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In today’s day-and-age, free agency in the NBA isn’t as exciting as it was a decade ago because most teams don’t end up having legitimate cap space. In recent years, the league’s bottom-feeders (who have the cap space) have been consistently dumping grounds for bad contracts with the hope of stacking assets.
The Detroit Pistons, who haven’t exceeded 23 wins in a single season since 2018-19, have been one of those teams under multiple regimes. Ahead of the 2022-23 season, they acquired Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel and Kemba Walker via trade; ahead of 2023-24, they added an expiring Joe Harris plus Monte Morris; last offseason, they added Tim Hardaway Jr. while signing Tobias Harris to a two-year deal worth north of $50 million.
Though the Pistons are on track to finish above .500 for the first time since 2015-16 at 20-19, one game back of the Milwaukee Bucks for the No. 5 seed. Less than one month before the deadline, they could reportedly have a different approach to maximize their roster for this season and beyond.
“Across the league, teams have been considering the Pistons’ current $14 million in salary cap space and whopping $44 million cushion below the luxury tax as ‘for rent’ at the trade deadline,” ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst wrote earlier this week. “With trades in the apron era more complex, the Pistons had indeed left that space open to use to possibly acquire draft assets in return for taking on unwanted salary to facilitate bigger deals elsewhere.
“But with their team achieving a significant turnaround under new coach J.B. Bickerstaff — Detroit went 14-68 last season, including a record-tying 28 straight losses — the Pistons may not be so loose with that space after all. After winning eight of their past nine games, team sources say the Pistons are adjusting their thinking and may be more judicious with their valuable cap space as they consider their own roster upgrades and flexibility for next season.”
None of this means general manager Trajan Langdon will be hyper-aggressive in terms of acquiring talent. They should prioritize the continued growth from Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson, among others, while trying to maximize their roster around those players–especially Cunningham.
Detroit could take on an expiring contract like CJ McCollum or Bruce Brown, which are both upgrades, or potentially flip players like Harris or Hardaway for a player like Brandon Ingram, which would be a big upgrade. Detroit could also do nothing and wait until Harris is an expiring contract to proceed, which also isn’t a bad option.
There are multiple routes they could go here. Time is ticking, but the Pistons are in a very good spot. Fans have a right to be excited. Detroit basketball is back with a bright future ahead!
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