Grading free agency moves made by the Detroit Pistons

Over the past two weeks, the Detroit Pistons have acquired a few new players through free agency. How does each player grade out?

The Detroit Pistons came into the 2018 free agency campaign with a limited budget. The big message is that nothing sexy was going to be done.

That didn’t mean there wasn’t work to be done. They were going to need another forward with the departure of Anthony Tolliver. The Pistons were also going to need a couple other pieces to add depth to their rotation.

Let’s take a look at what they did over the last couple of weeks.

Detroit Pistons sign Jose Calderon

Calderon was with the organization a few years back. He played a lot of meaningful minutes then. Now, its fair to say that Calderon will be more of a veteran presence for the younger players on the roster. He won’t see a ton of minutes.

Last year, the Pistons used both Jameer Nelson and Dwight Buycks to be the third point guard on the roster. Calderon brings a different style to the role.

He’s always been known for his ability to set up his teammates and be a great facilitator. Over the course of his career, Calderon has been an exceptional shooter as well.

Last season, he shot 46 percent from three-point range in 57 games with the Cleveland Cavaliers. If he can shoot well and be an above average facilitator, this is a win for the Pistons.

However, this is a signing that has zero potential for growth. Detroit knew what they were getting when they signed the aging veteran. There are guys like Shane Larkin and Shabazz Napier they could’ve signed for close to the same price.

Calderon is with Detroit on a one-year, $2.3 million deal. It wasn’t a great signing but it wasn’t a bad one.

Grade: C+

Glenn Robinson III back in Michigan

Robinson played college basketball in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan. After a great run there among the likes of Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Nik Stauskas, he’s been unable to take off in the NBA.

Injuries have been apart of that reason. Another reason is because of the teams he’s been on. He took a back seat to Victor Oladipo with the Indiana Pacers.

This has the growth potential that the Calderon signing doesn’t have. Robinson is just 24 years old and hasn’t really been given a complete opportunity to prove his worth in this league.

Robinson is an incredibly athletic player that can play above the rim and shoot from the outside. At his size combined with the versatility he possesses, Robinson can play shooting guard and small forward.

This free agency signing could end up being a slam dunk for the Detroit Pistons. Robinson isn’t a splash signing, but the potential is what should get fans excited.

Grade: B+

Zaza Pachulia

The Detroit Pistons parted ways with Eric Moreland so there was an obvious need for a back-up center. Pachulia fills that void.

Andre Drummond saw an increase in minutes last season due to a better free throw percentage. This means Pachulia will only be on duty for around 15 minutes a night.

Pachulia brings a championship background with him from his time with the Golden State Warriors. Again, there’s still nothing sexy about this signing.

Pachulia isn’t a pretty or flashy player on the court. He’s involved with a lot of the physicality that occurs around the rim. He’s a good rebounder and an above average defender.

Do not expect an effective offensive punch from Pachulia. It’s simply not his game. He’s another aging veteran that can bring a voice to the locker room to guide younger players on the team.

This signing is similar to Calderon. You know what you’re getting and there’s zero potential to it. However, Pachulia fills a need.

The Pachulia signing edges the Calderon deal because of the position group and is an upgrade to the back-up center position.

Grade: B-

Next: Detroit Pistons complete their new coaching staff, start new chapter