It was reported yesterday that the Detroit Pistons had re-signed veteran guard Rodney McGruder to a one-year deal to rejoin the team next season.
It was a bit strange considering the Pistons already have plenty of guards, as well as a full roster that now stands at 19 players under contract counting the two-way guys.
McGruder is certainly not a threat to take anyone’s minutes, but it does give the Pistons more players than spots on the final roster.
One of those cuts will likely be Kemba Walker, as he is probably going to be bought out by the Detroit Pistons at some point so that he can become a free agent and join a contender, though details of that buyout have not yet emerged.
But that still leaves one too many players, which means the Pistons are not done shaking up their roster. So what does this mean for the other guards, specifically Killian Hayes and Saben Lee?
Detroit Pistons: The Rodney McGruder signing probably means nothing
Rodney McGruder played little for the Detroit Pistons last season, but when he was called upon, he played well and did his job.
He’s a professional and a much-needed veteran voice on the bench who the other players respect and listen to, so bringing him back in some capacity makes sense.
It’s possible that the Pistons just brought him back to be a guy who pushes and mentors his younger counterparts in training camp before eventually getting cut.
The full details of the contract have not been released, so it’s possible McGruder will be the surplus player and the Pistons will just part ways with him before next season, bringing their roster to 15 players.
But there are other possibilities.