When can the Pistons make a trade again?

Troy Weaver has a tall task in front of him this offseason, as it will be the first time in his tenure as GM of the Detroit Pistons that he’s under pressure to put together a winning roster.

He has talked a big game about “being great next year” and even wrote a letter to fans suggesting that the team was on the verge of being competitive but would require more patience.

Fans of the Pistons have already shown plenty of it, and while we’re not expecting Detroit to suddenly win a title next season, some amount of improvement will be necessary for Weaver’s seat to keep from getting hot.

It’s not just wins and losses, as the Detroit Pistons haven’t had a roster that made sense in four straight seasons and have not even really tried to put together a coherent team. So Weaver needs to nail the draft, get the right players in free agency or swing trades for players to complement the young talent he has assembled.

When can the Pistons make a trade again?

The NBA Draft will get things started for the Detroit Pistons, who have the 5th pick and will likely look to add talent on the wing.

Just about a week after that, NBA free agency kicks off on June 30th. It’s not until July 6th that teams can officially start to sign and extend players and to make trades.

With Summer League kicking off the very next day, things are going to be very busy for the Pistons in that window. By the time Summer League starts, Detroit could have a very different roster with a top-5 pick, the 31st pick and some free agents, or they could have swung a big trade for one of the stars that could be available this summer.

Things have moved slowly for Detroit so far, but that is all about to change in June, and by the middle of July, the bulk of the 2023-24 roster could be in place.