The Detroit Pistons would love to have a floor spacing big man and there are potentially two of them on the free-agent market this summer in Naz Reid and Myles Turner.
I’ve written about Reid since the beginning of the season and think he’d be a nice fit as a versatile big who can defend and spread the floor.
Myles Turner is getting ready to head to the NBA Finals with the Pacers, but he’s the type of rim protector and 3-point shooter that every team wants, including the Pistons.
Both players were mentioned in a recent edition of The Stein Line (subscription), with insider Marc Stein saying:
“The Pistons are among the teams with interest in Timberwolves big man Reid, league sources say...Detroit is known to covet a floor-spacing big man and, according to sources, is likewise said to hold interest in Indiana's Myles Turner.”
He also went on to list the challenges involved with the Pistons signing either of these guys. Fans often get caught up in the idea of certain players (Devin Booker is a perfect example) but don’t factor in the financial side of things.
The Pistons will only have around $15-17 million in cap space this summer after Cade Cunningham made All-NBA and got a raise, which isn’t close to enough to sign either one of those free agents, especially if the Pistons want to bring back any of their own guys.
So, if these rumors have even an inkling of truth, it means the Pistons are going to be busy.
Detroit Pistons rumors: Big time free agents will take big time moves
Let’s start with Turner, as he is the least likely of the two to change teams. He’s been a key part of Indiana’s run to the Finals and has expressed interest in staying with the only team he’s ever played for.
If I had to bet, I’d bet he’s a Pacer next season.
Naz Reid is much more likely to change teams, as he has a $15 million player option and can make way more in free agency. The Timberwolves want to keep him but whether that is a financial reality is a different story, especially if some team like the Pistons comes in with a big deal.
As it stands, the Pistons can’t make that big offer, as they don’t have the cap space, so it would require them making other moves.
The Pistons don’t have any tradable contracts outside of Tobias Harris, so he’d likely have to be the first on the chopping block if the Pistons want to ink a versatile big man. Detroit could find some cap space by trading Harris for a cheaper player, but good luck with that, as most teams are trying to cut money this summer, not take it on, so the Pistons would likely have to attach something to get a team like Brooklyn (the only one with cap space) to bite. No thanks.
A sign-and-trade with Reid and Minnesota could happen, but they are so rare it's hardly worth mentioning.
Other than that, it’s hard to see where the Pistons would find the necessary money to get a deal done for a guy like Reid, who will likely get a bump into the $25 million range next season.
Even if they could find the cap space, signing either of these players would prevent the Pistons from bringing back Malik Beasley, Dennis Schroder and/or Tim Hardaway Jr., another caveat to consider. And then what about Jalen Duren? Would the Pistons be wise to have upwards of $50 million tied up in Duren and Reid? Probably not.
I hate to dampen excitement, but there are real challenges to signing a top free agent, and it would likely require the Pistons to restructure their roster in ways that may not be palatable.