The Detroit Pistons underwent a near-full roster remake last offseason, with only Sekou Doumbouya the only holdover. This offseason won’t see quite as many trades and signings. It wouldn’t be surprising to see most of the 2020-21 roster return next season.
There’s always a chance for more changes to happen, though. The foundation of the roster is set, general manager Troy Weaver said. But there’s room around the margins for additional tweaking.
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“We’re going to double down,” Weaver said during his end-of-season press conference. “We’re not going to change anything. We’re going to continue to bring in like-minded people that fit what we’re trying to do. Won’t get cute. When you lay the foundation, then you waver or go astray or look toward popular or what’s cute, we won’t do that. We’ll double down on our foundation, believe in what we’re doing and continue to bring in players and people that fit where we’re trying to go.”
There are clear tiers on the roster as far as likelihood to return. The young players, of course, are safer bets to return than some of the veterans. With the draft and free agency roughly two months away, here’s a tier list of the Pistons most and least-likely to come back.
Tier 1: The inaugural rookie class
• Killian Hayes
• Isaiah Stewart
• Saddiq Bey
It’s still early, but it feels safe to say that Weaver’s first draft class will pan out. Bey knocked down 175 3-pointers, just 12 shy of tying Donovan Mitchell’s rookie record despite playing nine fewer games. Stewart looked like the type of versatile big man teams covet, excelling as a rebounder, interior scorer and switchable defender while flashing some 3-point range. Hayes was limited to 26 games due to a torn labrum in his hip, but looked like an NBA-level passer and defender.
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All three players are on rookie deals, and It’s tough to see any of them being moved unless the Pistons are offered a deal too sweet to pass on. Dwane Casey said Bey, who started 53 of his 70 games played, projects well as a full-time starter. Both he and Stewart should receive strong all-rookie team consideration. While Hayes has additional strides to become a league-average point guard, he might also have the highest ceiling of the three.
Tier 2: A nice trade piece, but would be surprising to see moved
• Jerami Grant
Weaver said it himself before the March trade deadline — no one on the roster is untradeable, but some players are here to stay. Grant, who spurred the contending Nuggets to bet on himself with the Pistons last offseason, is a player the franchise views as a cornerstone. He flourished as a No. 1 option this season, and the front office believes he can be even better. He outplayed the first year of his three-year, $60 million contract, and his deal has a chance to become an even-better bargain for the Pistons.
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The Pistons want to win games. A Grant trade, at least initially, could move the needle backwards instead of forward.
Tier 3: Potential Motor City Cruisers with upside
• Sekou Doumbouya
• Deividas Sirvydis
• Tyler Cook
If the Pistons had a G League team this season, Doumbouya and Sirvydis would’ve been strong candidates to spend time in the Orlando bubble. The former struggled to crack Detroit’s forward-heavy rotation until the last month of the season, while the latter is very early in his development and spent the majority of the year glued to the bench. Doumbouya will have two full seasons under his belt at the start of next season, but the Pistons are banking on the Motor City Cruise being a transformational developmental tool. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Doumbouya spend plenty of time in the G League next season.
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Cook looked like a reliable reserve big man during his four weeks with the Pistons. He’s non-guaranteed for next season, but if he returns, the Cruise could be instrumental for him to continue rounding out his game, especially as a shooter.
Tier 4: Restricted free agents who should stick around
• Hamidou Diallo
• Frank Jackson
• Saben Lee
Diallo looked like an effective two-way wing during his two months with the Pistons and finished the season on a strong note, averaging 18 points and 7.3 rebounds a game during his final six games while shooting 53.3% overall and 36.4% from 3. That included a career-high 35-point game against the Charlotte Hornets on May 4, during which he made 14 of his 22 shot attempts and four of his six 3-pointers. He’ll be 23 on opening night next season, and his reliable perimeter defense, elite athleticism and improving outside shot bodes well for his future trajectory. Weaver targeted him ahead of the trade deadline, and it appears likely that the Pistons will look to retain him.
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That also goes for Lee and Jackson, Detroit’s two two-way-contract guards. Lee often looked competent as a backup point guard during the back half of the season and showed plenty of upside as a playmaker, slasher and defender, while Jackson shot 40.7% from 3 and gave the Pistons a scoring punch off the bench.
Tier 5: Role players on moveable contracts
• Mason Plumlee
• Josh Jackson
• Jahlil Okafor
Both Plumlee and Jackson were staples in the rotation. Plumlee averaged 10.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists and thrived as a secondary playmaker while providing stability as the starting center. Jackson occasionally struggled with inconsistency, but was one of the better scorers and defenders on the team when locked in. During April, he averaged 16.7 points per game on 46.6% overall shooting while knocking down 41.3% of his 4.2 3-point attempts per game. Both are on team-friendly contracts (two years and $16,662,500 remaining for Plumlee, one year and $5,005,350 for Jackson) and could be included in any deals for salary-matching purposes.
Okafor fell out of the rotation in January after Stewart emerged as the second center and only played 27 games due to knee surgery. He’s on the books for $2.1 million next season.
Tier 6: Veterans who will (or could) enter unrestricted free agency
• Wayne Ellington
• Cory Joseph
• Rodney McGruder
The Pistons are interested in a reunion with Ellington, who was a lights-out shooter last season and knocked down 42.2% of his 3-pointers. But Ellington will be an unrestricted free agent. Only $2.4 million of Joseph’s $12.6 million is guaranteed, while McGruder’s $5 million for next season is fully non-guaranteed.
Joseph excelled as a backup point guard for the Pistons after they acquired him ahead of the trade deadline, and could give them stability next season as Hayes continues to learn the ropes of the position. McGruder only played 16 games, but was impactful as a defender in the few games he did play. Joseph has a good relationship with Casey, while McGruder is close with Weaver. Given that Weaver values having veterans in the locker room, both could return depending on Detroit’s need for cap space.
Tier 7: Restricted free agent facing positional competition
• Dennis Smith Jr.
He showed some promise for the Pistons after arriving from the New York Knicks, but injuries and the NBA’s health and safety protocols led to Smith playing just seven of Detroit’s final 35 games. With Hayes and Lee likely to return next year, and the Pistons needing at least one additional roster spot for their lottery pick, it’s tough to see Smith coming back.
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @omarisankofa. The Free Press has started a new digital subscription model. Here’s how you can gain access to our most exclusive Pistons content. Read more on the Detroit Pistons and sign up for our Pistons newsletter.