How many open spots on Detroit Pistons roster are there really?

There are a bunch of young, hungry players in summer league hoping to earn a spot with the Detroit Pistons. But how many openings on the roster are there really?

(UPDATED WITH JOSEPH AND MCGRUDER CONTRACT INFO)

Team officials always talk about a player ‘earning their spot’ or ‘we’re just looking for the best players, it’s an open competition’ but, the reality is, most of the places on a roster are decided well beforehand.

The NFL is a bit different than the NBA, in that not as many contracts are guaranteed. There is a difference between releasing a returning player with no financial implications, and telling the owner you are getting rid of someone and, oh, you are still going to pay him millions of dollars.

For the past two years, the Pistons have had to eat a contract. In 2020, it was giving Džanan Musa, who came to Detroit as part of the Bruce Brown trade, $2 million dollars to go away, as he was cut in training camp.

This year, it is Deividas Sirvydis. Although Detroit traded three second-round picks to get him back in 2019, they have released him, even though he has a guaranteed $1.5 million coming to him.

Sirvydis is playing on Detroit’s summer league team, although his 0-for-5 performance on threes  against Houston probably did help his cause to come back. But, no matter what, he is getting $1.5 million, and it does count against the Pistons salary cap.

As for the Pistons salary cap space, right now, it was perfectly balanced. Once Frank Jackson’s new two-year, $6.15 million deal is official, and his cap hold released, Detroit were exactly at the salary cap line, although it did not last long..

Detroit used its Room Exception to re-sign Cory Joseph and inked Rodney McGruder to a one-year, veteran minimum. Both are allowed even if a team is over the cap.

According to Spotrac.com, Jackson’s contract gives Detroit a total of 15 players with guaranteed money on the team roster, not counting restricted free agent Hamidou Diallo, who they have made a qualifying offer to.

Since there are only 15 spots on an official NBA roster, and Diallo would make 16, Detroit is in a bit of a roster jam at the moment.