Detroit — The Pistons’ roster looks slightly different than it did prior to the first day of free agency, but not because they paid top-dollar for one of the best wings available on the open market.
It’s because they struck a trade with the Brooklyn Nets to acquire another sharphooter in Joe Harris, which addresses a big need to improve their perimeter shooting.
Free agency can be looked at as a time for teams to use their available cap space to improve the roster by signing a player outright or by using the space to take on contracts from other teams, which is the case in the Pistons’ deal for Harris.
Several of the top wings on market, including Brooklyn’s Cameron Johnson, Washington’s Kyle Kuzma and Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green, garnered more than $20 million in annual salaries and would’ve severely impacted the Pistons’ projected $30 million in cap space.
By taking on Harris’ expiring $19 million salary, which impacts Detroit’s cap space flexibility for just one season, the Pistons realized they either didn’t have faith they could sign one of the top forwards or they didn’t want to overpay someone like Johnson, who will reportedly make $27 million per year in a new deal with the Nets.
The Pistons currently have 13 guaranteed contracts on its roster without unrestricted free agents Hamidou Diallo, Cory Joseph and Rodney McGruder. With about $6.4 million left, according to Spotrac, the Pistons can use that money to add another player, along with their disabled player exception to bring its roster to the training camp maximum of 15.
If the Pistons want to create more opportunities to reclaim some of its cap room, they could pursue trading the likes of Bojan Bogdanovic or Marvin Bagley III since those are two of the highest contracts on the roster. However, it appears as if the Pistons’ front office will rely on internal development going into next season.
A healthy Cade Cunningham, along with improved versions of Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, the veteran experience of Bogdanovic, Harris and Alec Burks, coupled with the rising potential of Ausar Thompson could be enough to remain competitive on a nightly basis.
This edition of News & Views looks at the Pistons’ trade ahead of free agency and its impact. along with the latest on the team’s summer league roster.
News: The Pistons landed Joe Harris and two future first-round picks in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets.
Views: It’s not the splashiest deal, but this move helps Detroit improve its 3-point shooting immediately without giving away a player in return. Harris has shot over 40% from beyond the arc the last six seasons and the Pistons had three shooters above 40% last season in Bogdanovic, McGruder and Burks. In the event McGruder doesn’t return, it gives Detroit another perimeter threat. His mobility has been limited the last two seasons due to multiple ankle surgeries, but the Pistons won’t solely rely on his offensive production since Cunningham should be fully available. With several playmakers on the roster, Harris could — at worst — be a spot-up shooter and new coach Monty Williams will be able to design plays around his offensive skillset. It’s not the big fish, but Detroit is already a better roster than it ended the team that finished with 17 wins last season.
News: The Pistons announced their schedule for the 2023 Las Vegas Summer League on Friday.
Views: Pistons fans will be able to see a glimpse of the team’s new rookies along with their former rookie favorites in Ivey and Duren when the Las Vegas Summer League begins next Friday. The Pistons will play on July 8 against the Orlando Magic, which could likely be the only game for Ivey and Duren to avoid injury. Ivey played in roughly two games before suffering an ankle injury last summer in Las Vegas so there should be an abundance of caution for the explosive guard.
Michigan fans will also recognize a familiar face as Xavier Simpson is also listed on Detroit’s summer roster. Simpson, a 6-foot guard, played for the Lakeland Magic (Orlando Magic’s G League affiliate) last season. Motor City Cruise guard Keifer Sykes will also join the Pistons in Las Vegas.
The most intriguing of the four-game slate is the Pistons matchup against the Houston Rockets on July 8, which will pit Ausar Thompson and his brother, Amen, against each other for the first time in the NBA. The twins made history last week as the first set of brothers to be drafted within the top five picks.
The Pistons will conclude Summer League play with a matchup against the San Antonio Spurs on July 12. Had this game been at the frontend of the schedule, it would’ve made for an intriguing sight but No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama will likely sit out the backend of the Spurs’ schedule. He recently told reporters that he will only play “one or two” summer league games.
News: Saginaw native Draymond Green reportedly agreed to a four-year, $100 million contract to return to the Golden State Warriors.
Former Pistons forward Jerami Grant agreed on a five-year, $160 million deal to remain with the Portland Trail Blazers. Pistons guard Bruce Brown left the NBA champion Denver Nuggets and agreed on a two-year $45 million deal with the Indiana Pacers.
Views: Green will remain a member of the Golden State Warriors. His new deal with Golden State, first reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic, is no surprise. The former Defensive Player of the Year serves as the heart and soul of the Warriors and his playmaking abilities pair well with sharpshooters Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. It’s the most important checklist item on the Warriors’ offseason list after trading Jordan Poole to the Wizards in exchange for veteran guard Chris Paul. The contract is a team-friendly deal Green’s new contract also includes a player option in the fourth year, which could make him an unrestricted free agent in 2027. That flexibility bodes well for the waning years of his career.
Three years after signing a lucrative deal with the Pistons, Grant is on the other end of another high-paying contract with the Blazers. It’s a massive payday for Grant, who played well in his first season in Portland after he was traded from Detroit last summer. Grant posted a 40% mark from the 3-point line for the first time in his career and meshed well alongside Damian Lillard, who could opt to remain with the franchise he’s been with for the entirety of his career. Grant’s new contract keeps him in Portland through the 2028 season, and the chatter of a possible reunion in Detroit will finally come to an end.
Brown also took advantage of his productive play in the 2023 NBA Finals and agreed to a deal with the Pacers, the Pistons’ longtime division rival. He’s versatile on both ends of the floor and will take some of the ball-handling pressure away from Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin. He joins a cast that also includes rookie forward Jarace Walker and veteran center Myles Bridges as Indiana seeks to make a return to the playoffs.
mcurtis@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @MikeACurtis2