It’s hard not to be excited about the Detroit Pistons, whether you are talking about what they are now or what they could be in the future.
Regardless of how this season pans out, it’s been a joy to watch and has reignited hope that a championship could come back to Detroit.
The Pistons will have a big offseason in front of them, as they have to make choices about how to best augment Cade Cunningham and the rest of the young core and will have key decisions to make about the extensions of Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, as well as the pending free agency of Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr.
Even if the Pistons don’t make (or even try to make, which is more likely) a trade for a star, they will still be in all of the rumors and will still be active trying to improve a roster from playoff contender to one that can challenge for a title.
There are several specific teams that will likely be tied to the Pistons at some point in the offseason, as well as a larger pool of teams they are going to have to deal with next summer.
Phoenix Suns
This one falls squarely into the “rumor we will hear the most that has the least chance of happening" category but that’s not going to stop people from talking about Devin Booker if the Suns miss the playoffs and decide to trade Kevin Durant.
I broke down why this isn’t likely to happen, and why it probably shouldn’t, but Phoenix will be at the center of the NBA’s offseason discussion, as they grossly underperformed with the league’s highest payroll, so are going to make some changes.
It usually takes one big trade to get the offseason rolling, and this summer, the trade everyone will be talking about is Kevin Durant.
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets are another team that should play a large role in the NBA offseason, as they will have the most cap space and have never been one to sit on it for very long.
They could look to add star talent, but also have players in Cam Johnson and restricted free-agent Cam Thomas that other teams will covet.
Johnson would be a nice fit on the Pistons given his salary, shooting and size, as they need more depth at the four and a plan for life after Tobias Harris, who is only under contract for one more season.
The Nets could try to reload quickly with their cap space, in which case Johnson may not be available, but they will be a team to watch this summer either way, as they may be interested in the Pistons’ free agents as value signings if they miss out on a big name.
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers are a team the Pistons will be battling with for playoff position in the Eastern Conference for the foreseeable future, as both teams are good now and have young players who should get better.
The Pacers have some tough choices to make, as they will have one of the most coveted free agents in Myles Turner, a guy who the Pistons may have some interest in, though that has likely changed given Jalen Duren’s improvement.
Indiana would love to keep Turner but may have to sacrifice other guys to do it, which might give the Pistons a chance at some low-cost depth if players like Jarace Walker and/or Bennedict Mathurin hit the trade market, though I am sure the Pacers would be loath to do business with a division rival directly.
Turner will be one of the biggest free-agents this summer and it will be interesting to see the ripple effect it has on the Pacers.
Every team that needs shooting
Malik Beasley is definitely getting a raise this offseason as an unrestricted free agent. There is a limit to what the Pistons can offer him, so they will be competing against every contender that needs shooting and has the means to sign Beasley.
Luckily, that’s not a huge list, as few teams will have cap space available (pending) and Beasley does seem to love Detroit and want to stay. Hopefully that leads to a mutually beneficial deal to keep him with the Pistons, but Beasley will be a guy that other teams want.