Detroit Pistons: Jerami Grant finally traded, so what now?
Detroit Pistons: 2 big-time free agents
Detroit has never really been a free-agent destination, but this year could be different, as they have a promising young core and more money to throw around than anyone else.
If the Detroit Pistons were to decline all of their team options, they could have as much as $56 million in cap space:
If the Pistons move off their remaining free agents, they'll have over twice as much cap space as the next closest team.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) June 22, 2022
My live 2022 cap space projections:
1. DET $56M
2. ORL $27.9M
3. IND $25.6M
4. SAS $19.3M
That’s enough to throw a bag at two max free agents and there are some good ones on the market, especially the restricted market.
Assuming the Pistons pursue Deandre Ayton, he is going to cost upwards of $30 million per season, which would leave the Pistons around $24 million to spend on free agent number two.
Related Story. These two draft targets have ties to Detroit. light
They could go after an unrestricted guy like Jalen Brunson, take a stab at Collin Sexton, or even try to steal Anfernee Simons away from the Trail Blazers. They could go for restricted free agent Miles Bridges, as the Hornets are reportedly balking at giving him a max, though I am not sure how he fits with Saddiq Bey already in the lineup.
It will be tough for the Pistons to steal two restricted free agents, but they have the money and would look like a pretty appealing destination with Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart and possibly Ayton on board.
- Cade Cunningham
- Simons/Brunson/Sexton/Bridges
- Saddiq Bey
- Keegan Murray
- Ayton
This is probably the most exciting option and the one that would make the Detroit Pistons better right away, but I also see it as a long shot, as they’d have to either outbid Dallas for Brunson or potentially overpay for one of the restricted free agents.