
Davis has barely been healthy since being traded to the Mavericks in early 2025, but he hasn't shown much when he's on the court either. Since then, he's only played 29 total games and averaged just 20 points per game. Davis still retains a star reputation from his earlier days, but in reality he might not do much to alleviate pressure from Cade Cunningham if he joined the Pistons.
The most glaring weakness from Davis in that time is his 3-point shooting; he only hit 25% of his attempts from deep with the Mavs. For a guy that wants to play alongside another big man, that's simply not good enough by today's standards. The lackluster shooting would force almost any team to play Davis at center, which is why Detroit can only bring him in to replace Duren.
In theory, Davis would at least provide more scoring versatility inside the arc than Duren, thanks to his ball-handling and floater game. However, the reality is that Davis' playoff scoring has fluctuated wildly because he's so dependent on his guards to get him the ball in advantageous positions. At the end of the day, Cunningham would still have to do a lot of work setting up Davis.
The contract situation should kill this conversation entirely
The Pistons have been hesitant all summer long to commit too much money towards Duren. But those negotiations have taken place around a 5-year deal in the range of $180-200 million total. Davis' contract makes that look like a walk in the park, since he's owed $58 million this season and will likely pick up his player option for $62 million the following season.
At least it's a shorter term deal that would only be on the books for two years, but the sheer amount is too much for Detroit's salary sheet. Cobbling together a cap-legal trade for Davis would involve gutting all of the Pistons' depth, just to overpay for a guy who's likely to be perpetually injured. A bold trade for Davis just wouldn't make any sense for the Pistons or be in line with the front office's approach over the last two years.
