The Detroit Pistons will head into the offseason with plenty of questions hanging over the team.
They have to decide whether to bring back head coach Dwane Casey, who still has a year left on his contract, and will also have to make decisions on several players who are going to be free agents.
Most of the free agent decisions are pretty easy, though Hamidou Diallo’s recent play has made that one a little more difficult. Unfortunately, Diallo was recently ruled out for the season, so he may have played his final game in Detroit and will be left out of this discussion, as his case is already made.
Isaiah Livers and Isaiah Stewart are also likely to be back, and we could see both of them get extensions this offseason if the price is right.
But there are four players who are fighting for their future with the team right now. Let’s start with two guys on the fringe.
4 Pistons playing for their future in Detroit
4. Cory Joseph
I can hear eyes rolling around the state of Michigan. It’s not likely that CoJo will be back, as he is having one of the worst seasons of his career. But if Dwane Casey stays, you never know, as he has shown an affinity for the veteran. If the Pistons end up with an extra roster spot or two after everything is settled (unlikely) they could look for a veteran to fill the 3rd point guard spot, a job that Joseph is tailor-made for. But they can probably do better, so even though Joseph is playing big minutes right now and Casey trusts him, it’s likely he’s done in Detroit after this season.
3. Eugene Omoruyi
Omoruyi was a curious roster addition given that he is already 26-years-old, but he’s been a bit of a late bloomer who didn’t even touch a basketball competitively until he was in his second year of high school.
He’s currently on a 10-day contract and likely to get plenty of run with all of the injuries the Pistons have right now. Omoruyi had a nice game last night against the Wizards with 15 points, six rebounds and steal while playing decent defense on the wing. He’s extremely unlikely to get a full-time roster spot, but he’s a prime candidate for a two-way deal next season, as Detroit has gotten nothing from their two-way players this year and need some guys who could actually come in and provide some depth in a pinch.
4 Pistons playing for their future in Detroit
2. Killian Hayes
No player on the Pistons causes more arguments than Killian Hayes, who has some rabid supporters who think his defense and passing are “elite” and plenty of detractors who think he’s a bum because he can’t shoot.
The truth is somewhere in the meaty part in between, as Hayes has shown the ability to run the offense, is a good passer and can play defense, but are those things enough for a guard in the modern NBA?
Marcus Smart provides a precedent, but Hayes is not yet at his level as a defender and has also had a hard time staying consistently healthy in his short career.
Hayes is currently injured, which is a shame, as he really needs these reps in the last few games, and if he played well, could secure himself as part of the team’s future.
Hayes is already under contract for next season and will be extension eligible, though there is no way Detroit can give him more years at this point unless he wants to play for the minimum, as he just hasn’t done enough to earn it yet. He’ll likely enter next season on the final year of his contract, which could make him trade bait in the offseason.
I could see a scenario where Hayes is dealt in a draft-day trade, especially if the Pistons were to end up with the 2nd pick, as adding Scoot Henderson or another guard might make Hayes redundant.
Let’s hope he can get back on the court soon and play well enough for the Pistons to want to keep him or to raise his potential trade value this offseason.
4 Pistons playing for their future in Detroit
1. Marvin Bagley III
MBIII has played pretty well since coming back from injury, but he’s also shown some of the flaws that make him a tough sell at $12.5 million per season, a deal that Troy Weaver would probably like back.
Bagley III does have value as a backup center who can get buckets, but he’s not a good defender, is inconsistent on the boards, and hasn’t been able to stay healthy in his career. The Pistons also recently added James Wiseman, so getting minutes for four bigs won’t be easy next season, and MBIII is making too much to be a third center who never plays.
Of course, with the health issues the bigs have had, it could be a moot point, as they may not all be healthy at the same time.
But if one big man has to go in an effort to better balance the roster and build a cohesive team, MBIII is the likely candidate, as his skills are fairly redundant with Wiseman’s, Duren is the better (and cheaper) long-term prospect and Beef Stew is one of the team’s only decent defenders.
Trading Bagley III won’t necessarily be easy given that he has two more guaranteed seasons left at $12.5 million apiece, but he could be packaged as part of a deal if Detroit is looking for a change.
Right now, he needs to show that he can be healthy for even a 20-game stretch and that he can complement one of the other bigs, two things that I wouldn’t bet on. Like Hayes, Bagley III could be moved if Detroit feels their roster needs more than just minor adjustments this offseason, which it does.