Expiring deals the Detroit Pistons could target
Detroit Pistons: Aleksej Pokusevski
Aleksej Pokusevski is an interesting player who hasn’t gotten a ton of minutes yet but has a skill set the Detroit Pistons could use.
He isn’t likely to get an extension from the Thunder, who already have Chet Holmgren in that role, so it’s likely Pokusevski will hit restricted free agency or be traded at some point next season.
Pokusevski is mostly known for being the seven-footer who weighs like 100 lbs. and has a name no one can spell. He’s only played 140 games in three seasons, but has shown how he can make an impact in the NBA.
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Pokusevski is a 7-foot power forward who hit 36.5 percent of his 3-point shots last season, a number that could and should go up once he has a more established role. He also blocked 1.3 shots per game (which would have easily led the Pistons last season) in just 20 minutes off the bench, so he can be effective in short spurts.
He’s still only 21 years old, so there is plenty of time for him to put on more weight (he’s gained 20 lbs. since joining the NBA) and become an excellent shot blocker and floor stretcher off the bench.
The Detroit Pistons need more rim protection and shooting from their bigs, and Pokusevski could potentially provide some off the bench for a bargain price.