The Detroit Pistons have had a strange but active offseason so far.
They landed head coach Monty Williams, and drafted two more first-round picks in the 2023 NBA Draft. They then traded for Joe Harris and Monte Morris, moves that didn’t exactly thrill the fanbase, which was hoping for something a little more impactful.
It may not be exciting, but the Pistons should be better, especially shooting the ball, as all of the guys they added (except Ausar Thompson) are above average 3-point shooters.
Detroit was clearly doubling down on their young core, hoping that the return of Cade Cunningham along with development from Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and the rest of their young players will be enough to make them competitive.
Fans may not be dancing in the streets, but Detroit played it cautious and didn’t back themselves into a financial corner by overpaying for a mediocre free agent.
They’ve also left themselves room to maneuver in the rest of the offseason, with flexibility and open roster spots.
How many roster spots do the Detroit Pistons have left?
Yesterday, the Detroit Pistons made two more signings official with Jared Rhoden and Malcolm Cazalon on two-way deals:
OFFICIAL: We have signed Malcolm Cazalon and Jared Rhoden to two-way contracts✍️ pic.twitter.com/BeVc4CGCeJ
— Motor City Cruise (@MotorCityCruise) July 17, 2023
Due to the changes in the CBA, teams are now allowed to have three two-way contracts, so the Pistons still have one more spot remaining.
They also have an open roster spot, as they currently only have 14 players signed to the full-time roster. This could end up just going to a low-level free agent signing, but it also gives the Pistons options when it comes to making trades.
Detroit could potentially take back two players and send out one, so this open spot could be saved for such a deal, filled with a minimum guy, or left open heading into the season to maintain that flexibility.
Two-way deals are pretty much not worth the paper they are signed on and very easy for teams to get out of, so don’t be surprised if the names have shuffled by the time the season starts.
But for now, the Detroit Pistons have two open spots on their roster and will continue to seek out ways to make the team better.