What do the Detroit Pistons really think? Follow the money

‘Talk is cheap’ is an old saying. ‘Follow the money’ is another one. When it comes to what the Detroit Pistons are doing this off-season, your best window into their thinking in the second saying.

The phrase ‘Money talks’ is also very applicable.

Pistons general manager Troy Weaver and coach Dwane Casey both say lots of nice things about players who might play for Detroit next season. As well they should, no need to burn bridges.

But who they are having owner Tom Gores actually write checks to, and how big an amount, really shows what they think.

First, you need to remember that 34% of the Pistons cap space for 2021-22 is dead money, due mostly to the final year of Blake Griffin’s contract. So Detroit has to be very judicious in who they sign to contracts. They will not be throwing around crazy money.

So who are the Detroit Pistons showing they really want with $$$$

(all salary information courtesy Spotrac)

There is a difference between something like a ‘Woj Bomb’, a credible report in the media, and actually having a contract filed with the NBA office.

Since August 6 at 6 p.m., teams have been able to register all the contracts that occured in a wild week and a half. The reported deals probably still occur, but which contracts they deem the most important to officially file first, is a sign of their priorities.

Let us look at the two categories of players the Pistons have been signing: Free agents and draft picks.

Pistons free agent signees:

Who is official (as of 8/09)

• Kelly Olynyk : 3 years, $37,195,122 contract , including $28,000,000 guaranteed
• Trey Lyles:   2 years, $5,125,000 contract, including $2,500,000 guaranteed.
• Saben Lee: 3 year $5.14 million contract

What it means:

Detroit obviously prefers Olynyk on the team rather than last year’s starting center, Mason Plumlee, as Olynyk is being guaranteed $12 million more than Plumlee was going to get, over the next two years.

Age-wise, Olynyk and Plumlee are about the same (over 30) but Olynyk is a good outside shooter, while Plumlee gets his points around the basket. He can also swing to the power forward position, opening up more minutes for Isaiah Stewart, and other big men on the roster. Plumlee was strictly a center.

If things go awry, the Pistons can get out of the third year of the contract by paying Olynyk $3 million. But make no mistake about it, with their limited cap space, Olynyk was Detroit’s big-free agent signing on the year.

Lyles is also a big who can shoot the three. Maybe not as good as Olynyk, but he is not bad (34-percent for career on low volume) from beyond the arc. Unlike, Olynyk, Lyles is a pure power forward.

Lyles is coming from one of the best organizations in the NBA, in San Antonio. That they did not want to bring Lyles back was probably a red flag to other teams. Considering he is taking a 50-percent pay cut, compared to what the Spurs paid him, the market for Lyles was probably not overwhelming.

Throw in the fact Lyles is going to a city which he said, was horrible, and one wonders if he had any other offers of substance.

For whatever reason, the Pistons are taking a flier on Lyles. He is only 25-years-old so there could still  be some additional upside to his game. Lyles also has started 103 games in the NBA, a lot more than most of his new teammates.

Lyles coming is not good news for Sekou Doumbouya, as power forward is the position he most plays. But the Pistons start Jerami Grant at the ‘4’, and now have Lyles to back him up. Olynyk and maybe Isaiah Stewart, can swing from center to power forward as well.

The money is definite now, so, whether Pistons fans like it or not (and most do not), Lyles will be on the team, at least for this season. Detroit is not paying $2.5 million to then release him.

As for Saben Lee, the contract is a reward for a solid rookie season. The fact he played well when paired with Killian Hayes certainly helped him convince the Pistons to offer a multi-year contract.

As a two-way player last season, Lee did not make a lot, as it was below the NBA minimum salary. What he is getting from Detroit is not exactly Kevin Durant money, but, in comparison to last season, it is a massive increase.