The Detroit Pistons have a number of needs that they must address this offseason.
The biggest is clearly getting some defenders and talent on the wing, as they had one of the worst defenses in the league this season and Bojan Bogdanovic was one of the worst wing defenders in the NBA.
The Pistons appear to be set at center (though you never know with Troy Weaver) and have their starting backcourt in place.
They also have Killian Hayes coming off the bench, but in the likelihood that the Pistons lose free-agent Cory Joseph (are we sure the Pistons shouldn’t just keep CoJo?) Detroit may be looking for a veteran guard to come off the bench.
Other than being a veteran (they have enough youth in the guard ranks) the person would hopefully be able to defend and/or hit 3-point shots and come on a contract that is not going to break the bank.
There aren’t a lot of free agents that meet those requirements, but here are three who could be fits for the Detroit Pistons.
Detroit Pistons: Ranking available free agent veteran guards in 2023
#3: Seth Curry
Curry won’t be the cheapest, but the 32-year-old will likely be on a deal similar to the one that CoJo was on last season. Curry isn’t much of a defender, so he doesn’t check that box, but the guy has consistently been one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA for most of his career.
He shot over 40 percent from long range again this season and is averaging a gaudy 43.5 percent for his career. Curry can play both guard spots and would help open up the floor for Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey.
If the Detroit Pistons can find defenders elsewhere, adding a lights-out shooter in free agency makes sense.
Detroit Pistons: Ranking available free agent veteran guards in 2023
Bruce Brown Jr.
Bruce Brown is the best player on this list, and one of the ex-Pistons who has been great in the playoffs as a do-it-all role player for the Denver Nuggets.
Brown will also likely be the most expensive player on this list, as he’s still in his prime and would definitely get big minutes off the Detroit bench.
Brown is more of a guard/wing than the point guard the Pistons tried to make him into, which is just fine, as he can guard four positions. His 3-point shooting has improved mightily since he left Detroit, as he hit over 35 percent this season and over 40 percent last season.
Brown is far from a great shooter, but he can hold his own. It would be his defense, hustle and versatility that the Detroit Pistons would most covet.
Brown has a player option for $6.8 million next season and Denver is almost certainly going to try and bring him back, though they are limited in how much of a raise they can give him.
It’s possible Detroit would really have to blow away their offer to get him out of Denver, as Brown is a great fit with the Nuggets and is about to play for a title. It’s doubtful he’d want to take a similar role with the Pistons unless the money was significantly more.
In other words, Brown is a long shot.
Detroit Pistons: Ranking available free agent veteran guards in 2023
#1: Jevon Carter
Carter is really the only guy on this list who checks all of the boxes, as he can defend, shoot 3-point shots and will come on a cheap deal.
Carter is one of the peskiest on-the-ball defenders in the league, so would be a big upgrade from CoJo in that regard.
He also shot 42 percent from long range on over four attempts per game this season, so he’s a guy who can give you energy, defense and shooting off the bench.
He has a player option for next season at $2.2 million and can likely get more on the open market, as he is only 27-years-old, so he’ll probably decline his option and become a free agent.
If so, the Bucks will have a hard time keeping him, and he could be a nice upgrade defensively and a guy who could compete with Killian Hayes for minutes at the backup point guard or play alongside him.
Carter isn’t the final piece of a championship puzzle, but he meets the requirements for what most teams are looking for in a veteran backup guard.
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