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Are the Detroit Pistons finished making moves?

ByAaron Ferguson|
DETROIT, MI - JUNE 20: Owner Tom Gores of the Detroit Pistons talks to the media after hiring Dwane Casey as the teams new head coach at Little Caesars Arena on June 20, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - JUNE 20: Owner Tom Gores of the Detroit Pistons talks to the media after hiring Dwane Casey as the teams new head coach at Little Caesars Arena on June 20, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Upon adding Christian Wood, the Detroit Pistons near the luxury tax. Can we count on another move or is the roster set?

The Detroit Pistons seem to have locked up their roster heading into training camp after claiming Christian Wood off waivers on Wednesday.

Detroit’s roster sits at 17 players with 14 guaranteed contracts, a pair of two-way contracts (Jordan Bone and Louis King) and Wood, whose deal becomes guaranteed when the regular season starts.

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks reports, the Pistons are under the luxury tax by $223,000. There is little wiggle room if the Pistons want to make a deal.

On Sunday, Yahoo’s! Chris Haynes reported that the Pistons expressed interest in veteran center Kosta Koufos. Whether that remains true or not remains to be seen. Such a move would put the Pistons roster at 18 heading into camp, needing at least one cut out of camp.

There’s reason to believe that Tom Gores is willing to pay the luxury tax for a contending team. He even said so in a 2016 interview with the Detroit Free Press.

Can three years really change much? The Pistons did make a push for the playoffs and secured the eight seed last year, making their first playoff appearance since Stan Van Gundy’s Pistons in 2016.

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The new regime made it to the playoffs but the Pistons franchise hasn’t won a playoff game since 2008 when they lost a six-game series to the Boston Celtics. Including the last two games in that series, the Pistons are on a 14-game postseason losing streak, having been swept by Cleveland in 2009 and 2016.

With little room surrounding the luxury tax and being well over the salary cap, the Pistons are limited to making a trade or signing a veteran free agent to the minimum contract.

The Pistons added Derrick Rose, Markieff Morris, Tim Frazier and Wood in free agency this year. They offer expiring contracts in Reggie Jackson, Langston Galloway, Frazier, Wood and Thon Maker, who will be a restricted free agent.

Meanwhile Andre Drummond ($28.8 million), Tony Snell ($12.4 milion) and Morris ($3.36 million) all have player options next year for the listed salaries, according to Sportrac.

If the Pistons were to acquire a Chris Paul or Bradley Beal, they’d certainly do away with several expiring contracts to match salaries but they’d also be mortgaging the future by possible including some combination of Luke Kennard, Sekou Doumbouya and a plethora of picks.

Is it worth it? The window to win is now as Blake Griffin played some of his best basketball last season. However the cloud of Drummond’s impending free agency is worth considering, too. As is plunging for a third star when the Warriors have shown the importance of depth during a championship run.

But the balance in the NBA is what makes a major trade so attractive because this is Detroit’s best shot at competing in the Eastern Conference since 2008.

If the Pistons were to experience a deep postseason run, it may be worth it to some. If they could win it? That would be the icing on the cake.