The Detroit Pistons need talent, they need role players, they need, well, just about everything.
They don’t even have a team president yet, and that person may decide to fire the GM and coach, so the list of Pistons’ offseason needs has not gotten any shorter since the worst year in team history mercifully ended.
Detroit may not have the ammo to trade for a big-time star, but that doesn’t mean they can’t benefit from someone else’s trade.
As one of the only teams with significant cap space, the Pistons are in position to help grease the wheels of a big trade using that space, taking back an asset or two in the process.
Here are three situations they could potentially benefit from this summer.
The Detroit Pistons and the New Orleans Pelicans
Brandon Ingram could be dealt this summer according to reports, and if so, the Detroit Pistons could certainly just try to trade for him outright.
But the Pels are in a weird situation in which they want to compete now, build for the future and cut payroll all at the same time, so may not be interested in taking on a young project as the centerpiece of any deal for Ingram.
Philly, Cleveland, Atlanta and Orlando are all teams that might have interest in Ingram according to Marc Stein (Subscription).
If Detroit can’t get Ingram outright, then they might be able to take back a salary to help him fit on his new team. Could they get De’Andre Hunter from Atlanta for next to nothing? The Cavaliers (more on them in a minute) would have to shed a salary to fit Ingram in and could move someone like Jarrett Allen (who the Pelicans would love) or Max Strus. If the Pelicans don’t want to take on another big salary, the Pistons could step in.
Philly and Orlando have their own cap space to use, so likely wouldn’t need a third team, but if Ingram is moved, there are ways the Pistons can grab assets to help make it possible even if they don’t get Ingram themselves.
The Detroit Pistons and the Utah Jazz
The Jazz are a team hoping to make a big splash and have the young players and future draft assets to do it.
Danny Ainge said the Jazz would go “big game hunting” (can we stop with the animal metaphors already?) this summer, hoping to land another star to pair with their interesting core.
The Pistons could get involved by taking back a big contract that the Jazz don’t want, or by taking on a player they need to get rid of to clear a spot, namely someone like Taylor Hendricks.
The Jazz are another team with cap space, so they won’t need the Pistons in that way, but they could need an extra young player to grease the wheels of a trade and may be able to send Detroit a player from their surplus.
The Detroit Pistons and Donovan Mitchell
No, the Detroit Pistons won’t be trading for Donovan Mitchell this offseason, but the teams that may try are all in cap hell.
The three teams most connected to Mitchell are the Lakers, Nets and Heat, all teams with salary cap concerns that would make it tough to take on Mitchell’s contract without sending a big one out in return.
Could the Pistons get an asset from the Lakers if they were to take on one of their bigger contracts so that Cleveland doesn’t have to? The Nets are harder to gauge. They’d love to get rid of Ben Simmons to clear a salary slot for Mitchell, but what would they be willing to give up to do it?
Would the Heat have to part ways with Tyler Herro to make room for Mitchell, and if so, where is he going? Cleveland might prefer other assets and not to take on his deal.
These are just three examples of how the Pistons could leverage their cap space and assets this summer to get involved in a trade, but there are definitely more. We may not see Detroit swing for a star, but they could clean up if they use their cap space correctly.