The Detroit Pistons landed the head coach they wanted, got two first-round picks in the 2023 NBA Draft and are now ready to turn their attention to free agency.
NBA free agency kicks off this Friday at 6PM ET, when teams can begin to negotiate with players, though we know from history that is already happening as we speak. As always, there will be a flurry of moves the second free agency opens and Detroit could be among the teams that acts quickly.
After picking up player options on Alec Burks and Isaiah Livers, the Pistons will have right around $30 million in cap space, which should be enough to land a big-time free agent or spread around to create more quality depth, something that was sorely lacking on last year’s roster.
So Detroit could be a major player in free agency and should be ready to pounce the second the league opens up for business.
3 Things Pistons must immediately do the minute free agency begins
Go for your guy right away
Whether it is Cameron Johnson, Jerami Grant, Harrison Barnes, Kyle Kuzma or Austin Reaves, Detroit should make their move immediately in free agency.
This is especially true with restricted free agents like Johnson and Reaves, as Detroit will have to put down most of their cap space on an offer sheet and can’t make other moves until it is either accepted, matched or declined.
If Johnson is their #1 target as James Edwards III of The Athletic (SUBSCRIPTION) suggests, then they should put their offer on the table right away and give him a timeline to either accept it or walk away. Detroit should put the pressure on the other team to match quickly so that they don’t have to wait around too long and potentially miss out on other guys.
Acting decisively also shows the potential new player that Detroit is serious about them and ready to do what it takes.