When the Detroit Pistons signed Malik Beasley to a one-year deal last summer, no one in the league paid much attention.
I thought it was a good value deal but figured Beasley was merely trade deadline fodder that the rebuilding Pistons would try to flip at the deadline for a couple of second-round picks.
Instead, Beasley has been a key part in the Pistons’ renaissance as one of the best 3-point shooters in the league. He is currently 2nd in the NBA in 3-point makes and doing it off the bench for a modest (by NBA standards) $6 million a year.
Beasley has undoubtedly been the biggest steals of the offseason, but after averaging over 16 points this season on 42.2 percent shooting from long range, he won’t be the same steal for long.
I’ve had readers ask me about 10,000 times this season why the Pistons don’t just extend Beasley now and the answer is that they can’t, as he is on a one-year deal that is not extension eligible, so no matter what happens, Beasley will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
Beasley seems happy in Detroit, where he has family connections and is clearly enjoying his role on this young, up-and-coming team, but the Pistons are going to have to ask themselves a big question this summer.
Pistons free agents: How much is too much for Malik Beasley?
With Cade Cunningham’s max extension kicking in next year, and both Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren eligible for their own extensions next summer, the Pistons’ payroll is about to go up.
Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr. and now Dennis Schroder have all played big roles for the Pistons this season, but all three are free agents that will be difficult to retain.
This is especially true of Beasley, who is going to have his suitors.
Because of the deal he signed, the Pistons are limited to what they can offer Beasley, who could command upwards of $20 million per year in free agency. If that is the case, the Pistons may have to walk away.
As good as he’s been, and has huge as he’s been for the culture, a guy who is a one-dimensional bench player can’t be eating up that much of the payroll, not with raises coming to all of the young guys in the near future.
A big part of what has made Beasley so valuable this season is that he is on a team-friendly deal, but if he's getting closer to $20 million a season, as some predict he'll get in the offseason, suddenly he's putting himself in the price tier of players that might have more to offer when it comes to all-around impact.
I am hoping the Pistons can work out something with Beasley, a fair deal that he and the team can live with, but Detroit is going to have competition for his services and will have to draw the line somewhere, as they have other needs to fill and will have limited cap space to do it.