The Detroit Pistons have been the surprise team of the NBA this season, more than doubling their win total from last season before the All-Star break.
Trajan Langdon probably didn’t expect this, but to his credit, he backed his team at the trade deadline, didn’t make any rash moves and is going to let them play it out.
Looking ahead to next offseason, the Pistons already have looming free-agent issues with Tim Hardaway Jr., Malik Beasley and Dennis Schroder all set to become unrestricted free agents.
Every team in the league will have a chance to bid on their services, but they won’t be the only current Pistons who will get attention from other teams.
This is in no way me advocating for these players to be traded, but the Pistons are likely to get calls.
Simone Fontecchio
Fontecchio hasn’t had a great season. He was clearly hampered early by offseason toe surgery and hasn’t found a rhythm in the rotation.
His shooting numbers have dipped, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be a hot commodity next summer, as teams are always looking for wings who can shoot and he’ll be on a reasonable $8.3 million contract that expires after next season.
Tobias Harris
Many thought the Pistons overpaid for Harris’ services in free agency when he got a 2-year deal worth $52 million.
But that deal was one of the reasons I liked the move at the time, as it would set the Pistons up with a big expiring contract to move in a trade.
And given his production and proven value, Harris is a guy other teams wouldn’t mind having on an expiring deal, which his will be next season.
His cap number is not daunting and he’s a known contributor that would be an asset to a contender.
Isaiah Stewart
Beef Stew has proven himself to be a quality backup center who is under contract for a reasonable $15 million per year over the next three seasons after this one.
The Pistons have gotten plenty of calls about Stewart in the past, but he’s a guy I would not expect them to move unless it was part of a bigger deal or they got an offer that was simply too good to pass up.
But with the emergence of Duren as the favored starter, other teams might see that as an opening and they will be buzzing Trajan Langdon’s phone to find out.
Jaden Ivey
The narrative around Ivey changed this season and we hear fewer questions about his fit with Cade Cunningham.
I don’t think the Pistons will shop Ivey and instead will likely ink him to an extension this summer, but that doesn’t mean other teams won’t be curious, especially after Detroit has played well in his absence.
Barring a trade for a star, I’d bet on Ivey being a Piston next season, but he’s going to get attention from other teams given his contract situation and the improvement he showed before his season was cut short by injury.