Detroit Pistons: Free agency is loaded with veteran defenders

The Detroit Pistons need to upgrade their talent everywhere, as they were one of the worst offensive teams in the NBA and near the bottom in defense as well.

They could use a veteran defender, as right now, their best defensive players are Killian Hayes, Isaiah Stewart and Cade Cunningham.

All good teams have quality veteran defenders and I’d love to see the Pistons walk way from some of their six team options to find a decent veteran to shore up their 24th ranked defense and help mentor the young players.

While it would be nice to get an elite wing stopper, they could also upgrade their 3rd center spot with a guy who can block shots.

While 2022 NBA free agency is not loaded with star power or incredibly deep, there are a number of veteran defenders who could help the Detroit Pistons.

It’s possible the Pistons will do little in free agency if they strike out on the top guys, but they could try to pick up a lower-tier veteran defender to help upgrade their defense.

Here are a few the Pistons could consider. All are unrestricted veteran free agents who potentially fill a need without breaking the bank.

Detroit Pistons: 2022 NBA free agency is loaded with veteran defenders

Not all of these guys are perfect fits on the Detroit Pistons and some of them will likely either be priced out of their range or choose to sign with contending teams, but there are some quality individual and team defenders in 2022 NBA free agency.

Robert Covington: Still a very good 3-and-D wing defender. Probably out of the Pistons’ price range depending on other moves and will be coveted by just about every contender looking to upgrade their defense.

Chris Boucher: His minutes and blocks were down a bit this season but Boucher is still a decent rim protector and just 29-years-old. His shooting came back to earth this season, but last season he shot 38 percent on four 3-point attempts per game. He should be relatively cheap, so it will be interesting to see what the Raptors do with him.

Kevon Looney: Looney is a tough team defender who posted a 104.7 defensive rating this season playing both big-man spots. He’s a guy the Warriors might not be able to afford to keep, especially with James Wiseman in the pipeline. I don’t see him as a great fit on the Detroit Pistons but he’s a better defender than he gets credit for.

Bruce Brown: I almost hate to even bring this up given some Pistons’ fans perplexing affinity for Bruce Brown, but he’s been a very good role player for the Nets this season and will be a free agent. He’s a versatile, tough defender as we already know, and I would love a guy like him coming off the bench. He’s probably earned a bigger payday with his play in the playoffs, so I can’t really see him coming back to Detroit, but you never know.

Hassan Whiteside: Whiteside can still do the one thing that got him that huge payday, and that’s block shots. He averaged 1.6 blocks per game for Utah in just under 17 minutes per game this season. I’d take a low-cost flyer on him as the 3rd center, but he’s more likely to join a ready-made playoff team.

Danuel House: A tough perimeter defender with a little dawg in him, House is currently playing for the Utah Jazz. He’s a 3-and-D guy who can shoot a little and defend multiple spots and he played for the league minimum this season and will probably get a slightly bigger low-cost contract this offseason.

The Detroit Pistons need some tough veteran defenders to add to their core of young guys and can hopefully find one in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft or in lower-tier of free agency.