Photo by Elsa/Getty Images The Detroit Pistons need to trade one of the league’s best shooters. Malik Beasley has been a welcome addition to kick off this new era of the Detroit Pistons basketball under Trajan Langdon. On a team lacking three-point shooting, he has brought more on offense than one could’ve hoped and been the shining star in Trajan’s offseason focus on surrounding Cade with spacing for the first time in his NBA career. To put it simply, Malik Beasley is having his best year yet. Per36, he’s attempting 11+ threes for only the third time in his nine-year career. In those previous two seasons, he didn’t exceed 38% from three - with Detroit, he’s shooting above 41% from deep. He’s on his way to his most efficient season on the highest volume for an already prolific shooter. However, as much as it pains me to say it, it would be best for Detroit in the long-term to trade Malik Beasley by the NBA trade deadline. What does his next contract look like? Malik Beasley signed a one-year deal worth $6 million this summer after playing on the minimum for the Bucks last season. His contract prior to that was a 4-year, $60 million deal from Minnesota. Because he’s on a one-year deal, Detroit can’t extend Beasley and he’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer. That means he’s free to choose any team next season, and if Detroit is interested in retaining him, they will have to use cap space to do it. What is Malik worth next year if he continues to have a career year? Let’s look at his production and see compare him to other players are shooting lights-out. Here’s a list of players shooting ~9+ three-point attempts per game and above 41% from deep: Anthony Edwards - 10.2 attempts and 42.4% Steph Curry - 10.1 attempts and 42.1% Tyler Herro - 10.1 attempts and 41.3% Payton Pritchard - 8.9 attempts on 43.5% Malik Beasley - 8.9 attempts and 41.3% Yeah - this is the kind of list you want to be on. This isn’t to say that Malik is going to get an offer worth $45m per year like some of these guys - but this level of production is so uncommon that only five NBA players are reaching this threshold. Clearly, the top four guys are better playmakers, ball-handlers, defenders, etc. Perhaps Malik is looking for a deal similar to what Minnesota offered him in 2020. Is Malik looking at his year in Detroit in a similar way as Tyus Jones is looking at his year with Phoenix? If he’s looking to maximize the amount of money he can make next year, Detroit should deal him at the deadline before he walks for nothing. Detroit should be looking to acquire assets The Pistons aren’t ready to make the jump into playoff contention yet. Right now, they are playing at a 33-win pace, and that feels closer to a ceiling than a floor. This year’s draft pick is protected 1-13. It’s protected 1-11 next season and 1-9 in 2027. If it doesn’t convey by 2027, Detroit instead gives up their 2027 second-rounder. Those protections severely limit Detroit’s trade flexibility in the future so you have to grow your asset pool using whatever means are available to you. Sure, you could go for broke and try to sneak into the playoffs this year to finally get off those protections, but as loaded as the next two drafts are, I’m not sure Trajan is ready to make that push. For years, especially during the Weaver Era, Pistons fans have complained that players were never traded at peak value. The rumor of two first-round picks for Bojan still seems to pop its head into conversations here and there, and the trade with the New York Knicks for Bojan and Burks was a disappointing return. Trading Malik is the right idea since Malik is at his peak value. Malik is having one of his best years in the NBA, and Detroit should move him to maximize their return since it only took $6 million in cap space to acquire him. His very small contract makes him very moveable. Detroit still has ~$14 million in cap space, so they could ship Malik out and take back a player worth ~$20 million or less with an asset attached. Also, the Pistons are one of a few teams who did not use their $8 million room exception this summer, so now it has turned into an $8 million trade exception. Two other teams that still have that exception are Oklahoma City and Orlando. These two contending teams could absorb Malik’s deal into that exception and send a pick(s) back in return. Beasley’s defensive efficiencies would hide well on these two defense-heavy teams and they could use his three-point shooting - looking at 3P%, OKC is ranked 19th at 35.1% and Orlando is ranked 30th at 30.8%. Focus on development post-deadline Maybe I should’ve labeled this section as “tank.” Detroit needs to retain its 2025 pick. It’s a loaded draft with multiple big playmakers expected to go in the top 5, a role the Pistons have desperately been looking for next to Cade. Consolidating the young guys drafted by Weaver is inevitable, but use the rest of the season to feel confident about who you want to move forward with. Give Ausar all the reps he can handle with the ball in his hands. When JBB draws up an after-timeout set for an open three, draw it up for Cade instead of Beasley. Make Ivey or Ausar pass the ball in instead of Cade. JBB has put Beasley in sets where he runs around two off-ball screens and Cade passes it to him for an open three. Run those sets for Cade instead. Run those sets for Ivey. Hell, run them for Ausar! None of those guys will shoot at the same level as Malik, and Detroit will lose games because of it - that’s okay. Beasley makes this team better. Trajan Langdon and JB Bickerstaff should ride his hot hand to the deadline, where they can continue to put this young team in as many competitive games as possible. I expect Detroit to be sellers at the deadline and they should be. Trajan Langdon has $14 million in cap space, an $8 million trade exception, and an open roster spot. It’s clear Trajan has maximized his team’s ability to absorb contracts with assets attached. Malik Beasley is their best asset to contending teams and I hope Trajan takes advantage of that, unlike what others before him did.