The Detroit Pistons have addressed one of their biggest offseason needs, acquiring elite three-point shooter Isaiah Joe from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for two future second-round picks.
ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the deal, which gives Detroit another proven perimeter weapon to place alongside franchise star Cade Cunningham as the Pistons continue building a roster capable of taking the next step in the Eastern Conference.
The move comes after Detroit finished one of its best seasons in nearly two decades. The Pistons won 60 games, the third-highest total in franchise history, before falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games during the second round of the playoffs.
That postseason loss exposed one glaring weakness.
Detroit simply needed more shooting. Last season, the Pistons ranked 29th in three-point attempts and 28th in made three-pointers. President of basketball operations Trajan Langdon repeatedly emphasized that adding shooting and secondary ball handling around Cunningham, Jalen Duren, and Ausar Thompson would be a top priority this summer.
Isaiah Joe checks every one of those boxes.
The 26-year-old averaged 11.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in only 21.2 minutes per game while shooting an outstanding 45.5% from the field and 42.3% from three-point range. Even more impressive, Joe attempted 6.0 threes per game and knocked down 2.5 of them, making him one of the NBA’s highest-volume and most efficient perimeter shooters.
He is also at the end of his four-year, $48 million deal, where he will make $11.3 million next season and has an $11.3 million team option for the 2027-28 season.
His off-ball movement and quick release should fit perfectly next to Cunningham, who consistently creates open looks for teammates through his playmaking. Joe also arrives on one of the league’s more team-friendly contracts.
The move continues an aggressive week for the Pistons. Detroit traded up in the NBA Draft to select Stanford freshman Ebuka Okorie with the No. 17 overall pick before moving Isaiah Stewart and his $15 million salary to Memphis, creating additional roster flexibility.
The Pistons needed elite shooting around Cunningham, and they landed one of the NBA’s best specialists without sacrificing a first-round pick or disrupting their young core. Joe’s ability to stretch defenses should create more driving lanes for Cunningham, more space for Duren in the pick-and-roll, and a more balanced offense overall.
It may not be the biggest trade of the offseason, but it could prove to be one of the smartest. For a team looking to build on a breakthrough season, adding one of basketball’s most reliable three-point shooters is exactly the kind of move that makes sense.
