Detroit Pistons’ offseason: What I liked and didn’t like about Troy Weaver’s moves

Detroit Free Press

Omari Sankofa II
 
| Detroit Free Press

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After an unexpectedly busy two weeks, the Detroit Pistons appear to have their roster mostly settled with training camp around the corner. New general manager Troy Weaver has put his stamp on this team, and then some. Only five players remain from last year’s squad — Blake Griffin, Sekou Doumbouya, Svi Mykhailiuk, Derrick Rose and forward Louis King (on a two-way contract). 

It’ll take time before we’re able to fully dissect Detroit’s offseason. The Pistons accomplished a little of everything. They added young players that they hope will allow the team to eventually contend for a championship. They signed veterans who’ll help keep the locker room in order and provide stability on the court. They also declined to bring back several players who appear likely to succeed elsewhere, and sacrificed salary cap flexibility and draft picks to get all of their moves done. 

[ Pistons introduce their rookie class: Why they made these four picks ]

Overall — and contrary to some national opinion — I don’t think the Pistons had a bad offseason. In a few years, I think it’ll look quite good. But no team gets every move right, and there are a few that I’m not as high on. Here are some of the things that I liked about Detroit’s offseason, and some things I didn’t like. 

What I like: Aggressively adding rookies to the young core 

The Pistons are high on Killian Hayes, Isaiah Stewart, Saddiq Bey and Saben Lee. And they did well to come out of the draft with four selections, targeting three different positions, after beginning with just the No. 7 pick. 

I’ve written about Hayes a lot, and I’m a big fan of his game. He has all the tools to be a franchise point guard. Now that I’ve researched the other three, I like them a lot, too. 

Stewart was one of the best big-man prospects in the draft. He plays with a lot of energy, possesses a strong and varied post game and has upside as a rebounder. It’s a cliché, but you can’t teach effort — and he plays with a lot of it. I like his upside as a shooter, since he hit 77.4% of his free throws and showed a willingness to stretch the floor last season. And he’s only 19. He has a great base to build his game from and I think he’ll have a long NBA career. Bey is a prototypical 3-and-D wing who hit 45.1% of his 3’s last year and can defend multiple positions. And Lee is a great athlete who can handle the ball and get to the rim. I see a little Reggie Jackson in his game. 

[ Pistons preseason schedule: Four games, two teams, two separate locations ]

Acquiring four rookies sets the tone for the next few years. Weaver did well to take several shots in a draft that was considered weak at the top, but deep through the rest of the first round. 

What I didn’t like: Selling low on Luke Kennard and Bruce Brown

There’s a solid chance that Bey ends up being a better player than both Kennard and Brown, traded to acquire him in a three-team trade last week. Kennard heads to the Los Angeles Clippers, Brown to the Brooklyn Nets and Detroit also received Dzanan Musa, Jaylen Hands, Rodney McGruder and draft picks and cash compensation in the trade. Bey is a better defender than Kennard (and potentially a better shooter) and a better overall offensive player than Brown. 

Still, it was somewhat anticlimactic to see the Pistons trade both players. They also sent four second-round picks to the Clippers, a sign there may have been some trepidation over Kennard’s knees. It made sense for Detroit to move on from Kennard, who’s set to hit restricted free agency next summer and will certainly receive a major raise if he can stay on the floor. But giving up the future second-rounders prevents it from being a pure win for the Pistons. Kennard can shoot and handle the ball. He isn’t a Weaver-type of player, due to his short wingspan and limited upside as a defender. But he’s good, and the Clippers are getting a player who fits their roster perfectly. 

Brown was a success story for the franchise, starting 99 games in two seasons despite being a second-round pick in 2018. He was the Pistons’ best defender and made strides as a ball-handler and shooter. The Pistons didn’t view him as a point guard, which limited his upside with the franchise. He just isn’t as valuable as a 6-foot-4 wing as he would be as backup point guard for a rebuilding team. But Detroit received Musa — who hasn’t established himself in the league after two seasons — and a second-round pick. If Musa lives up to his scoring potential, or Bey excels as a two-way player, it’ll make this trade a lot better. 

What I like: The potential for Jerami Grant’s contract to age very well

Few expected the Pistons to hand $60 million to Grant, who started 24 games last season for the Nuggets. But he’s one of the NBA’s most versatile defenders, capable of handling any position and holding his own against many of the league’s best offensive players. He’s also a borderline-elite shooter, hitting around 39% of his 3-pointers over the past two seasons. There are few NBA players who check both boxes. He raises Detroit’s floor, and it’s a contract that should have positive trade value through the next three seasons. Elite role players get paid, and that’s Grant. 

What I don’t like: The potential for Christian Wood’s contract to age even better

It’s clear that the Pistons’ valuation of Wood wasn’t as high as some expected. They committed a combined $85 million to Grant and Mason Plumlee over the next three years, and sign-and-traded Wood to Houston, where he inked a deal worth $41 million over the same span. It appears Detroit wanted to take advantage of their Early Bird rights on Wood, which would’ve required a contract starting at around $10 million a year in order to retain him without using cap space. He ended up getting more than that, which would have cut into the Pistons’ cap space.

While I believe Grant and Plumlee’s contracts have a chance to be good for the Pistons, Wood’s could be a steal for Houston. Even before closing last season with a hot streak, Wood was an advanced-stats darling who excelled as a spot-up shooter and roller. Even if he doesn’t average 22.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and a block on 56/41/76 shooting splits — his averages during his final 15 games last season — his production could exceed his contract in Houston. 

In the deal with Houston, the Pistons acquired Stewart and

Trevor Ariza (flipped to the Dallas Mavericks for guard Delon Wright). They also sent Houston a well-protected first round pick that’s unlikely to convey before the Pistons are a playoff team again. They did well to receive some value for Wood, but there’s also a chance Wood ends up being the best player in the deal. 

What I like: Signing Josh Jackson 

Jackson, the No. 4 pick in 2017, is the exact type of player the Pistons should target. He hasn’t lived up to his draft slot, but he averaged 16.6 points, 2.8 assists, 2.0 rebounds, 1.4 steals and one block in 20.9 minutes per game in March, while hitting 38.2% of his 3-pointers. With a larger role, the Detroiter has a chance to prove he can be the versatile wing every team wants. 

What I don’t like: Dead money 

The Pistons will stretch-and-waive Dewayne Dedmon and Zhaire Smith, adding roughly a $4 million cap hit for the the next three seasons and about $2.9 million for the ’23-24 and ’24-25 seasons. It’s not huge, but it limits Detroit’s cap wiggle room. Given that they just got out from under Josh Smith’s contract five years after waiving him, it’s a less-than-ideal situation, and one that could’ve been avoided had they approached their signings differently.

What I like: The odds of none of the downsides mattering as much in three years

Despite pulling off what feels like 100 moves in the last two weeks, the 2020 draft — more than any signing or trade — will dictate the success of this offseason for the Pistons. It’s clear that a priority for the front office is creating an environment in which Hayes and his draft peers can thrive. 

If Hayes ends up being one of the best players in the draft, and Stewart, Bey and Lee emerge as core players, the cap situation won’t matter as much. Nor will the money the Pistons spent in free agency, or the players they traded away. The Pistons are a small-market team, and few trades or free agents can cover for poor drafting. 

Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @omarisankofa. Read more on the Detroit Pistons and sign up for our Pistons newsletter.

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