Why Pistons Could Be Surprise First Winner of OG Anunoby Trade Between Raptors, Knicks

Detroit takes on Toronto with history on the line Saturday evening.

The Toronto Raptors are involved in the biggest story of the day in the NBA so far, dealing small forward OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks on Saturday. 

In a few hours, if things break the wrong way for them, they could find themselves on the wrong end of another major piece of NBA news.

At 6 p.m. ET, the Raptors tip off against the Detroit Pistons, a team looking to break a 28-game winning streak. With one more loss, the Pistons would break the all-time NBA record for consecutive losses, an ignominious mark that they currently share with the 2014–15 and 2015–16 Philadelphia 76ers. 

With the trade, Toronto will be down Anunoby, one of the franchise’s best players and among the best two-way forwards in the NBA. The team is also sending point guard Malachi Flynn and center Precious Achiuwa to New York. They will receive a pair of talented guards—RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley—along with a second-round draft pick, but those two players won’t be a part of the team for tonight’s game.

The Raptors’ trade of Anunoby on Saturday afternoon could open the door for Cunningham and the Pistons to snap their historic losing streak :: Dan Hamilton/USA TODAY Sports

The Pistons, meanwhile, have all of the motivation in the world to snap the streak before cementing their spot in NBA history. After blowing a 21-point lead to the NBA title-contending Boston Celtics on Thursday, eventually losing 128–122 in overtime, Detroit guard Cade Cunningham tried to keep things positive.

• Mannix: The Pistons Show Fight in Record-Tying Loss to Celtics

“I think it shows like we’re on the same level as all these teams we’re playing against,” he said. “There’s no team that I’ve ever come across in the NBA where I felt like I was going into a slaughterhouse.” 

If the Pistons are ready to put it all together and get their first win since October, a shorthanded Raptors team—and one having a down season to begin with at 12–19—may be the perfect opponent to face. Toronto is also on the second game of a back-to-back, after losing their own tight battle with Boston on Friday night, 120–118. That could lead the team to rest even more key players ahead of Saturday evening’s tip-off.