Troy Weaver has a tough job this offseason as GM of the Detroit Pistons.
He has to try to improve this woeful 16-win team, as his job may be at stake if he doesn’t, but he also has to resist the urge to go “all-in” on the wrong free agents.
This is exactly how the Pistons got in trouble in the past, by overpaying free agents who didn’t meet expectations. It’s not an easy task, as coaches and GMs are under pressure to win and sometimes that pressure can lead to mistakes in judgement, as we learned all-too-well in the Stan Van Gundy era.
Weaver seems to have the faith and patience of the franchise, so if the Pistons improve moderately next season, he should be fine and in a good position to make a big move in 2024, when there is a better group of free agents.
Here are three players that I like, and would be nice fits on the Detroit Pistons, but only at the right price.
3 free agents the Detroit Pistons can’t overpay
#1: Hamidou Diallo
Let’s start with the Pistons’ own unrestricted free agent Hamidou Diallo. Diallo had a nice season before going down with injury, cementing himself as Detroit’s best defense/energy guy off the bench.
But he still can’t shoot at all, and that’s a problem for a team that is dead last in the league in shooting percentage and 28th in points per game.
Diallo does some good things that teams need, as he always plays 100 percent, is very efficient at the rim and is good at jumping into passing lanes for steals.
But in addition to his shooting issues, he’s also not a great on the ball defender and is not a guy you would turn to to get a stop on the wing in a big moment.
The Pistons probably have some interest in bringing Diallo back, but it can’t be for more than his last deal, as there are minimum guys around the league who may be able to offer similar production, and Diallo may not even be in the rotation depending on what other moves are made.
We know Diallo is Weaver’s guy, as he was part of the team that drafted him in OKC, but he has to resist the urge to pay him big-time money.
3 free agents the Detroit Pistons can’t overpay
#2: Dillon Brooks
I should first say that I like a lot of what Brooks brings to a team and think he’s the type of player the Pistons need, as he is a tough defender who would raise the overall level of competition.
His defense is a little overhyped, as I don’t think he should really be in the running for Defensive Player of the Year (he does), but it’s very solid and he competes all of the time and can guard multiple spots. He plays with an edge (too much at times) and does seem like a Detroit kind of guy.
He’s perfect for a team like Memphis, who already has elite scoring options and needs role players who will take on the tough defensive assignments and do the dirty work to complement their stars.
The key words here are “role player” as Brooks is a good defender, but he shoots 39 percent from the floor and just 32 percent from 3-point range.
The Pistons definitely need to improve their defense, toughness and competitiveness, but Brooks would likely end up the highest-paid player on the team, and you need more from that spot than a very good role player.
At the right price, I would love Brooks in a Pistons’ uniform, but he’s likely to get more than the right price from someone and the Detroit Pistons aren’t in a position to pay a role player 20-25 million a year if that’s what it takes to get him.
3 free agents the Detroit Pistons can’t overpay
#3: Cameron Johnson
Like Brooks, Cameron Johnson is a guy who does a lot of things that the Detroit Pistons need.
He’s a big wing who can shoot and has hit 39 percent of his 3-point shots on high volume in his four seasons in the league.
He’s a pretty good defender who is averaging over a steal per game this season, and has shot up to 1.4 steals per game since being traded to Brooklyn.
On paper, he’d give the Pistons size, defense and shooting on the wing, which is something they sorely lack.
However, there are some problems. Johnson is a restricted free agent and the Nets are likely to want to keep him, so it’s going to take a big offer sheet to pry him away, potentially close to a max deal.
He’s also had trouble staying on the court, and has never played more than 66 games in a season. He played 57 as a rookie, 60 in his second season, 66 in his third and has suited up for just 36 games in this one.
The Detroit Pistons cannot miss on a max deal, so offering one (or close) to a relatively unproven guy is a fairly big risk. Of course, when you aren’t a free-agent hot spot, it might take a big, risky offer to get a top free agent, so you could argue that the Pistons are going to have to overpay someone to come to Detroit.
But Johnson seems more like the 3rd or 4th-best player on a good team, and not a guy that deserves one of the top salary slots. I’d love Johnson if the price is right, but it’s not going to be easy to get him out of Brooklyn without taking a big risk that Detroit is not in the position to make.