Familar free agent should be a priority for the Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons haven’t even interviewed the person who will be making all of the decisions about their offseason this summer, so to say things are going slowly is an understatement. 

A potentially wild offseason in Detroit hasn’t even started yet, and it’s difficult to speculate what the team will do when they haven’t hired (or interviewed) their next team president. 

We know Detroit will have a lot of options between the draft, free agency and trades and will likely need them all to make the necessary changes to the roster. 

Bleacher Report recently predicted that one interesting free agent will likely be on the market in former Piston Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, whose desire for one last big contract and the Nuggets' financial conundrum could lead to him exploring free agency. 

KCP has a player option for next season. If he opts in, Denver is over the second tax apron, which is a place they don't want to be, and if he opts out, he could do so to seek a more lucrative long-term deal. 

If he does, the Detroit Pistons should be on the phone. 

Detroit Pistons free agents: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 

Signing KCP in free agency would undo some of the Pistons’ horrible asset management, as he was a player they let go too soon and got nothing in return. 

KCP has gone on to be one of the best 3-and-D role players in the league, a two-time champion who plays elite defense on the perimeter and can knock down a 3-point shot. 

He’s exactly the type of player the Pistons need, as he has hit over 40 percent from long range in three of the last four seasons (the other season was 39 percent), gets after it on the defensive end and rarely misses games. 

He checks literally every box for what the Pistons need out of a role player, and at 31 years old, should have some good years left in the tank. 

The question comes down to cost. The Nuggets would love to keep KCP but can’t offer him a $100 million contract. Should the Detroit Pistons? They may have to overpay slightly to get him, but he’d fill a lot of needs and still leave them plenty of cap space to make other moves. 

KCP is a much better fit with Cade Cunningham, can play and defend multiple spots, has championship experience, and as we’ve seen in these playoffs, plays a crucial position, as long defensive wings have been huge this year. 

The other question is whether KCP would have any interest in coming to Detroit, the team that drafted him but let him walk for nothing after he didn’t immediately turn into a star and had some issues off the court.

There will be other teams after his services, as Orlando, Houston, Utah or Philadelphia could also make him a big offer, but he’s a free agent worth exploring for the Pistons this summer.