5 Potential Pistons free-agent targets with ties to Monty Williams

Jalen Smith 

Smith played his first two seasons under Monty Williams in Phoenix, but it wasn’t until he was traded to Indiana that his career took off a bit as a backup power forward/center. Smith has a player option at $5.4 million for next season, which he may opt out of in search of a bigger deal after averaging 10 points per game and shooting over 41 percent from 3-point range this season. 

He’d be an interesting pickup for Detroit, who needs more shooting from the forward position, as well as a more competent backup center.

Jrue Holiday 

If the Detroit Pistons want to add a veteran point guard this offseason, they won’t find many better options than Holiday, who is still an all-world defender who is also shooting over 43 percent from long range. He fits the exact profile of the player you’d like to have next to Cade Cunningham, as he can take on the toughest defensive assignment, handle secondary ballhandling duties and spread the floor. 

He has a player option for next season at a whopping $37 million, so it’s hard to see him turning that down, though at age 33, someone might still give him one last big multi-year deal. 

If he exercises his option, Boston may have to consider trading him for tax purposes. It’s doubtful that Holiday would want to go from the best team in the Eastern Conference to the worst at this point in his career, so I expect him to work out an extension with the Celtics that gives them some relief. 

Holiday played two years under Monty Williams for the New Orleans Pelicans.