One thing has become clear during the 2021-22 season: The Detroit Pistons need shooting.
The Pistons’ shooting has been awful all season and they currently have a whopping six players shooting less than 30 percent from 3-point range.
This led to me jokingly suggesting that the Pistons petition the league to ban the 3-point shot, but barring any drastic rule changes, Detroit is going to have to add some shooters.
The 2022 NBA free agent crop is not deep in talent or shooting, but there are some guys who would at least bolster the Pistons’ bench and help improve their league-worst 3-point shooting.
The Pistons will have cap space next offseason, and they still have the possibility of trading Jerami Grant, so they have ways to add shooting to their roster.
But before they go looking outside of the organization, the Detroit Pistons will need more from the guys they already have.
The Detroit Pistons can improve from within
When you look up and down the Detroit Pistons’ roster, you will see a few guys who can shoot but are below their norms.
Rookie Cade Cunningham is shooting just 31.4 percent from long range overall, but he has been much better after struggling initially while still trying to overcome an ankle injury. I have no doubt that he will be closer to 38-40 percent by the end of the season.
Same with Saddiq Bey, who shot 38 percent from 3-point range last season but has hit just 30 percent so far in this one. There are signs he is coming out of his slump, but he hit just 3-of-13 last night vs. the Knicks.
Frank Jackson is another guy who is way down from last season when he hit 40 percent of his 3-point shots. This season he’s at just 32.9 and has been wildly inconsistent from game to game.
Kelly Olynyk has been injured for most of the season, and his 3-point shooting will be a welcome addition once he finally comes back.
So the Detroit Pistons do have some guys who can shoot and I do think they can count on these four players to improve their overall team numbers.
But they still need a lot of help.
Unrestricted NBA free agents for the Detroit Pistons
There are three guys who will be unrestricted free agents next offseason who could definitely help bolster the Detroit Pistons’ shooting:
- Pat Connaughton- Milwaukee Bucks
- Patty Mills- Brooklyn Nets
- Mike Muscala- OKC Thunder
Connaughton is shooting 41.5 percent on 6.3 attempts per game for the Bucks, a career year for him. This is the first time he’s ever shot over 40 percent for his career and he has benefitted from some extra minutes with so many Bucks in protocol.
Patty Mills is a veteran leader who is hitting 43 percent of his 3-point shots on 7.4 attempts per game. Mills is 33-years-old but just keeps plugging away and would be a great addition to the Pistons’ bench. Just imagine if the Pistons had him instead of say, Cory Joseph.
Mike Muscala is hitting 42.9 percent of his 3-point shots on 3.7 attempts per game and would give the Pistons another pick-and-pop big who could work with their young guards.
Mills is probably not a realistic option, as he is likely to chase rings off the bench of a contender and I can’t blame him.
Connaughton might be the best option, but he too is a bit older than the Pistons’ core (age 29) and might not be the same guy without Giannis drawing all of the defenders. But he has put together two good seasons in a row from behind the arc after being inconsistent for most of his career.
Muscala is another guy who doesn’t really fit the timeline and probably wouldn’t move the needle for the Pistons much anyway.
I don’t really love any of these guys and I would hate to see the Detroit Pistons overpay for a journeyman who probably wouldn’t put up big numbers whilst surrounded by kids.
Detroit will have to look elsewhere.
Restricted NBA free agents for the Detroit Pistons
The restricted free agent crop has some better options who are more in line with Detroit’s timeline and still have some room to grow, but also have some red flags.
Here are three possibilities:
- Collin Sexton- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Anfernee Simons- Portland Trail Blazers
- Donte DiVincenzo-Milwaukee Bucks
Sexton will be coming off a serious injury that cost him this season, so he might be a guy the Pistons could take a flyer on and get a good deal. Sexton is a guy who shot 40, 38 and 37 percent from long-range in his three seasons prior to this one.
He would be the biggest risk considering his injury and potential salary, but also offers the most upside as a long-term piece.
Anfernee Simons is shooting 37.9 percent on 5.5 attempts per game and shot over 42 percent from long-range last season. He is only 22 (same as Sexton) and will be an interesting case, as the Trail Blazers are desperate to win now and could use him as a trade piece to improve this season. He is a guy the Detroit Pistons could probably steal with the right offer next offseason, as the Trail Blazers will be up against the cap.
I like his potential to make a leap, but if he doesn’t the Pistons could end up overpaying for a middling player who doesn’t really move the needle.
Donte DiVincenzo hasn’t played yet this season but hit 37.9 of his 3-point attempts last season on 5.2 attempts per game. He also has good size, can defend a little and rebounds his position well.
Sexton would probably the biggest get but carry the biggest risk. Simons might get overpaid and DiVincenzo has to prove he is healthy, so again, there isn’t a perfect option here either.
Free agency might not yield the shooters the Detroit Pistons need, so they will have to explore all options, including making a trade this season using Jerami Grant as bait.