Will Cory Joseph be on the Detroit Pistons’ roster next season?

June 28th will be one of the most important offseason dates for the Detroit Pistons.

That is the date they will have to make decisions on team options for Frank Jackson, Hamidou Diallo and Luka Garza.

Garza seems the most likely to go, though the Pistons could decide to keep just one of Jackson and Diallo, or neither of them if they feel they can upgrade for cheaper or need the cap space.

Cory Joseph also has until June 28th to exercise his player option for 2022-23, which would pay him $5.1 million.

Unless Joseph had assurances that some other team (or the Pistons) wanted to offer him a multi-year deal, which seems unlikely, Joseph will probably exercise his option and become an unrestricted free agent at the end of next season.

But that doesn’t mean Joseph will be on the Pistons’ roster next season, as they could still trade him after he exercises his option.

Joseph had a decent season for the Detroit Pistons in a much larger role than anyone expected or wanted, but should they keep him around for another season?

Yes, the Detroit Pistons should bring back Cory Joseph

Joseph averaged eight points, 3.6 assists and 2.7 rebounds this season while shooting 41 percent from 3-point range.

He was forced into a starter’s role after Killian Hayes was ineffective early in the season, and I think everyone agrees that the Pistons need an upgrade here. If they want to improve, they clearly cannot go into next season with CoJo in the starting backcourt.

If he were to come back, it would be for the 3rd point guard role, and $5.1 million for a good veteran backup is not a ludicrous price. CoJo is a good teammate and a smart player and it’s good to have guys like that around.

The Pistons wouldn’t have an immediate replacement, as Saben Lee has not proven he’s ready for that role. The Pistons could look for a cheap option in the second-round of the NBA Draft, but that would just be another young player who would be a long shot to be ready for the rotation.

While Cory Joseph is probably not part of the long-term plans, he is a serviceable veteran at a position of need who will probably be better than a 2nd-round pick.

The Detroit Pistons should trade Cory Joseph

CoJo has proven himself valuable enough that a contending team looking for veteran bench depth might want his services and be willing to give up a second round pick for him.

While Joseph played decently this season, he’s a tweener guard who sometimes dribbles too much and isn’t really a high-volume shooter. The Pistons need an upgrade of defense and shooting on the wing and could take a flyer on a guy in the draft who is more athletic and a better defender than Joseph.

I do think the Pistons need to either retain or acquire a few veteran players to balance the roster, but can probably find guys on minimum deals to fill those bench roles. I’d rather the Pistons went after a veteran defender to shore up the bench defense and compete with the young players.

While Joseph’s salary isn’t crazy, he’s a luxury for a team that doesn’t really need him and should be looking to get bigger and more athletic. It’s also a contract that could easily be moved as part of a larger trade if the Pistons are trying to take on a big salary.

Whether it is as part of a larger trade, or a salary dump for a second-round pick, my guess is that Cory Joseph’s days with the Detroit Pistons could be numbered.