Pistons were wise not to pay for a free agent they can have for free

The Detroit Pistons’ lack of action at the trade deadline became a talking point that only got louder once they were eliminated from the playoffs, as some believe there were players available who could have helped, including Ayo Dosunmu. 

Trajan Langdon was criticized in some corners for not getting more out of Jaden Ivey, but when you look at the way Ivey flamed out in Chicago, it now appears the Pistons were lucky to get anything at all. 

They did get Kevin Huerter, who made no impact, and moved up from the 28th to the 21st pick, so they didn’t give Ivey away, but it’s hard not to be disappointed with that return given the expectations for Ivey coming into the season. 

According to beat reporter Hunter Patterson, the Pistons actually did inquire about Ayo Dosunmu, but felt the price was too high. And given how things turned out, they were smart not to invest in a rental. 

The price for Ayo Dosunmu was not worth paying 

The Minnesota Timberwolves ended up giving the Bulls two players and four second-round picks for Dosunmu, which was clearly a price the Pistons were not willing to pay. 

The Bulls were looking for young players and picks, so it likely would have cost the Pistons Ron Holland II, who is too talented to give away for a rental. 

And let’s be clear, that’s what Dosunmu was, as he is entering unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career and is clearly going to test the market to see how much he can get.  

Imagine if the Pistons had made such a deal, lost in the second round anyway, and then had to watch Holland blow up with the Bulls. No thanks. 

Would Dosunmu have been enough to push the Pistons past the Cavaliers? Maybe, but he wasn’t going to make them legit title contenders, so giving up prospects for the possibility of a slight improvement wasn’t worth it, especially when Langdon was keen to see what his core could do. 

If the Pistons want Dosunmu, they can have him now and he’s not a rental 

Dosunmu was good in the playoffs and could be a free agent the Pistons target this summer. 

If the Pistons want Dosunmu, they can just sign him as a free agent without giving up draft picks or prospects, so they were smart to wait. 

If they had traded for him, they’d be in the same situation they are now, but without some of their young players and draft assets to use, so it was far better to wait and make a play for him in free agency, where they might be able to sign Ayo into their mid-level exception. 

You don’t splash out for a rental unless it’s a guy who can push you over the top, and that wasn’t the case here, so the Pistons were wise to wait. 

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