Heartbreaking loss predicted for the Pistons in free agency

You’d be hard pressed to find a player who better fit a team than Malik Beasley with the Detroit Pistons this season. 

No one thought much of it when he signed a modest one-year deal to join a team that was fresh off winning 14 games and gutting its coaching staff and front office. 

But Beasley knew this was his chance to have a different kind of role, to be more of a leader of a young team and he embraced it from the start, setting the tone with his work ethic and infectious optimism. 

The problem with signing a player to a one-year deal and then having that player blow up (Beasley currently leads the entire NBA in 3-pointers) is that is makes it very difficult to retain him, as you can’t extend a one-year deal and there are limitations on the type of raise that can follow it. 

That has left the Pistons in a tough position heading into the offseason, as Beasley is making $6 million this season, a number that is going to go up this summer when he hits unrestricted free agency. 

How much it goes up will likely determine whether he is back in Detroit. In a recent article, Bleacher Report listed Malik Beasley as the Pistons’ biggest flight risk in free agency, which fans don’t want to hear, as Beasley has quickly become a favorite and a guy we would love to see in Detroit long term. 

Here’s what B/R had to say: 

“The Pistons need to decide whether to keep their current group together or create cap room to add another free agent. Detroit has jumped from perpetual lottery hell to an almost guaranteed playoff berth, but how much of that is due to veterans like Tim Hardaway Jr., Dennis Schröder and Malik Beasley? 

...The Pistons could use cap room first, then spend their room mid-level exception ($8.8 million) on Beasley, letting Hardaway and Schröder go for potential upgrades. But that assumes Beasley won't get a more significant offer elsewhere.” 

While there is a very real concern that Beasley will get a big offer from someone, there are a couple of things not being taken into account. 

Few teams will have the cap space to sign him 

There aren’t going to be many teams with cap space next summer, which is good news for the Pistons.  

According to Keith Smith of Spotrac, only the Brooklyn Nets will enter the offseason with cap space, though the Pistons are one of three teams that can easily carve some out, as much as $24 million. 

With over $54 million in cap space, the Nets are going to be at the center of offseason trade and free agency talk and could end up making a play for a guy like Beasley, especially if they strike out on big names. 

Other than Brooklyn, the Pistons will likely be competing with themselves and other teams that have the non-taxpayer mid-level exception available, which should work in their favor for one big reason. 

Malik Beasley wants to stay with the Detroit Pistons 

Look, if some team offers Beasley $15-20 million per season, then the Pistons are probably going to have to let him walk, as that is just too much to invest in a one-dimensional bench player, even if he is the best in the league at that particular skill. 

But if it’s just the Pistons competing against another mid-level team, they should have an advantage, as it is clear that Beasley is enjoying his time in Detroit. 

He’s talked about how much he loves Detroit all season, as he has family there, is in a great situation as far as role and chemistry and has been completely embraced by the fanbase. 

Some recent Tweets point in that direction, including this one: 

That doesn’t sound like a guy who is going to jump ship, especially if the money is similar. 

That doesn’t mean it’s a certainty that Beasley will return, but this particular prediction ignores the human element as well as the fact that there won’t be too many teams with the cap space to steal him away.