The NBA has been flirting with expansion for years, but it seems the league is finally moving into action. Seattle is ready, Las Vegas is ready, and the fans have been ready. And whether the official vote comes this summer or early next season, the writing is on the wall: The NBA is about to get bigger.
While all eyes are, of course, on the newborn franchises, the front offices of the established teams have plenty to consider themselves, because when the league adds two new franchises, every team has to protect eight players from being poached.
That’s it. Eight. Everyone else becomes available for the expansion draft, and if a new team likes someone you didn’t protect, it can take him — contract and all.
For the first time in a long time, the Detroit Pistons actually have players worth worrying about.
So when expansion hits, Detroit can’t just shrug and protect the obvious names. The Pistons have to make real decisions. They have to declare who they believe in — not for the next month, but for the next five years.
Who should be protected
1 — Cade Cunningham
This might be the easiest decision anyone in the front office will ever have to make. Cunningham is the identity, the engine, the guy everything else orbits around. You don’t build a future without him.
Key stat: On pace to be the first player in NBA history to average 25 points, 9 assists and 5 rebounds per game with a 75% win percentage (OptaSTATS on X).
2 — Jalen Duren
He’s 22, he’s a walking double-double, and he’s still learning how good he can be. You don’t let a franchise center walk out the door for any reason — let alone in an expansion draft.
Key stat: 66.1% field goal percentage over the last two seasons, fourth best in the NBA.
3 — Ausar Thompson
If you could bottle defensive chaos and sell it, Thompson would be a billionaire. He’s the kind of wing every contender begs for. With the Pistons seeking success for years to come, having a player like Thompson to shut down opposing stars is an asset that must be protected.
Key stat: 4.3 deflections per game, tied for third best in the NBA.
4 — Ron Holland
While he probably isn’t a top-eight Piston right now, Holland’s flashes are undeniable. The athleticism is real. The two-way upside is real. The hustle is real. You protect players who fuel your team identity, and the decision gets a whole lot easier when it looks like they might become a star.
Key stat: 101.4 defensive rating, third best in the NBA.
5 — Isaiah Stewart
Detroit’s young core needs someone who can anchor the back line, communicate coverages and erase mistakes at the rim — and that’s exactly what Stewart gives them. His interior defense is not only the safety net that lets everyone else play more aggressively, but also an emphatic tone-setter.
Key stat: 42.7% field goal percentage allowed in the paint, best in the NBA.
6 — Danniss Jenkins
Despite just earning his way off a two-way contract with the G League, Jenkins is one of the most quietly important players on the roster this season. Steady, poised, defends his position, doesn’t turn the ball over and hits shots. Expansion teams love guards like this — and Detroit shouldn’t risk losing him.
Key stat: 3.2 assists per game, second best on the Pistons.
7 — Duncan Robinson
Yes, he’s a veteran. Yes, he’s on a real contract. No, he doesn’t quite have the same edge as most of the squad. But Detroit desperately needs shooting, spacing and someone who understands how to play within structure. Robinson gives them all three, and he makes life easier for the stars around him.
Key stat: 40.1% three-point percentage, best on the Pistons.
8 — Paul Reed
Despite being buried on the depth chart, Reed is the perfect modern rotation big — mobile, disruptive, switchable and on a team-friendly deal. He’s exactly the kind of player who gets selected in expansion drafts and turns into a breakout contributor. It’s in the Pistons’ best interest to keep that from happening and carve out a more significant role for him in Detroit.
Key stat: 4.5 stocks (steals + blocks) per 36 minutes, tied for best in the NBA.
The Pistons would have to risk losing key pieces like Tobias Harris, Javonte Green, Caris LeVert, Kevin Huerter and Marcus Sasser — all of whom could end up playing major roles for an expansion team — but they have to prioritize the players who best align with the identity Detroit hopes to ride into perennial contention.
Protecting Cunningham, Duren, Thompson, Holland, Stewart, Jenkins, Robinson and Reed isn’t just about talent — it’s about continuity of chemistry and culture.
Expansion tests the integrity of what you’ve built. Teams can only protect eight players, and if you get careless, you can lose the wrong piece and watch your defensive structure collapse overnight. Detroit can’t afford that. Not now. Not when the formula is finally working.
It’s about preserving the backbone of a defense and hustle that has carried Detroit to the top of the standings.
It’s about keeping the eight Pistons who best drive the V8 engine that runs Detroit basketball.
All key stats are as of Feb. 20, 2026, and courtesy of Basketball Reference (unless otherwise stated).