The Detroit Pistons will be exploring the NBA free-agent market for upgrades this offseason and could turn to the recently eliminated Milwaukee Bucks.
We’ve been looking a potential free-agent and trade targets from the eliminated playoff teams, and the Milwaukee Bucks have a bunch of guys who could potentially hit the market.
The Bucks have a bit of a cap space problem, as they have $125 million tied up in just four players for next season and all of them except for Giannis Antetokounmpo are on the wrong side of 30-years-old.
It’s easy to say that the Bucks would have beaten the Celtics (and possibly won the title) this season if they had Khris Middleton, but it’s also easy to say that this team’s window is closing rapidly and they don’t have a ton of ways to improve.
This could lead to some of their free agents jumping ship (or the Bucks not being able to re-sign them) and there are several guys who might interest the Detroit Pistons.
Detroit Pistons: Free agents from the Milwaukee Bucks
Jordan Nwora: Restricted free agent
Nwora is a restricted free agent coming off a minimum rookie deal, so he is the least likely to leave the Bucks, though he didn’t play much in the playoffs.
He had a pretty good season, averaging 7.9 points in just under 20 minutes per game. Nwora shot over 45 percent from long range in his rookie season, but that number dipped to 34 percent in this one on more attempts.
He’s a player similar to Isaiah Livers in that he has the size to defend multiple spots and can hit the 3-pointer.
The Bucks may not be able to match if the Detroit Pistons wanted to make him an offer above the minimum, but that would be a risk given what he has done in his career so far. Whoever takes a risk on Nwora will have to be confident he has another level or two, especially as a long-range shooter.
Detroit Pistons: Free agents from the Milwaukee Bucks
Jevon Carter: Unrestricted free agent
Jevon Carter would be a possibility for the 3rd point guard spot if Cory Joseph didn’t exercise his player option (or did and was traded) or the Pistons parted ways with Saben Lee.
Carter is a career backup who is still only 26-years-old and had his best years for Phoenix, where he once shot 42 percent from long range.
He’s a 38 percent shooter from 3-point range for his career, so would give the Detroit Pistons a skill they need. He’d be worth a flyer depending on what happens with Joseph and Lee.
Wesley Matthews: Unrestricted free agent
The 35-year-old can still defend and shoot the 3-ball, two things the Detroit Pistons need off their bench. He’s probably in the stage of his career where he would prefer to take a minimum deal to be on the bench of a contender. The Detroit Pistons are probably a year away from needing a guy like Matthews, but he’d be an upgrade at the Rodney McGruder (break glass in case of emergency veteran) position.
Serge Ibaka: Unrestricted free agent
Ibaka’s best days are certainly behind him, but he’d be a great veteran mentor to the young bigs and would provide more value to the Pistons than a guy like Luka Garza (sorry Luka). If the Detroit Pistons strike out on Deandre Ayton, I could see them brining in a guy like Ibaka to be the 3rd center.
He’s another guy who is more likely to be the end-of-the-bench big on a contender, but he’d be an interesting veteran option if he wanted to take the minimum to come to Detroit.
Detroit Pistons: Free agents from the Milwaukee Bucks
Both of these guys have player options for next season that they are not likely to exercise, as they can make more money as free agents on the open market.
Pat Connaughton: Player option
The 29-year-old shooting guard just had the best season of his career, averaging just under 10 points per game on 39.5 percent shooting from long range.
Connaughton, like most of the rest of the Bucks, stunk it up in game 7 against the Celtics, missing all five of his 3-point attempts.
But he had a good playoffs overall, shooting 42 percent from 3-point range, which would look pretty good coming off the Detroit Pistons’ bench next season.
Connaughton’s player option is for $5.7 million, so it would likely take a 3 year/$18 million deal to lure him to Detroit. Is that too much to pay? Maybe, but he’ll be a name we hear attached to the Pistons as one of the only real shooters hitting the market.
Bobby Portis: Player option
Of these six players, Portis is certainly going to get the most attention and he’ll also be the one the Bucks most want to bring back.
The 27-year-old had a breakout season for the Bucks, averaging 14.6 points, 9.1 rebounds and shooting 39.3 percent from 3-point range.
Portis also showed toughness, made some clutch plays in the playoffs, and is a guy that allows the Bucks to go small at times with Giannis at the five.
Portis will be one of the best 3-and-D guys to hit the free-agent market and he’d be a great fit in Detroit if they decided to move on from Jerami Grant and didn’t end up with a power forward in the draft.
It’s hard to see his fit otherwise, which means he’s not likely coming to the Detroit Pistons, but Portis is going to get a lot of attention and is about to get a big raise after the way he has played the last two seasons.