Why the Pistons should pass on Mitchell Robinson in free agency

The Detroit Pistons will have some cap space this summer and a number of needs to fill.

They definitely need shooting and scoring, as they were at or near the bottom of the league in field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and points per game.

But Detroit was also just 22nd in defensive efficiency this season and 23rd in points in the paint allowed per game. Isaiah Stewart proved himself to be a versatile defender, but he isn’t an elite rim protector, so the Pistons could use an upgrade to their frontcourt defense.

Mitchell Robinson is a center who fits the Pistons on paper, as he has good size, is an elite finisher around the rim and blocked 1.8 shots per game this season, which would have easily led the Pistons.

Robinson is an unrestricted free agent and many have connected him to the Pistons for obvious reasons: They have cap space and he fills a need.

But in my opinion, the Detroit Pistons should pass on guys like Mitchell Robinson.

The cost of a center for the Detroit Pistons

The modern NBA game has changed so much that bigs are no longer as valued unless they are elite (Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic) or can shoot.  Centers in the NBA have become like running backs in the NFL, you don’t want to waste a high draft pick or a lot of money on one unless they are elite.

Bigs like Mitchell Robinson are not that hard to come by, evidenced by the fact that the Knicks were able to get Robinson in the second round. Why pay big free-agent money for a guy whose production could be replicated for cheap?

The Pistons have the 46th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and could use it to take a flyer on a big guy like Christian Koloko, Ismael Kamagate, Orlando Robinson, Khalifa Diop or Zach Edey, all guys who could end up being decent rim protectors who can finish and will be on league-minimum deals.

If the Pistons ended up with a second pick in the first round (by trading Jerami Grant) they could take a flyer on a guy like Mark Williams from Duke or Jalen Duren from Memphis, both guys who could possibly move the needle more than Mitchell Robinson and would be much cheaper.

Detroit shouldn’t invest big money in big men who are not elite, so while Mitchell Robinson is a nice player who does fill a need, the Pistons should pass and try to find the production they need cheaper or by adding a high-end big man like Deandre Ayton.