The Detroit Pistons have been actively working the phones in both free agency and the trade market, but so far, they haven’t been able to close a deal.
They made a push for Tyler Herro, though Milwaukee intervened and altered that outcome yet that situation might still be unresolved. Detroit also reportedly went hard after Austin Reaves, which prompted the Lakers to accelerate their timeline and hand him a maximum contract.
Then there was Kawhi Leonard, who emerged as a target for Detroit until he made it clear he would never agree to an extension there a development that caught nobody off guard.
The Pistons cleared salary by moving Isaiah Stewart with the intention of landing a major piece, but with free agency just around the corner, the pool of available difference-makers is shrinking, and the drop-off after the top names is steep.
Was this a calculated strategy or wishful thinking?
Honestly, I expected something significant to follow immediately after the Stewart trade you don’t move the emotional core of your roster unless you’ve got something concrete lined up… right?
It was obvious Stewart would be dealt this summer, but it’s still a bit disappointing and surprising that Detroit made that move without a firm plan already in motion. Maybe they do have one and are simply waiting for the right moment to act, but given that they’ve whiffed on every target so far, it’s hardly encouraging.
Why shift focus to free agents?
The Pistons weren’t really viewed as a free-agent destination, mainly because assembling the necessary cap space would have required cutting multiple rotation pieces.
I always figured trades were their more realistic path, since elite free agents rarely switch teams anymore.
There’s also a steep decline in quality after the top tier, so I was a little caught off guard when Detroit started clearing room to chase a restricted free agent like Reaves.
It looks like the Pistons are moving down a checklist, and unfortunately, the gap between Kawhi Leonard and the next viable option is enormous.
Dealing Stewart only to turn around and sign 33-year-old Norman Powell wouldn’t be a great return for Detroit in terms of asset value and long-term planning.
Powell alone also isn’t going to change much for a squad that needs more than just volume scorers. They require playmakers who can handle the ball and generate offense, whereas Powell leans more toward isolation ball. Beyond him, the outlook gets bleaker, with names like John Collins or Bennedict Mathurin surfacing.
I have faith that Trajan Langdon will eventually bring in someone who makes an impact, but after striking out on the premier targets, the remaining options are far less enticing.
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