The Detroit Pistons were already deep in researching Blake Griffin when news broke that Kemba Walker was available for trade on Jan. 19. Detroit, long curious about opportunities to upgrade their roster at point guard, mulled pursuing Walker and forming a potential UConn tandem with Andre Drummond. The Pistons stood in a precarious position at the time, stuck in the middle of what became an eight-game losing streak.
Detroit clearly is not the East contender that appeared possible after a feisty postseason clash with the Cavaliers in 2016. Their two regular season skids aside, the Pistons felt that adding a true star, whether at the cost of Drummond or Reggie Jackson, could propel their roster back into the thick of the conference’s playoff discussion.