Why are the Detroit Pistons already cutting players?

The Detroit Pistons have already cut several players, even though they are barely into training camp. Believe it or not, those players getting cut, will now make more money.

One would think, with young, building team like the Pistons, they would want to take a long look at new players. You never know what will pop up. Christian Wood started out as 15th-man on the Pistons, after all.

However, the axe swung hard and fast at the Henry Ford Performance Center. The day before training camp started,  Anthony Tarke was released. On the second day of camp, it was announced that Deividas Sirvydis had been released (again) and Detroit signed Jared Cunningham.

So what is with all the cutting of players at the opening of training camp? One would think coach Dwane Casey would at least want to check them out in a few practices, maybe an exhibition game, before deciding to release a player.

However, there is a good reason for all of this quick cutting. Oddly, the players cut will now make more money because of it.

Detroit Pistons and the Exhibit 10 contract

If one goes on the assumption Tarke and Sirvydis had no chance of making the Pistons roster, they can actually profit from the experience. The reason is, they were on Exhibit 10 contracts.

So, what is exactly an Exhibit 10 contract? Not much, unless you do get cut from an NBA training camp roster.

It is basically a one-year non-guaranteed deal, that includes an invite to training camp. It also gives the team an option to convert it to a two-way deal, which the Pistons did with Jamorko Pickett, right before training camp.

Detroit stills holds the G-League rights to Exhibit 10 players when cut.

This is where the players make more money. If they stay with the Cruise for more than 60 days, the Exhibit 10 section of their contract kicks in. Tarke or Sirvydis would then receive a bonus of between $5-50,000, on top of their regular salary.

Unlike the two-way contract, there are no certain amount of days they get to be on the Pistons. If Detroit likes the way they play, they will have to sign the Exhibit 10 player to a standard NBA contract.

If they get released, the three non-guaranteed players still in camp, Cassius Stanley, Derrick Walton Jr. and Jared Cunningham, could also benefit from the Exhibit 10. All three have played in Europe, so, depending on the offers, they could decide to head back overseas, instead of the G-League.

It helps the player because they are still in a place where they can get noticed by the NBA and, financially, they are at least making a decent amount. It helps the Pistons, as it gives them the G-League rights of players they have interest in, and, being close by, they can monitor them.

The Motor City Cruise are in their first year, and the Pistons want them to be competitive. The Exhibit 10 helps them lure strong players, who may, one day, help Detroit.