Trajan Langdon has shown patience in his first offseason as president of basketball operations for the Detroit Pistons.
He cleared his new roster of some dead weight, but didn’t fully clean house as some expected, instead holding onto all of his young players so that he could evaluate them in a better context.
With more shooting and veterans on board for next season, it should be easier to make calls on extensions for players like Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren. If they don’t make a year-three leap with a better cast around them, we may see bigger changes next summer.
But right now, the Pistons are sitting with some cap space and two open roster spots, so the question of how they are going to fill them still remains.
Detroit Pistons roster: Patiently waiting
Langdon is in no hurry to use up the remaining 11+ million of cap space he has, nor to fill his two roster spots, which is smart.
There will be plenty of wheeling and dealing before next season starts, and by saving some money and roster space, Langdon could put the Pistons in a position to cash in on a big trade as the third team.
However, there are a few free agents left out there who could help the Pistons depending on what they want.
It’s hard to see them taking on another veteran unless it is a salary dump for assets, but they could take on a younger project player and there happens to be one available with ties to Trajan Langdon.
Detroit Pistons free agency: EJ Liddell
Both Nassir Little and EJ Liddell were waived by the Suns yesterday according to Shams Charania.
The Phoenix Suns are waiving forwards Nassir Little and EJ Liddell, per sources. By releasing both, the Suns open up a roster spot and create flexibility for signings and trades during the season. Suns will stretch the three years and $22 million remaining on Little’s deal. pic.twitter.com/UTsuimA2yX
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 21, 2024
The two players will become unrestricted free agents if they clear waivers in 48 hours.
Liddell in particular could interest the Pistons for a couple of reasons, the first being that EJ was originally drafted by Langdon back in 2022 when he was the GM of the Pelicans.
At the time, it looked as though the Pelicans had gotten a second-round steal, something Langdon is known for, as Liddell had a fantastic junior season at Ohio State and was coming on as a shooter and shot blocker.
But Liddell’s dreams were quickly dashed by a preseason injury that forced him to miss his entire rookie season.
He’s now only played 8 games in the NBA, but he has a unique skillset that could benefit the Pistons.
What EJ Liddell could bring to the Pistons
The Pistons have a need at power forward, as they currently only have Tobias Harris who is a legit fixture at the position. It appears as though Isaiah Stewart and Paul Reed will play most of their minutes at backup center (though they will likey play both spots at times), leaving Harris and a bunch of wings to fill out the power forward depth chart.
Simone Fontecchio, Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland II could all play there as well, but Liddell is a much different sort of player who would give the Pistons a different look.
He’s a bruising 6-foot-7 presence in the paint who can score efficiently around the rim and block shots, which is something they don’t currently have. Even though Liddell is just 6-foot-7, he has a near seven-foot wingspan that made him a formidable shot blocker in college, averaging over 2.5 blocks per game.
Liddell can score around the rim, but also came on as a 3-point shooter in college, hitting 38 percent of his long-range shots in his final season. The Pelicans (who have a recent history of hitting in the second round) were high on him and Liddell might have ended up in their rotation in his rookie season had he not been hurt.
It will be interesting to see if Langdon still feels the same way about Liddell two years later, as the Pistons have open roster spots and could use more big-man depth.