Detroit Pistons: 7 biggest free-agent mistakes in team history

The Detroit Pistons will enter the 2023 offseason with enough cap space to make a splash in free agency.

But as we are all well aware, who they don’t sign is almost as important as who they do, as the Pistons have had a nasty habit of overpaying players in free agency and have a rich history of paying the wrong guys.

This summer they’ll be looking for free agents who can help them get back into the playoffs, but they must avoid paying role players too much or mistakenly thinking a guy is better than he really is based on little evidence.

Troy Weaver has to avoid the mistakes of the past, and he has plenty of examples to learn lessons from. Here are seven of the worst free-agent mistakes in team history, let’s hope we don’t add to the list this offseason.

Detroit Pistons: 7 biggest free-agent mistakes in team history

Nazr Mohammed: 4 years/$25 million

Anytime you can pay a backup center who rarely plays like he is the star of the team, you have to do it! That was the Pistons’ motto back in 2006-7 when they signed Mohammed to be their starting center and then he ended up playing 15 minutes a game for them and doing squat. He barely stepped on the floor in the playoffs and the Pistons had to dump him in the offseason for  Primož Brezec and Walter Herrmann, two guys who never played for the team. To his credit, Mohammed had a very long career as a journeyman role player in the NBA, but he can thank the Detroit Pistons for setting him up financially.