The Detoit Pistons have made the first step, which is to make the playoffs, but now comes the hard part, figuring out how to go from good to great.
The Pistons are already being mentioned as a possibility for available superstars this summer, but Detroit can’t gut too much of their roster to chase one guy, as they’d be at risk of disrupting what made them good in the first place.
It’s a tough hump to get over, especially when the new CBA has real teeth for teams that get into the first and second tax apron. Signing the wrong guy or making the wrong trade can be devastating to team building and cheap, cost-controlled talent is more valuable than ever.
Keeping a great team together is even more difficult, ask the defending champion Boston Celtics, who are facing the challenge of navigating the second apron, which may force them to make moves this summer to reduce their payroll according to Shams Charania.
The Celtics are staring down a potential $500 million tax bill for next season, an amount their new ownership group may not be comfortable eating, even if they win a second championship.
There will be Celtics on the trade market this summer that offer intriguing but very risky possibilities for the Detroit Pistons.
Sam Hauser
I’ve yet to see Hauser’s name mentioned as a trade possibility for the Celtics, but it makes sense given his limited role and the fact that his salary jumps to $10 million next season. Boston is on the hook for four more years of Hauser, with his salary jumping up to 12.4 million in the 2028-29 season.
Hauser is an elite shooter with size on the wing, something the Pistons could definitely use. He did play 21 minutes a game for the Celtics this season, so they might envision him as a cheaper replacement for one of the next two players I am going to mention.
But if he’s available, he’d be an interesting option for the Pistons, who could flip one of their minimum guys and a couple of second-round picks to save Boston money.
Jrue Holiday
Holiday is less of a clear fit on the Pistons, who already have two star guards and free agents in Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr and Dennis Schroder that they would like to bring back.
This is especially true when you factor in Holiday’s age (34) and contract, that extends for three more seasons after this one at $103 million. As good as Holiday is on both ends, no one is going to want to pay him $37 million when he’s 37 years old.
It won’t be an easy contract for the Celtics to move, which could make Holiday a bargain, but that contract is a big risk, especially when the Pistons have bigger needs elsewhere.
Kristaps Porzingis
Porzingis has always been a high-risk/high-reward player, as the Celtics learned this season with KP playing just 42 games. When he’s in there, he gives you 20 points,, rebounding, elite shooting from a big man and rim protection, all things the Pistons need.
Porzingis was pulled in Boston’s game 1 loss to the Knicks after just 13 minutes with an illness, so he’s a big wild card for the Celtics, one that may be an expensive luxury after this season.
Given Porzingis’ sketchy injury history, he’d be a risk, but consider that he is still only 29 years old and is only under contract for one more season. Given Boston’s need to shed his salary, he might not cost as much as he would have, especially coming off an injury-plagued season.
Porzingis would be worth the risk for one season, but that all depends on how much the Pistons had to give up to get him. There are always ways to make the money work, but Detroit may have to give up a key player to get him, which is a tough sell even though he’s an ideal fit on the court.
Trajan Langdon has made availability a priority, and Porzingis doesn’t fit that ethos, but he’s an intriguing name depending on the price tag.