When the Detroit Pistons sent Simone Fontecchio to the Miami Heat in a sign-and-trade for Duncan Robinson, they left a big hole at backup power forward.
If you ask most Pistons fans, this was already a problem, as Fontecchio stunk this season and isn’t really a power forward anyway.
They could use someone with size, and if that person could shoot, even better, but the Pistons watched all of their top targets get taken early on in free agency and trades.
Finding a stretch big isn’t easy under the best circumstances and now the Pistons are down to the players that remain and have less money to work a deal.
Detroit Pistons cap space
After signing Caris LeVert and trading for Duncan Robinson (and signing him to a home run deal), the Pistons have a couple of different ways to create money depending on how they sign these guys.
They could still have the $8.8 mid-level room exception or $5.1 million bi-annual exception if they sign LeVert with cap space according to cap expert Keith Smith.
That should be enough to at least get a warm body in Detroit for the backup four spot, as I don’t think the Pistons want to go into next season with Ron Holland II penciled into that role full time.
Bol Bol
I will never understand Pistons fans’ infatuation with this guy, but I’ve seen him named as a possible target.
Trajan Langdon already inked one injury suspect player in Caris LeVert, so it’s hard to see him wasting time on Bol Bol, who barely played for the Suns this season.
He’s also not good at playing basketball, but hey, he’s 7-foot-3 and can shoot 3-point shots!
Precious Achiuwa
It doesn’t appear the Knicks are going to bring back Achiuwa, who played 20 minutes per game for them this season in 57 appearances.
He would certainly fit the culture the Pistons are building as a tough, versatile defender who gets after it on the boards.
Achiuwa has shown the ability to shoot the 3-ball in the past, as he did hit 35 percent of his 3-point shots on two attempts per game just a couple of years ago, but you could also say that about Isaiah Stewart.
Achiuwa is basically a poor man’s Beef Stew, so is there too much crossover skill wise? Probably. Especially if neither of them is going to shoot.
Chris Boucher
Hmmmmmmmmm.
Boucher is another player likely headed for a new team and checks several boxes for the Pistons. He’s past his prime, but he can still defend, has good size and can knock down 3-point shots, a skill he’s improved over the years, as he shot nearly four a game this season and hit 36 percent of them.
He reportedly wants to be on a team chasing the playoffs and does bring championship experience from his time with the Raptors.