When asked how the Detroit Pistons would approach the offseason, GM Troy Weaver said they would “stay principled but be aggressive.”
The Pistons will have some cap space, but don’t want to use it on guys who don’t move the needle, so if they miss out on some of their top free-agent targets, Detroit might have to look for other ways to use their money.
That could include using their cap space to make a trade for a guy like Duncan Robinson, a possible cap casualty for the Heat who could probably be acquired at a bargain.
Having cap space puts the Pistons in a position to take on a salary without sending equivalent money back, which may be appealing for any team trying to cut payroll.
One team to watch this offseason is the Golden State Warriors, who have some possible cap issues looming.
The Warriors have one of the most top-heavy payrolls in the league, with Stephen Curry ($48 million), Klay Thomoson ($40 million), Andrew Wiggins ($33 million) and Draymond Green ($25 million) all locked up for next season.
They’ve already exercised their $9.6 million option on James Wiseman for next season, and have Jonathan Kuminga ($5.7 million) and Moses Moody ($3.7 million) on their rookie deals.
The big issue for the Warriors is third-year player Jordan Poole, who has made a giant leap this season, looks like a future star and just dropped 30 points in his first playoff game.
The Warriors exercised his option for next season, so will get one more cheap year, but Poole is going to be looking for a max extension, and even if he doesn’t get the full max, he’ll be close, which potentially gives the Warriors five guys on max deals.
The Warriors already have $171 million committed to just eight players next season, which means they may be looking for ways to cut payroll.
Could the Detroit Pistons make a deal with the Golden State Warriors?
The Warriors are a well-run franchise, evidenced by the fact that they have a title contending team right now and still have young talent in the pipeline in Poole, Wiseman and Moody.
They could just extend Poole, fill out the rest of their roster with low-cost veterans and rookies and go into next season with basically the same team.
Or they could try to clear some space by trading Wiggins, though there won’t be too many takers for a guy on an expiring contract who makes $33 million next season.
Detroit is one of the teams that could take that contract on, but wouldn’t do so unless they were getting an asset in return. Would they consider taking Jerami Grant and Kelly Olynyk for Wiggins and one of their young players not named Poole? It would give the Warriors more depth and financial flexibility without taking on any long-term money. Would such a deal even interest the Pistons?
The Warriors are in a great spot, as they can win now and don’t have to be impatient with a guy like Wiseman, who has not played at all for them this season. But they might also decide that he is a $10 million luxury (with a rookie extension looming) for a team whose window with the Splash Brothers and Draymond is starting to close.
The Detroit Pistons will certainly be doing their homework to identify teams looking to cut payroll, which may be a way for the Pistons to use their cap space to get players in trades rather than free agency.