Detroit Pistons may not have the luxury of waiting for free agency

The Detroit Pistons kicked off their trade season by paying two second-round picks to get off the final year of Marvin Bagley III's contract.

Not a rousing start, but it does give them more of the flexibility they are always talking about, though being "nimble" doesn't matter if you don't do anything.

The Pistons can try to make their splash now, or wait until 2024 free agency, when they could have over $60 million to spend.

But when you look at the logistics and names in free agency, Detroit may not have the luxury of waiting if they want to add an impact talent.

Detroit Pistons: Trades vs. Free agency

Just like last summer, the free agent class of 2024 is not loaded with realistic names for the Detroit Pistons.

It's not like LeBron James or Paul George are dying to join the worst team in the NBA. And that can be said about most of the top free agents, as they are all players in the stage of their careers where chasing rings might be more important than chasing the absolute biggest deal they can find.

The OG Anunoby trade made the pickings even slimmer, so yes, there are a few guys like Buddy Hield and other role players who might take a big check to come to Detroit, but it's unlikely they are going to attract any of the few big names that will hit free agency.

If the Pistons wait to fill out their roster in free agency, it's far more likely that they'll have to overpay for a middling player just to get them to come to Detroit, which is not a way to build a team.

That makes this trade deadline imperative, as the Pistons may have their best chance of landing an impact player via trade. They are going to have to take a risk either way, but there isn't much in free agency, and if they rely on it totally, it's more likely they'll get burned.

Expect the Pistons to explore all options at the trade deadline, as they could get left out of free agency or be stuck with only players who are willing to come to Detroit.