Detroit Pistons Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Love, Livers, Heat, D. Robinson, Drummond

August 5th, 2021 at 12:20pm CST by Luke Adams

After drafting Evan Mobley with the No. 3 overall pick and agreeing to re-sign Jarrett Allen to a five-year, $100MM contract, the Cavaliers appear to have locked up their frontcourt of the future, prompting Jason Lloyd of The Athletic to suggest that if Kevin Love is going to remain in Cleveland, he should be prepared to accept a role off the bench.

According to Lloyd, the Cavaliers have already spoken to Love about his minutes and role moving forward. The first step will be getting the veteran power forward healthy following the calf strain that has nagged him for much of the year, but even if that calf injury is no longer an issue in the fall, Cleveland will have to closely manage Love’s minutes, writes Lloyd.

While a buyout could ultimately be in both sides’ best interests, those discussions have not yet taken place, according to Lloyd, who suggests Love would likely have to be willing to give back at least $12-15MM for the Cavs to consider buying him out. He’s owed just north of $60MM over the next two seasons.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Rookie Pistons forward Isaiah Livers, who was selected 42nd overall in last Thursday’s draft, continues to recover from the right foot surgery that ended his college career, but remains optimistic that he’ll be fully cleared around the start of the 2021/22 season, writes Rod Beard of The Detroit News. “For five-on-five, I expect to be fully cleared, hopefully, at some point in October,” Livers said. As Beard observes, Detroit will likely play it safe with Livers and have him start the season with the Motor City Cruise in the G League.
Although the Heat might not get much out of Victor Oladipo in 2021/22, their minimum-salary agreement with the two-time All-Star will put them in good position to re-sign him next summer if he earns a raise, since they’ll hold his full Bird rights, as Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald details. Oladipo is recovering from surgery on his quad tendon and the Heat aren’t expecting him to be ready to return until sometime in 2022.
After agreeing to a five-year, $90MM deal with the Heat as a restricted free agent, sharpshooter Duncan Robinson said on The Long Shot podcast that he entered the week focused on getting a deal done with the only NBA team he has ever played for. “Miami ultimately, for me, felt like it was going to be the best situation because it was something I was really familiar with,” Robinson said, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “I felt like I had built equity with an organization, the coaching staff, the front office, the fans even, the city.”
Despite their past squabbles on and off the court, new Sixers center Andre Drummond doesn’t anticipate teaming up with Joel Embiid will be an issue, he told reporters today. “For me, there was never any real beef,” Drummond said (Twitter link via Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com). “The way we play, sometimes we talk. I don’t think it goes any further than that. … We’re on the same team now.”

Saben Lee Re-Signs With Pistons

August 4th, 2021 at 6:32pm CST by Arthur Hill

AUGUST 6: Lee’s new deal with the Pistons is now official, per NBA.com’s transactions log. We’re still waiting on the exact terms of the contract.

AUGUST 4: After a promising rookie season, Saben Lee will sign a three-year contract to stay with the Pistons, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal includes a team option on the third year, according to Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).

The 22-year-old guard was part of a strong rookie class that Detroit put together last season. Selected with the 38th pick, he was acquired from the Jazz in a draft-night trade. He earned a spot in the Pistons’ rotation and averaged 5.6 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 48 games.

Lee, who spent last season on a two-way contract, was a restricted free agent after receiving a qualifying offer over the weekend. Because he spent a year on that two-way deal, Detroit had Non-Bird rights on Lee and was able to do the three-year deal without using cap room, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN.

While the exact financial details aren’t yet known, the Non-Bird exception would allow the Pistons to give Lee a starting salary worth no more than 120% of the minimum.

Eastern Notes: Bulls, Dinwiddie, Nets, Celtics, Cavs, Pistons

August 3rd, 2021 at 8:49pm CST by Luke Adams

The first-round pick the Bulls will send to the Spurs in the DeMar DeRozan sign-and-trade will be top-10 protected in the first year and top-eight protected in the second and third years if it doesn’t convey immediately, reports John Hollinger of The Athletic.

That pick will tentatively be the Bulls’ 2025 first-rounder, but that’s conditional on Chicago sending its 2023 pick to Orlando. If the 2023 first-rounder falls in its protected range (top four) and the Bulls keep it, the Bulls would have to wait until at least 2026 to send a first-rounder to the Spurs in order to avoid running afoul of the Stepien rule, which prohibits teams from trading back-to-back future first-round picks.

Here’s more from around the East:

In an in-depth look at the challenges facing the Wizards in their efforts to acquire Spencer Dinwiddie via sign-and-trade, Danny Leroux and Fred Katz of The Athletic cite sources who say the Nets are seeking a significant asset (besides a trade exception) from Washington in any agreement.
The Celtics are taking a conservative approach to free agency this year in part because they want to maintain a salary structure that allows them to be players for a major free agent in 2022, as Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald explains (via Twitter).
The Cavaliers continue to scour the market for shooting help, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, who says Doug McDermott was the team’s top target entering free agency. McDermott, who agreed to a three-year deal with San Antonio, was one of a number of players on Cleveland’s wish list that opted to go elsewhere.
Pistons head coach Dwane Casey envisions Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes sharing the play-making responsibilities for the team in 2021/22, as Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes. “Both of ’em are 1A and 1B,” Casey said of his two young guards. ” Either one can bring it up. Either one can initiate offense. Either one can run pick and roll. What we want to work to is position-less basketball.”

Trey Lyles Signs Two-Year Deal With Pistons

August 2nd, 2021 at 8:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

AUGUST 6: Lyles’ deal is now official, according to NBA.com’s transactions log.

AUGUST 2: Free agent forward Trey Lyles has reached a two-year agreement with the Pistons worth approximately $5MM, agent Rich Paul told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).

A two-year, minimum-salary deal for Lyles would work out to about $4.44MM, so it sounds like he may get something a little higher than the minimum.

Lyles has spent the last two seasons with the Spurs. He also had two-year stints in Utah and Denver. Lyles saw his playing time diminish last season, as he appeared in just 23 games. His representatives were eager to find a new home for their client, who was looking for a fresh start. He started 53 of 63 games in his first year with San Antonio.

Lyles has averaged 7.3 PPG and 4.2 RPG in 15.6 MPG through 374 career games. He’s a 34.1% 3-point shooter.

He’ll provide insurance at the power forward spot behind Jerami Grant and Sekou Doumbouya.

Pistons Re-Sign Cory Joseph

August 2nd, 2021 at 7:47pm CST by Luke Adams

AUGUST 10: The Pistons have officially re-signed Joseph, according to NBA.com’s transactions log.

AUGUST 2: Just days after placing him on waivers, the Pistons have agreed to terms with point guard Cory Joseph on a new contract, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul tells Haynes that Joseph’s new deal with Detroit will be worth $10MM over two years. The deal includes a second-year player option, Haynes adds (via Twitter).

Joseph, who will turn 30 later this month, began last season with Sacramento and was sent to Detroit at the March trade deadline. He played very well with the Pistons down the stretch, averaging 12.0 PPG, 5.5 APG, and 3.2 RPG on .506/.368/.878 shooting in 19 games (26.4 MPG).

Joseph was under contract for 2021/22, but his $12.6MM salary was only partially guaranteed for $2.4MM. By waiving him and re-signing him to a new deal, the Pistons avoided guaranteeing that full $12.6MM and will get him back at a more affordable rate. He’ll serve as a veteran mentor for first overall pick Cade Cunningham.

The Pistons, who project to be a cap-space team this offseason, may end up signing Joseph with the room exception, since it will be worth right around $10MM over two years.

Pistons Sign Kelly Olynyk To Three-Year Deal

August 2nd, 2021 at 5:16pm CST by Luke Adams

AUGUST 6: The Pistons have officially signed Olynyk, the team announced today in a press release.

AUGUST 2: The Pistons have agreed to a three-year deal with free agent big man Kelly Olynyk, agent Jeff Schwartz tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). The contract will be worth $37MM, Wojnarowski reports. It features a third-year team option, tweets James Edwards III of The Athletic.

The Pistons agreed to trade veteran big man Mason Plumlee to Charlotte in a salary-dump deal on draft night in order to open up the center position and more salary cap space, and Olynyk will be the beneficiary of the team’s newly-created roster and cap flexibility.

Olynyk, who was traded from the Heat to the Rockets prior to the March trade deadline, finished the 2020/21 season on an incredible roll, averaging 19.0 PPG, 8.4 RPG, and 4.1 APG on .545/.392/.844 shooting in 27 games (31.1 MPG) for Houston. That helped boost his stock ahead of free agency and earn him a deal worth more than the mid-level.

Olynyk will be joining an intriguing young Pistons core that includes Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart, Killian Hayes, and this year’s No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham.

Olynyk can play either the four or the five, and his ability to stretch the floor should allow the Pistons to use him in lineups alongside Stewart.

Free Agency Rumors: Bulls, Galloway, Bullock, Caruso, Dinwiddie, Theis

August 2nd, 2021 at 4:54pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Bulls appear to be aware that they need to upgrade their playmaking. Brian Windhorst of ESPN reports (Twitter video link) that Chicago could be looking to add Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball and Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan to their roster.

Windhorst notes that the Bulls may be able to extract Ball from the Pelicans in a sign-and-trade deal, provided the Pelicans can add a point guard replacement for Ball either in the trade or elsewhere. The notion of DeRozan joining the Chicago backcourt as well is intriguing. “From what I am told, [the Bulls] are also interested in DeMar DeRozan, and are interested in pulling off a possible double sign-and-trade where they would send [Chicago’s restricted free agent power forward] Lauri Markkanen to San Antonio,” Windhorst said in an ESPN segment.

Here are more free agency rumors from around the NBA, with the official start of the signing season just moments away:

After averaging a career-low 4.8 PPG in a career-low 40 games as essentially a part-time player for the eventual 2021 championship runner-up Suns, Langston Galloway appears ready to move on. “I was on a team that made it to the finals, but my biggest thing is getting an opportunity to play,” Galloway told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. “Being on a team like that, I learned a lot, and all I need is someone that’s going to believe in me. That’s going to go a long way, and it’s going to pay dividends for whatever team I get the chance to play for next year.”
Free agent Knicks shooting guard Reggie Bullock may have suitors offering him new deals in the range of a three-year mid-level contract, tweets Marc Berman of the New York Post. The Knicks still hope to bring Bullock back. Berman adds that the Knicks are also rumored to have interest in free agent shooting guard Evan Fournier, and if they were to add him and Bullock, the incumbent Bullock would be demoted to the New York bench.
Unrestricted free agent Lakers reserve point guard Alex Caruso will speak with several clubs and is intent on picking a free agent destination expediently, writes Marks Medina of USA Today (Twitter link). Medina writes that the Lakers, who hold Caruso’s Bird rights, could look to retain him, especially since he could provide their suddenly top-heavy roster with some much-needed shooting and defense in the backcourt.
Nets point guard Spencer Dinwiddie apparently will decide between the Pelicans, Knicks and Wizards, though the Celtics could also a candidate, reports Jordan Schultz of ESPN (Twitter link). Sources inform Schultz that the Pelicans at least are prepared to offer Dinwiddie a long-term deal that could pay $20MM or more annually. Shams Charania reports (Twitter video link) that Dinwiddie will meet with the Wizards at the start of free agency. “They have made him an ultimate target early in this free agency process,” Charania said.
Free agent Bulls center/power forward Daniel Theis could be a target for several clubs looking for a big man upgrade, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Scotto lists teams like the Rockets, Spurs, Raptors, Pistons and the playoff-contending Heat as candidates for Theis this summer.

Fischer’s Latest: Iguodala, Millsap, Mills, Robinson, McDermott, More

August 2nd, 2021 at 9:18am CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers and Warriors, a pair of Pacific rivals, may be competing for some of the same veterans in free agency, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, who notes that both teams are believed to be eyeing Andre Iguodala.

League sources tell Bleacher Report that Paul Millsap would be interested in joining the Warriors for a deal in the range of the taxpayer mid-level exception (approximately $5.9MM), though a reunion with the Hawks is also a possibility for Millsap, Fischer adds.

The Lakers, meanwhile, have been linked to Patty Mills, according to Fischer, who notes that the team would likely have to offer Mills more than the minimum to lure him to L.A.

Here are a few more free agency rumors from Fischer:

Fischer says the numbers floating around for Duncan Robinson‘s next contract are about $16-18MM per year, which is the range I previously speculated for the Heat forward, given last year’s market for top shooters.
Another three-point marksman, Pacers wing Doug McDermott, is expected to get a deal worth more than the $9.5MM mid-level exception, per Fischer.
The Spurs and Pistons are among the teams with Bulls restricted free agent forward Lauri Markkanen on their radar, according to Fischer.
Veteran swingman Danny Green is thought to have interest in playing for the Heat, Fischer reports.
Gorgui Dieng will likely be in line for a deal worth about the bi-annual exception ($3.7MM), with the Suns and Spurs among his potential suitors, writes Fischer.

Free Agent Rumors: Dinwiddie, Ball, DeRozan, Pistons, Clippers

August 2nd, 2021 at 8:58am CST by Luke Adams

There are conflicting rumors on the possibility of the Wizards acquiring Spencer Dinwiddie via sign-and-trade, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic, who says that one source described that scenario as “pure vapor,” while another insisted that it’s real if the Nets can dump DeAndre Jordan‘s contract in the process.

As Hollinger points out, if the Wizards expand their Russell Westbrook trade with the Lakers to include Brooklyn, they could theoretically flip Kyle Kuzma to the Nets and acquire Dinwiddie via sign-and-trade while also taking on Jordan’s contract.

However, there are other scenarios in play for both Dinwiddie and the Wizards. Both Hollinger and Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report suggest that the idea of the Thunder signing Dinwiddie for a deal in the two-year, $40MM range has been floating around the league, and Fischer reiterates that Dinwiddie is a viable Plan B for the Pelicans if they miss out on Kyle Lowry.

Meanwhile, both Hollinger and Fischer say the Wizards are also believed to have interest in point guard Alex Caruso, whose market could be in the neighborhood of the full mid-level exception. Hollinger adds that there has been “some hum” about the possibility of Washington having interest in Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon.

Here are a few more rumors on some of this year’s top free agents:

Hollinger and Fischer identify the Bulls as the most likely team to sign Lonzo Ball to an offer sheet, likely in the four-year, $80-84MM range. However, Chicago would have to dump some salary to make room for such an offer sheet, and it’s unclear if the team is prepared to make those moves without being certain the Pelicans won’t match the offer, notes Hollinger.
The Celtics continue be mentioned as a possible Ball suitor, per Fischer and Sam Amick of The Atheltic. Amick also names the Mavericks as a possibility for Ball, while Hollinger dubs the Pacers a “dark horse” in the Ball sweepstakes, suggesting that a deal sending Malcolm Brogdon to the Pelicans could tempt New Orleans. Finally, Hollinger mentions an intriguing double sign-and-trade possibility that would send Lonzo to the Hornets to team up with his brother LaMelo Ball, with Devonte’ Graham going to the Pelicans.
- Note: Hollinger has since amended this last item, suggesting that Lonzo and Graham could be involved in a double-sign-and-trade, but that Ball would likely be rerouted to a team besides Charlotte in that scenario.
The idea of DeMar DeRozan signing with the Heat for their mid-level exception has been a hot rumor lately, according to Hollinger. However, Fischer says DeRozan is also said to have interest from the Knicks, Pistons, and Mavericks, while Amick indicates a return to the Spurs remains “very possible.”
According to both Hollinger and Fischer, Kelly Olynyk has been increasingly mentioned as a target for the Pistons, who also may re-sign Cory Joseph at a lesser rate after waiving him over the weekend.
Outside of bringing back Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers‘ top priorities in free agency are re-signing Reggie Jackson and Nicolas Batum, sources tell Amick.

Scotto’s Latest: Markkanen, Noel, Raptors, Pistons, L. Williams

August 1st, 2021 at 7:29am CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls and Lauri Markkanen are open to working out a sign-and-trade deal that would send him to a new team, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Chicago issued Markkanen a qualifying offer this week that will ensure he’s a restricted free agent, giving the team some leverage in negotiations.

Scotto identifies the Timberwolves – who have long been on the hunt for a power forward – as one team to watch as a possible sign-and-trade destination for Markkanen. The Spurs and Thunder are also among the teams with Markkanen on their radar, per Scotto. San Antonio and Oklahoma City would have the cap flexibility necessary to issue Markkanen an offer sheet without giving up an asset in a sign-and-trade if they’re confident Chicago won’t match.

Here are a few more updates on free agency from Scotto:

Following a strong season in New York, free agent big man Nerlens Noel is expected to draw interest from the Raptors, Knicks, Pistons, and Kings, writes Scotto.
The Raptors and Pistons should have a little cap flexibility and will likely look to the free agent market to address the center position. Scotto reiterates that Jarrett Allen and Richaun Holmes are on Toronto’s radar, and names Kelly Olynyk as a potential Detroit target. Some people around the league believe Olynyk will end up signing a deal worth $10-12MM per year, Scotto adds.
Despite mutual interest in a new deal between the Hawks and Lou Williams, the three-time Sixth Man of the Year will receive interest from other clubs, including the Pacers and Bucks, says Scotto. Williams is seeking a multiyear deal.