After signing Will Bynum to a two-year, $5.75 million contract, the Pistons have about $5 million in cap space, as reflected in the updated salary chart.
The Pistons will also have the room mid-level exception, which begins at $2,652,000, to use on a free agent. Unfortunately, if Bynum’s deal is accurately reported, that exception won’t go to him, because the two-year maximum is $5,423,340. Quite possibly, the Pistons were competing with a team that offered it and had to best that number.
Just as restricting, the Pistons now have 12 players under contract for next season plus their three 2013 draft picks. With a roster limit of 15, the Pistons have few reasonable options if they want to add a player with that cap space (which they should):
- Waive Kim English, who has an unguaranteed contract and has struggled in summer-league play
- Not sign Peyton Siva, a second-round pick who might have just lost his roster spot as a third point guard
- Amnesty Charlie Villanueva, a move that should happen but probably won’t
- Make a trade that brings in fewer players than it sends out, which is very unpredictable