Former Top Five Pick Predicted to Stick With Detroit Pistons Rival

A former top pick is predicted to stick with the Detroit Pistons' rival, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Mar 4, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro (35) drives to the basket beside Detroit Pistons guard R.J. Hampton (13) in the third quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images

With September in motion, NBA training camps are opening league-wide in just a few weeks. While free agency has nearly halted, a few key players remain on the market, undecided on their next move.

A Detroit Pistons rival, the Cleveland Cavaliers, are still figuring out the future of the former fifth-overall pick, Isaac Okoro.

A recent list of predictions from Bleacher Report regarding the future of some of the top remaining free agents has Okoro sticking with Cleveland for the 2024-2025 NBA season.

Currently, Okoro is a restricted free agent. Earlier in the summer, Cleveland reportedly offered Okoro a multi-year contract but the veteran didn’t budge. There isn’t any pressure on the Cavs to move Okoro, as they’ve extended the $11 million qualifying offer on his contract.

But an ESPN NBA insider reported last month that Okoro is a name to keep an eye on as the trade market forms. For now, BR’s Dan Favale sees the Cavs as the right fit.

“The fit between these two parties continues to make sense,” writes Favale. “….Eating up significant regular-season minutes matters. More than that, Cleveland doesn't have someone who can readily replace what Okoro does on defense against rival 1s and 2s—unless it's that confident in rookie Jaylon Tyson.”

For what it’s worth, Favale mentioned the Pistons as a team with enough cap space to look into potentially acquiring the former fifth pick, but it was noted that teams like the Utah Jazz, Brooklyn Nets, and the Charlotte Hornets “make a ton of sense.” Detroit wasn’t discussed in that category.

Since 2020, Okoro had a role with the Cavs. From his rookie campaign through year four, Okoro appeared in 279 games. Most of his appearances came as starts while averaging 28 minutes of playing time.

Okoro has produced nine points per game while hitting 47 percent of his field goals. From three, the veteran averages 35 percent. Last year, he knocked down threes at a career-high rate, nearly averaging 40 percent while producing nine points per game.

It seems Okoro remains a name to watch on the trade market as long as he hasn’t struck a new deal with the Cavs. For the time being, Okoro remains a direct rival of the Pistons.