There was a small but vocal segment of the Detroit Pistons’ fanbase that was unhappy the team didn’t do more to improve at the NBA trade deadline.
But when you look at the big names that did change teams, none of them were realistic (or smart) options for the Pistons, who are a great story this season but not one player away from contending for a title.
Also, adding star players means sending talent out, something many of these fans ignore or scorn when they see the names of their favorite young players in fake trades or rumors.
It’s a problem every emerging team eventually has, as you have to balance the promise and “upside” of young players vs. adding talent that you know can play right now.
And when you look at the free-agent group for this offseason, it’s a decision that Trajan Langdon is likely going to have to make if the Pistons want to add a star name.
NBA free agents: Slim pickings for the Pistons
The Detroit Pistons have never been a free-agent hotspot, so free agency was never likely going to be the avenue for them to add a star player.
When you look at the top names, none of them are going to Detroit, as you have guys like LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and James Harden. The Pistons showed no interest in Brandon Ingram (and shouldn’t) and after him there is a substantial drop off in talent.
You have to scroll a bit to get to Myles Turner, who made some sense for the Pistons, but with Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart improving, adding an elite floor-spacing center may not be a priority.
The Pistons may just end up doing what they did last offseason, which is looking for solid veterans who complement their guys. Speaking of their guys...
Detroit Pistons free agents
The Pistons have four unrestricted free-agents of their own in Tim Hardaway Jr., Malik Beasley, Dennis Schroder and Paul Reed.
It’s going to be difficult to retain some or all of them and still have enough cap flexibility to do anything on the free agent market other than look for minimum value deals.
If you want the Pistons to chase a star free agent, then none of these guys are coming back unless they do it on minimum deals, which is highly unlikely for all of them but Paul Reed.
That leaves only two options.
The Pistons make a painful trade
If you want to get talent, you have to give some up, so the Pistons may have to make a painful decision about one or more of their young players.
The most likely trade options would be Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, who are both eligible for extensions this summer. That certainly doesn’t mean they will (or should) be traded but they are the Pistons’ best and most realistic player assets in trades.
Cade Cunningham is untouchable and I’m getting there with Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland II, so it would be unlikely to see either of the latter two moved unless the Pistons were getting a big-time star in return.
The Pistons will be patient
All the talk about adding a star player next to Cade Cunningham ignores that this player may already be on the roster.
Ivey showed the kind of improvement in efficiency and to a lesser degree defense that we were hoping to see. Given his current injury, the Pistons may be able to lock him into a team-friendly extension that gets them their star at a bargain.
I’m also not ruling out Thompson or Holland II, who are already borderline elite defenders who have shown improving offensive games. If Ausar gets anywhere near his twin brother Amen as a playmaker, the Pistons may have their second star.
Same with Holland, whose offensive game is surprisingly advanced for this stage of his career. After a rough start, his 3-point numbers are steadily creeping up and he’s already good at finishing around the rim.
Trajan Langdon may look at his roster and think he just needs another offseason and training camp (let’s not forget that Ausar didn’t have either) to find his second star and doesn't need to splash out in free agency or make a disruptive trade.
Pistons fans don’t want to hear about patience, but it may be the smartest route for now, as they will have limited ways to add another star without trading one away.