Pistons offseason: Free agency and a summer full of major decisions
The Detroit Pistons enter yet another critical offseason with questions both at nearly every position on the court and at top management positions off the court.
They have been the NBA’s worst team each of the past two seasons, culminating in a franchiseworst 14-68 performance in 2023-24 despite being in Year 4 of the front office regime.
That regime is getting a shake-up, with a search underway to fill the vacant president of basketball operations position. That hire is the most important decision owner Tom Gores can make, and one he must nail despite a track record of, well, no success, with zero playoff wins and one winning season since he took control of the team in 2011.
Whoever is named the Pistons’ new basketball leader will have a plethora of major decisions to make, from building out a new front office to what to do with coach Monty Williams and a young roster stacked with former lottery picks who have yet to mesh, a top-five draft pick and as much cap space as any other team in the league.
Here’s the Pistons’ annual offseason FAQ:
Major leadership questions
The Pistons announced April 15, one day after the season, they would begin a quest to find a president basketball of operations leader over top of general manager Troy Weaver. That position has not been filled since Gores parted with Stan Van Gundy in 2018.
A search firm is helping the Pistons gather qualified candidates, and from there Gores, his ownership group and Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem will have to decipher and hire the person they believe can turn this bungling franchise around now.
Jon Horst, the Milwaukee Bucks’ general manager who began his career with the Pistons in 2005 as an unpaid intern, looks to be one of the top potential options. He was the 2018-19 NBA executive of the year, helped the Bucks’ to the 2021 title and is from Sandusky and played basketball at Rochester Christian (2003-06).
2024 NBA draft
Dates to know: NBA draft lottery May 12 in Chicago; NBA draft June 26-27 in Brooklyn, New York.
Pistons 2024 draft picks: First round: Guaranteed to be top five. Second round: No. 53 overall (via New York).
Lottery odds: Own No. 1 slot entering lottery, tied for the best odds at the top pick; 40.1% chance at a top-three pick. The Pistons’ odds to finish at each pick.
No. 1: 14%
No. 2: 13.4%
No. 3: 12.7%
No. 4: 12%
No. 5: 47.9%
Top prospects: C Alex Sarr (NBL, Austrailia), F Zaccharie Risacher (LNB Pro A, France), SG Reed Shepard (Kentucky freshman), Nikola Topić (Adriatic League, Southeast Europe), PG Rob Dillingham (Kentucky freshman), F Matas Buzelis (G League Ignite).
Future draft picks
The Pistons continue to operate at a significant
disadvantage when it comes to future draft capital. They are still tied up in owing a firstround pick protected through 2027, from the 2020 draft-day trade with the Houston Rockets for Isaiah Stewart. The pick is now controlled by the New York Knicks. Until that selection is conveyed, the Pistons are barred from trading a future first-round pick through 2028 due to the Stepien rule. They can agree to a trade before or during June’s draft involving their 2024 top-five pick, but cannot execute the deal until afterwards, and they can also deal one of their 2029 first OR 2030 first.
Outgoing:
• 2025 first-round pick to New York (protected Nos. 1-13 in 2025, 1-11 in 2026 and 1-9 in 2027; if pick has still not conveyed, Pistons will send 2027 second-round pick).
• 2025 second-rounder to New York.
• 2026 second-rounder to Orlando or Brooklyn.
• 2028 second-rounder to Philadelphia (protected for selections 31-55).
Incoming:
• 2027 second-rounder from Brooklyn or Dallas (more favorable).
• 2028 second-rounder from New York. • 2029 second-rounder from Milwaukee. • 2029 second-rounder from New York. • 2030 second-rounder from Minnesota.
Free agency and the salary cap
Dates to know: Negotiations between teams and free agents is allowed starting June 30 at 6 p.m.; teams may begin signing free agents to contracts July 6 at 12:01 p.m.
NBA salary cap, luxury tax: The salary cap is expected to be $141 million, an increase of $5 million from 2023-24. The luxury tax threshold is projected for $172 million, up $10 million. The first tax apron is $179 million and the second is $190 million.
Pistons salary cap situation: They’ll have around $60 million entering the draft, depending on where their pick slots in during the lottery.
Room exception: Available to teams under the salary cap at the beginning of free agency. Once they’ve used all cap room, the Pistons would be granted this cap exception, worth up to three years and $25 million.
Top NBA free agents (unrestricted): Paul George (player option), LeBron James (player option), James Harden, OG Anunoby (player option), Pascal Siakam, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (player option), DeMar DeRozan, Klay Thompson, Tobias Harris.
Top NBA free agents (restricted): Tyrese Maxey, Patrick Williams, Immanuel Quickley, Isaac Okoro.
Pistons free agents: Simone Fontecchio (restricted), James Wiseman (restricted), Malachi Flynn (restricted), Stanley Umude (team option), Troy Brown Jr. (nonguaranteed) Chimezie Metu (team option), Evan Fournier (team option), Taj Gibson.
Dead money: $2.75 million — Dewayne Dedmon (waived and stretched).
Needs and fits
Much of the strategy employed by the Pistons this summer will be led by their unknown new basketball leader, but they finally began to go down the right track at the trade deadline by acquiring competent two-way wings in Fontecchio and Quentin Grimes. Fontecchio is a restricted free agent and said a day after the season ended he hoped to be back; the Pistons should see him as a priority after giving up the first pick in the 2024 second round to get him. They should hunt for a center who can defend the rim, an efficient scorer and playable wings who can space the floor, make the right reads and compete on defense.
The bigger question: How they see their much self-ballyhooed “young core” outside of Cade Cunningham, who is eligible for a contract extension. Will Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren be on this roster come training camp? What is Ausar Thompson’s status after missing the end of the season due to a blood clot? The Pistons must prioritize building around and developing Cunningham, while also remaining vigilant in their search to develop a running mate.
The trade market will be spicy this summer, but here is a look at some free agents the Pistons might target.
*Age as of Dec. 31, 2024; contract is average annual value from previous contract
Tobias Harris, power forward, 76ers
Profile: 6 feet 8, 226 pounds, 32 years old, $36 million, scorer.
Buzz: Harris averaged 17.2 points on 35.3% shooting from 3-point range with 6.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists across 70 games in the regular season. Is playing his worst ball during his 51⁄2 seasons in Philadelphia since February. Has scored 35 points in 140 minutes through four games of the playoff series (8.8 ppg) vs. the New York Knicks, where his frustrating weaknesses remain on display. Former Piston who is a mature veteran and helpful player for a rebuilding team like the Pistons, where his 3-point reluctance, record-scratch decision making, and team defense lapses won’t carry as much baggage, especially when not being paid a maximum contract and among the league’s top 20 highest earning players. Career 36.8% 3-point shooter though more comfortable taking midrange jump shots. Switchable defender who is adequate on-ball. Reports around the trade deadline pegged Harris as a top target for the Pistons, but that could change with a new exec running basketball operations. Lavishing him with a long-term, bigmoney deal would be a mistake, but a shorter deal at around $25 million would at least be palatable.
De’Anthony Melton, wing, 76ers
Profile: role.
Buzz: Melton averaged 11.1 points on 36% 3point shooting with 3.7 rebounds, three assists and 1.6 steals in 38 games and missed most of the second half of the season with a back injury. Extremely valuable and true 3-and-D role player due to his complementary skills on both ends, and willingness to fire from 3 on offense (36.9% accuracy for his career). Can guard 1-3 comfortably and even some fours, and is among leaders in deflections per game. Should be in demand from most teams, but cost shouldn’t be prohibitive.
6-2, 200, 26, $8.7 million, 3-and-D
Isaiah Hartenstein, center, Knicks
Profile: 7-0, 250, 26, $8 million, rim protector. Buzz: Hartenstein averaged 7.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks while starting 49 of 75 games played this season for the Knicks, who are now a heavy favorite to reach the conference finals. Can move his feet a bit in space, as shown by his game-saving block last week on Maxey in Game 2, but moreso is a big body who can battle in the paint, protect the rim, is a rugged rebounder and a play-finisher offensively with a featherly floater. Would have to outbid the Knicks and convince him he would play just as much in Detroit, which would be a hard sell assuming Duren is still on the roster, but won’t be as expensive as Nets free agent Nic Claxton.
More names to watch: Williams, (23, wing) Caldwell-Pope (31, wing), Claxton (25, center), Kelly Oubre Jr. (29, wing), Buddy Hield (32, wing), Caleb Martin (29, wing), Thompson (wing, 34).