The Pistons‘ rebuild took a major step forward when they lucked into the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft, giving them first dibs in what looked to be an exceptional pool of prospects. Detroit’s choice – Cade Cunningham – didn’t win this season’s Rookie of the Year award, but he led all first-year players in points per game and his strong second half reinforced the Pistons’ belief in his ability to be a franchise centerpiece.
The team’s front office and ownership won’t want to rush the roster-building process, but after winning no more than 23 games in each of the last three seasons, they’ll likely be eager to take the next step forward as soon as possible.
With Cunningham and strong secondary pieces like Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart in place, the Pistons are on the right track, but some more good fortune in the lottery (they have a 52.1% chance of securing a top-four pick) would help further accelerate the team’s climb back to playoff contention.
The Pistons’ Offseason Plan:
The Pistons are one of the only NBA teams projected to have cap room available this summer, but to fully take advantage of it, they’ll have to first resolve Marvin Bagley III‘s free agency, since his cap hold ($28MM+) far exceeds his expected salary.
After three-and-a-half relatively underwhelming seasons in Sacramento, Bagley finished the 2021/22 season strong in Detroit, unburdened by the same expectations he faced with the Kings, where he was known as the player the team drafted one spot ahead of Luka Doncic. He averaged 14.6 PPG with a career-best .555 FG% in 18 games as a Piston.
The Pistons, who reportedly liked the athleticism Bagley brought to the frontcourt and want to re-sign him to a multiyear deal, should have a good amount of leverage, given that the former No. 2 overall pick will be a restricted FA and seems unlikely to draw significant interest from many other teams. The three-year deals signed a year ago by big men Khem Birch ($20MM) and Nerlens Noel ($27MM) could be used as points of comparison.
Even after accounting for the cap hold for their lottery pick and a new deal for Bagley, the Pistons are poised to have a good deal of cap space available. The team has been linked to a wide variety of potential free agent targets, ranging from point guards (Jalen Brunson) to wings (Miles Bridges) to centers (Mitchell Robinson), but shouldn’t feel compelled to spend big in free agency — that cap room could just as easily be used to accommodate trades to continue stockpiling draft picks and/or young talent.
Speaking of trades, the Pistons will face a decision this summer on Jerami Grant, who has one season left on the three-year contract he signed in 2020 and will be eligible for an extension of up to four years. Reports at the trade deadline indicated that vice chairman Arn Tellem was more open to the idea of moving Grant than general manager Troy Weaver was, but if Detroit isn’t prepared to extend the veteran forward, perhaps the front office will become more united behind the idea of pursuing a trade this offseason.
A handful of option decisions will impact how the Pistons fill out their bench — Cory Joseph holds a player option and would be a solid backup to Cunningham or a useful trade chip if he opts in. Detroit also has team options on four players: Hamidou Diallo, Frank Jackson, Carsen Edwards, and Luka Garza.
Salary Cap Situation
Note: Our salary cap figures are based on the league’s latest projection ($122MM) for 2022/23.
Guaranteed Salary
Jerami Grant ($20,955,000)- Kelly Olynyk ($12,804,878)
- Cade Cunningham ($10,552,800)
- DeAndre Jordan ($7,827,908) — Waived.
- Killian Hayes ($5,837,760)
- Isaiah Stewart ($3,433,320)
- Saddiq Bey ($2,959,080)
- Dewayne Dedmon ($2,866,667) — Waived via stretch provision.
- Saben Lee ($1,752,638)
- Isaiah Livers ($1,563,518)
- Zhaire Smith ($1,068,200) — Waived via stretch provision.
- Braxton Key (two-way)
- Total: $71,621,769
Player Options
- Cory Joseph ($5,155,500): Bird rights
- Total: $5,155,500
Team Options
- Hamidou Diallo ($5,200,000): Bird rights
- Frank Jackson ($3,150,000): Early Bird rights
- Carsen Edwards ($1,815,677): Non-Bird rights
- Luka Garza ($1,563,518): Non-Bird rights
- Total: $11,729,195
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- None
Restricted Free Agents
- Marvin Bagley III ($7,228,448 qualifying offer / $28,280,285 cap hold): Bird rights
- Total (cap holds): $28,280,285
Two-Way Free Agents
- Jamorko Pickett ($1,616,044 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Total: $1,616,044
Draft Picks
- No. 5 overall pick ($7,155,120)
- No. 46 overall pick (no cap hold)
- Total: $7,155,120
Extension-Eligible Players
Note: These are players who are either already eligible for an extension or will become eligible before the 2022/23 season begins.
- Jerami Grant (veteran)
Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds
- Rodney McGruder ($1,811,516 cap hold): Bird rights
- Total: $1,811,516
Offseason Cap Outlook
Let’s assume the Pistons keep all eight players with guaranteed salaries, re-sign Bagley to a deal starting at $7MM, get the No. 3 overall pick, and bring back all five players who have options. In that scenario, the team would still have over $19MM in cap room.
If the Pistons aren’t committed to picking up all their team options, their cap room could increase to $25-30MM. Of course, Joseph’s option decision, Bagley’s free agency, and possible trades are also wild cards that will affect that number. But if Detroit has a move in mind that requires $20MM-ish in cap space, it looks like it won’t be too difficult to carve out that space.
Cap Exceptions Available
- Room exception: $5,329,000 1
Footnotes
- This is a projected value.
Salary and cap information from Basketball Insiders and RealGM was used in the creation of this post.
Saddiq Bey is definitely more than a “secondary piece”. He was arguably their best player this season. And even tho he won’t have the ball in his hands as much or get as much media attention as Cade, Bey is gonna be arguably their best player for yrs to come. He’s not much of a playmaker but he does pretty much everything else very well. Bagley should def get a lucrative long term deal from Detroit this summer. He has 20/10 type talent. If/when Jerami gets moved then Bagley should be featured more & produce even more than he did in his 1st cpl months in Motown. Speaking of Jerami I’d def look to trade him. If they could get Gallinari plus a future 1st from my Hawks that might be something that works for both sides. Gallo would add some much needed shooting/scoring off the bench as well as a calming, veteran presence. The big move that I think Detroit should make this off-season is going hard after Young Bull Sexton in free agency. Detroit has plenty if cap space & I’d spend the vast majority of it on Sexton if I was them. Cleveland prob wouldn’t match a huge offer bc of how successful they were without him this season. Plus he would be a great fit alongside Cade for the next 5+ yrs. They could give up Killian to Cleveland in a s&t for Sexton if necessary. I don’t see Killian ever becoming a starter level guard & if he does I highly doubt it will be in Detroit. Last but not least I think they should go with Chet in the draft, tho Mathurin or Ivey would be just as good for them
They already have Olynyk, I don’t see them trading for Gallo. In fact they should try to move off Olynyk, there won’t be minutes for him if they sign Bagley.
I dig where you coming from. Kelly & Gallo overlap somewhat & are both terrible defensively. Maybe moving Jerami to Portland for Bledsoe, Greg Brown & a future 1st makes more sense for them. I feel like Dame would dig that move too.. as far as Bagley I see him as their starting 4 for the foreseeable future while Kelly is more of a 5. I don’t think they have to move Kelly tbh, he played great for them to start the season before his injury. Plus he’d be a perfect mentor for Chet as a former Zag big that has played multiple dif type roles on multiple dif type teams.. if Detroit can add someone like Solomon Hill , Tony Snell or James Johnson for the vet min then Cade/Sexton/Bey/Bagley/BeefStew with CoryJo, Saben, Bledsoe, Hami, Livers, SHill, GBrown, Chet & Kelly off the bench is a good team with a nice mix of vets/youngsters. Drafting a scoring wing like Juzang with their 2nd rd pick would be a smooth move too
Saddiq made no gains as a shooter either, and Cade rebounds more playing guard.
Paragraphs. Try them.
Lol here come the haters right on time… Saddiq has been Detroit’s best 3pt shooter by far during his 1st couple seasons & it isn’t really close. Even with no gains lol. He’s yet to become Steph Curry from trey lol yea I guess that’s a criticism.. as far as Cade rebounding more than Bey. 1st off you gonna end up separating your shoulder if u keep reaching so desperately. 2nd, please go back & (re)-do ur research & lmk who grabbed more rebs this season, Bey or Cade. Spoiler alert it was Bey 441-354
You call facts, hate, if it makes you feel better. Bey had more total rebounds because of more minutes… Cade averaged more rpg. Point is you said Bey could do everything better but playmake.
Grant who you want to trade and Joseph who people ignore even though he starts shot 3s better. Where do you get Bey is the best and not even close?— two years ago? He is not trending well, while Cade improved during the year.
Anyway why no paragraghs? Can’t be bothered?
Smh you’re reading comprehension skills are trash… “(Bey)’s not much of a playmaker but he does pretty much everything else very well.” That’s exactly what I said. Nothing about him doing everything better than Cade… Bey definitely is their best 3pt shooter & it’s extremely obvious to anyone that’s been watching Detroit the past couple seasons. Bey has 386 treys in the past 2 seasons. The 2 guys you say are better 3pt shooters, Jerami/CoryJo made about 100 fewer treys than Bey in the same timespan COMBINED. Like I said it’s not even close
Who cares two years ago… The trend for Bey is down since he’s no longer the darling the team wants to advance.
Sankara in OP: “And even tho he won’t have the ball in his hands as much or get as much media attention as Cade, Bey is gonna be arguably their best player for yrs to come.
That is you saying that, this page. Maybe you’re not in control of your thoughts enough to know what you’re saying.
Best player. Bey doesn’t even outrebound Cade. If Joseph starts, he’s the shooter, but the Pistons keep wanting to showcase their rooks… which is no longer Bey. Or it will be Grant if he’s kept and not on an allstar volume drive.
I like Bey.
But if someone thinks he projects to be Detroit’s best player for years to come over Cade, then I question whether they’ve watched a Detroit game in this calendar year.
Honestly I don’t see them signing Sexton when they have Cade. They should sign a SF or SG not Sexton. There gonna draft a C/PF so there gonna need someone like Miles Bridges or Zach LaVine
Depends on where the ping pong fall… but they at least need to move Grant, Olynyk, and Hayes this offseason or next as expiring contracts and recoup an asset. Gordon Hayward landing spot maybe.
Having seen a decent amount of Cade the second half of the season I think Detroit is in really great shape.
I would actually hold off on trying to sign a Brunson, Bridges or Robinson — see what you have organically and let Cade (and whoever they pick in June) develop.
But Cade looks like the real deal. Preserving ultimate flexibility would be my MO —
Come to NY Jerami. We got you.
Sign-n-trade for Mitch gets it done. If Agbaji falls to us at 11. We can also add Grimes plus a 2nd rd pick.
Zero chance the Trade grant straight up for Mitch. Also, why would they, Mitch is a free agent.