Pistons can't afford to let the next trade deadline pass

The Detroit Pistons were unable to land a star this offseason and instead added shooters to help space the floor around Cade Cunningham, an upgrade that was much needed. 

With more tradable contracts on the books, the Pistons are now better positioned to make a move at the trade deadline when the players they just signed are eligible to be traded. Guys like John Collins and Duncan Robinson could be the start of the big trade that didn’t happen this offseason. 

The Pistons could now absorb sending out several players in a trade for one guy, something that would have been far more difficult last season when they didn’t have as many desirable contracts or insurance options for Duncan Robinson. 

If the Pistons are going to make a big move, it would be easier to do it at the trade deadline than to wait for another offseason, as there could be far more competition for free agents and trades. 

Teams with cap space in the summer of 2027 

The Pistons need to get a head start against the slew of teams that are set to have cap space a year from now, a group that currently projects to have nine teams in it, according to ESPN. 

The Warriors and Clippers headline the group as two heavyweights who will be looking to add stars.

Of course, we said this last year at this time, and by the time the offseason came around, only three teams had cap space, so that could certainly happen again if certain players sign extensions or there are other trades. 

The Pistons are not projected to have any cap space at all, and that’s before factoring in the inevitable extension for Ausar Thompson. 

So, if the Pistons are going to trade for a star player, especially one on an expiring contract, it would be easier to do at the trade deadline than to wait for the summer, when there will be other teams better positioned to take on a big salary. 

It would also give Detroit a better chance of extending that player, which is easier to do when he’s already on your team than if they are trying to sign a guy on the free market using only cap space. 

I do think Trajan Langdon has a plan here, as he didn’t overpay or reach for anyone this offseason, but instead loaded up on contracts that would be easy to aggregate for salary matching purposes. 

The Pistons are set up to make a big move if they deem it necessary, but the window is closing as their roster gets more expensive, and there are more teams with financial flexibility. 

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