The Detroit Pistons entered the 2026 offseason with high hopes following a franchise-best 60-win regular season and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. But after a second-round playoff exit at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers, the front office vowed to make changes.
Now, those changes are drawing sharp criticism.
The Pistons have been called out for two of the worst overpays of the 2026 NBA free agency period, with analysts questioning whether the team’s front office made the right moves to keep pace in a competitive Eastern Conference .
According to Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, the Pistons committed two of the five worst overpays so far this offseason. The acquisitions of veteran forwards John Collins and Kevin Huerter were specifically singled out as questionable financial decisions .
John Collins (3 years, $51 million) – Detroit acquired the 28-year-old forward in a sign-and-trade with the Los Angeles Clippers, aiming to replace Tobias Harris in the starting lineup . Collins averaged 13.6 points and 5.3 rebounds for the Clippers last season .
“John Collins is a reliable play-finisher and active rebounder, but that’s kind of it,” Buckley wrote. “He doesn’t create for himself or his teammates. He is a generally efficient shooter, but he doesn’t take threes or free throws at a high volume” .
Kevin Huerter (3 years, $27 million) – The Pistons chose to retain the veteran sharpshooter after acquiring him midseason. But Huerter struggled mightily in his 25-game stint with Detroit, shooting just 29.4% from three-point range while averaging 8.6 points per game .
“The kind of prolonged slump that would normally lead to a short (often one-year), prove-it pact,” Buckley wrote. “Instead, the Pistons will pay him a not-insignificant chunk of change for the next three seasons, seemingly convinced they can reverse this decline without any evidence fueling that belief” .
Compounding the criticism, Detroit also lost veteran forward Tobias Harris, who signed a two-year, $31 million deal with the San Antonio Spurs . Harris was the Pistons’ second-leading scorer during the playoffs, averaging 18.1 points and 7.2 rebounds .
“The urgency to win a championship,” Harris told HoopsHype when explaining his decision to leave Detroit. “It felt like both our goals aligned” .
Harris said he holds “extreme gratitude” for his time in Detroit but ultimately felt San Antonio offered a better path to contention .
Detroit also faces a tense contract standoff with All-NBA center Jalen Duren, who is a restricted free agent eligible for a supermax extension worth up to $287.1 million .
Despite averaging a double-double (19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds) during the regular season, Duren struggled in the playoffs, seeing his scoring drop to 10.2 points per game on reduced efficiency . Reports indicate the Pistons’ initial offer fell flat, and Duren is exploring sign-and-trade scenarios with teams like the Lakers and Kings .
The Athletic reported that the Pistons have no interest in Sacramento’s proposed deal, which would send three-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis to Detroit as a replacement . Most league insiders expect Detroit to match any outside offer Duren receives .
For a team that just won 60 games and earned the top seed in the East, the offseason has been anything but smooth. The Pistons previously swung and missed on Austin Reaves, who signed a four-year, $185 million max extension to remain with the Lakers . They also missed out on Jaylen Brown and Tyler Herro via trade .
Some context for the signings: Collins’ contract has only the first year fully guaranteed at $17 million, offering Detroit some flexibility . And after moving Isaiah Stewart’s salary to Memphis, the Pistons created room to operate .
But as one writer put it: the Pistons have been “net neutral at best, and possibly net negative” through the opening days of free agency .
Detroit’s front office appears committed to building around Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, and the young core that delivered a 60-win season. Whether moves like the Collins and Huerter signings represent a calculated bet on upside or costly overpays will be determined once the 2026-2027 season tips off .
“The Pistons are banking on Collins to be the younger Tobias Harris replacement,” Heavy’s Justin Grasso reported . But for now, the national narrative is clear: the Pistons are being crushed for their decisions.
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