Detroit Pistons: Is this potential free agent worth the price?

The Detroit Pistons head into the offseason with a pocket full of money and a lot of holes to fill, especially on the wing.

They need a player who can defend, as currently they have just Bojan Bogdanovic on the wing, who was one of the worst defenders in the NBA this season.

One player who fits the bill is Josh Hart, who has a player option for next season which he could decline in favor of entering free agency and getting a bigger payday.

He was instantly embraced by fans of the Knicks, as well as coach Tom Thibodeau, who has been using Hart in clutch-time situations since he arrived in New York.

Hart is a solid defender who can guard a couple of spots, he’s one of the best rebounding wing/guards in the NBA, and he’s a very good finisher around the rim. He’d be a nice fit on the Pistons as a younger veteran who does a lot of the little things necessary to win games.

Even though the Knicks are staring down the barrel of a second round defeat, many NBA executives think his free-agent price has gone up over the last few months including the playoffs.

So would he still be a good target for the Detroit Pistons?

Detroit Pistons: Is Josh Hart worth the price?

Josh Hart found his groove with the Knicks and has averaged 10.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 25 games since joining New York while putting up eye-popping shooting splits. Hart has 58.6 percent from the field with the Knicks and nearly 52 percent from 3-point range, though it’s on a low number of attempts.

Hart was more of a 3-and-D guy early in his career, but has evolved more into a guy who tries to score in transition and off the bounce. He’s often tasked with defending the other team’s best player (Jimmy Butler in this series) and most of his offense comes as a result of defense and hustle.

So in Hart, you are not getting an elite shooter, but a very good “glue guy” who defends and makes things happen. According to HoopsHype:

"“Thibodeau has routinely called Hart a “playmaker,” noting his ability to make a shot, get a rebound, get a stop defensively, or grab a loose ball.”"

The Detroit Pistons surely need more star power, but they also need players exactly like this. But what is that worth in the modern NBA?

HoopsHype cited four executives who think Hart will get a deal in the $15-18 million per season range. Hart is 28-years-old, so a 4 year/$60 million deal seems about the minimum of what he will get, especially if the Knicks are desperate to keep him.

One of the reasons the Pistons reportedly traded Saddiq Bey was that he wanted “insane money,” about in the range of what Hart will likely get. But Hart is a much better rebounder and defender than Bey, and even though he is not a volume 3-point shooter, he can hit them and is also much better than Bey as a passer and finisher.

If the Pistons plan to spread their cap space around, a guy like Hart makes sense, as he’s not a star, but the type of quality role player that every good team needs.