NBA Insider Reveals Detroit Pistons' Trade Deadline Plans

The Detroit Pistons are one of the best stories in the NBA this season. Last year, they burst onto the scene as a feisty young playoff contender. This year, they’ve taken their game to the next level. As of Friday, they are the number one seed in the Eastern Conference and have three games up on the second seed. 

Despite their early-season success, some people still aren’t sure if the Pistons are true contenders. They haven’t proven themselves yet with a deep playoff run. They are also just incredibly young. 

That's why some people around the league are wondering if the Pistons will use some of their draft picks and young assets to try to pick up another veteran piece before the season is over. Some Pistons trade rumors have linked them to players like Anthony Davis, but NBA insider Tim MacMahon recently reported that a trade like that is unlikely for the Pistons. 

"If the Pistons want to be aggressive before the deadline, they have the ammunition. They have the flexibility. They just came through Dallas. I can tell you they're not looking at it, as we have to be aggressive before the deadline. They're not going into the deadline with an aggressive mindset. They're going into it with an opportunistic mindset. I think it's probably more likely that they use the flexibility to collect another asset or two. I think they're more in the Sam Presti of a couple years ago mindset… They don't want to block the development of these young guys that have put them in the spot."

When your roster is young and still improving, it is hard to know the right time to take a swing. Sometimes patience pays off in a big way, and breaking up a young core early can be detrimental to a franchise. Other times, the moment could pass you by. One injury or a new dominant franchise could come along and make all the waiting regrettable. 

For the Pistons, they are right to stay the course. They are the number one seed in the East and have the second-best record in the league. They shouldn’t be in a rush to change things.