The Detroit Pistons have taken a massive step forward this season, but around the league, there’s still a sense they’re one elite piece away from truly joining the Eastern Conference’s top tier. According to ESPN insider Tim Bontemps, that missing piece could be a familiar superstar name: Kyrie Irving.
It might sound far-fetched, but when you look at where the Pistons are in their development, and what Irving has meant to winning teams in the past, the idea starts to make a lot of sense.
Why Kyrie Irving Is the Type of Star Detroit Needs
Irving is still just 33 years old and, when healthy, remains one of the most gifted offensive guards in basketball. Yes, he’s rehabbing from a torn ACL, and yes, his availability would come with risk. But the upside is enormous.
The Mavericks are currently outside the true contender tier, and if they decide to shift direction, Irving could become one of the biggest names floated at the trade deadline. For a Pistons team built around Cade Cunningham and entering what looks like the start of a real competitive window, the timing could be perfect to swing big.
What Tim Bontemps Said
Bontemps didn’t mince words when explaining why Irving would be his top target for Detroit:
“I’ll tell you, the guy that I really want the Pistons to get—who they probably can’t get, and I don’t know what his health status would be—the guy they need is Kyrie Irving. That’s the call I’d be making. Kyrie Irving, the realized version of Kyrie Irving, playing next to Cade like he played next to Luka, like he played next to LeBron, as a proven playoff scorer. That is exactly right. I mean, that’s who they need.”
That comparison is telling. Irving has already shown he can thrive next to ball-dominant superstars and elevate them in the postseason. He did it with LeBron James in Cleveland, he did it with Luka Dončić in Dallas, and Bontemps believes he could do the same for Cunningham.
The Cade Cunningham Fit
Cade has everything you want in a franchise cornerstone, but every great young star benefits from a veteran who’s already been through the wars. Irving would bring:
- Championship experience
- Elite late-game shot creation
- Playoff poise
- A proven ability to carry scoring loads in big moments
The idea of a Cade-Kyrie backcourt, with Cunningham running the offense and Irving serving as the ultimate release valve, is exactly the kind of pairing that can fast-track a team from “promising” to “dangerous.”
Contract and Risk
Irving is under contract through next season with a player option for 2027-28, and he’s set to make roughly $39.5 million annually. It’s a big number, but for a player of his caliber — and with Detroit’s cap flexibility — it’s not unreasonable if the Pistons believe their title window is opening.
The health concerns are real. The personality questions will always follow him. But when you’re talking about a “realized version” of Kyrie Irving, as Bontemps put it, you’re talking about one of the most lethal playoff scorers of this generation.
Bottom Line
The Pistons don’t need another small move. They need a move that changes how the rest of the conference looks at them. Tim Bontemps sees Kyrie Irving as that kind of swing, a proven champion, a proven closer, and a perfect stylistic fit next to Cade Cunningham.
It may be unlikely. It may be risky. But if Detroit is serious about accelerating to a true contender, that’s exactly the type of call Bontemps says he’d be making.
