The Detroit Pistons will enter this offseason with a load of cap space but might not find much to spend it on.
This free agent class isn’t particularly deep with “move the needle” talent, so if the Pistons strike out on the top guys, they might have to look for more creative ways to use their cap space.
That could include taking flyers on unfulfilled talent with guys like Marvin Bagley III, adding several lower-cost veteran upgrades or making a trade with a team that needs to clear cap space.
One such team I’ve heard floated around is the Miami Heat, who have a top-heavy payroll with Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry and Duncan Robinson as well as a big extension for Tyler Herro looming.
Calling It Now:
— Lazarus Jackson (@lazchance) April 11, 2022
I think we hear Duncan Robinson linked to the Pistons before September rolls around.
Herro's gonna be extension-eligible soon, Miami excavated Max Strus off the heap, and DRob is a Beilien guy
The Heat may be looking to cut payroll to make space for Herro’s extension, and the unexpected leap by Max Strus may have made Duncan Robinson available.
It makes sense, as the Pistons could either send back a player like Kelly Olynyk, who would give the Heat some added cap space and whose final year is not guaranteed, or if the Heat really wanted to clear some room, they could take back a player like Hamidou Diallo or Frank Jackson, allowing the Pistons to absorb Robinson into their cap space.
The Heat would only be making this move to cut future money and stay out of the tax, so this could be another way for the Pistons to acquire talent using their cap space.
So what would a lineup with Robinson look like?
Detroit Pistons: Trading for Duncan Robinson
If the Pistons were to trade for Duncan Robinson, they could enter next season with this starting five:
- Cade Cunningham
- Duncan Robinson
- Saddiq Bey
- Jerami Grant/Draft pick
- Isaiah Stewart
The Pistons would still have their 2022 1st-round pick, so would still have options when it came to Jerami Grant. If they wanted to extend him, this is a pretty good team, but it’s definitely not a title contender and would be more financially encumbered.
If the Pistons did trade Grant, they’d still have money left over to make a few minor free agent additions to go along with Robinson.
The point is that it is not only possible, but makes sense from Miami’s perspective, but what about the Detroit Pistons? There would definitely be pros and cons to trading for Duncan Robinson.