The Detroit Pistons have made plenty of mistakes over the years, as running an NBA franchise is not an exact science.
Teams often get hung up on names instead of production, signing free agents because they are well known, paying them for what they once were instead of what they are.
This has happened in just about every era of Detroit basketball, but here are some of the most egregious examples of paying for a guy whose best days were behind him. These are listed in no particular order.
12 players the Detroit Pistons signed who were past their prime
Tracy McGrady
Tracy McGrady was one of the biggest “what ifs” in the history of the NBA, as he was once considered one of the best in the game before injuries derailed his career. He made the All-Star team seven times and twice led the league in scoring.
But by the time Detroit signed him, he was a husk of his former self. The 31 year old averaged just 8 points per game in the 2010-11 season on an awful team that only won 30 games.
He was far from the guy who once averaged 32 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game, numbers we hope Cade Cunningham will match next season.