With 2023-24 officially over for the Detroit Pistons, ideas for roster reconstruction are flowing in like crazy. Beat writer James Edwards of The Athletic created an offseason proposal with the Brooklyn Nets that would shake up this franchise to hopefully a winning product.
Detroit wrapped up their regular season on a miserable note with not just the worst record in the NBA, but also franchise history. The painful year for the Pistons also featured a league-worst 28-game losing streak.
Detroit cannot afford to have another lackluster offseason during a sensitive time with coaching jobs on the line and players entering pivotal contract periods. This franchise needs to make some impactful moves to shift things in a more positive direction.
What about swinging a blockbuster trade for Brooklyn Nets wing Mikal Bridges, as The Athletic initially broached, and then making a major splash in free agency? Let’s grade those offseason hypotheticals.
Trade idea: Pistons bring in Mikal Bridges
Pistons get: Mikal Bridges, Dorian Finney-Smith, 2025 first-round pick (top-14 protected)
Nets get: 2024 1st-round pick, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren
One of the biggest priorities for the Pistons this past season was to see what they had with their core players in Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson. With Cunningham up for an extension this summer and his rookie contract expiring after 2024-25, the team needs to surround proven talent around him as soon as possible. Ivey and Duren still hold lots of promise after finishing their second season as professionals. However, the Pistons may not be able to afford to wait for their potential to translate into meaningful on-court development. Parting with Ivey and Duren would be tough considering their ceilings, but Detroit needs to find more consistent perimeter shooting, spacing and defense—valuable attributes that wouldn’t come cheap in a trade. Mikal Bridges broke out under Detroit head coach Monty Williams during their time with the Phoenix Suns. Bridges had a dip in production this season with the Nets, but still looks like a suitable complimentary scorer and defender next to Cunningham. The Pistons would also upgrade their defense with Bridges and Dorian Finney-Smith on the wing line next to Thompson. Both veterans have two years left on their contracts, which work well within the Pistons’ rebuilding timeline. Detroit is also in a tough spot as far as the NBA Draft is concerned. While there are talented prospects toward the top of the draft, none seem to jump off the board as certified difference-makers worth the high pick the Pistons are likely to land. Relying on unproven talent through this rebuild also needs to stop quickly. That pick could have considerable value if packaged with the proper players in a trade. Grade: A-Free agency idea: Detroit signs Nic Claxton, Delon Wright and Thomas Bryant
Moving on from Ivey and Duren would open up space on the roster that needs to be filled right away. The Pistons badly need a reliable center who can defend the paint, along with veterans who can be productive on both sides of the ball. Detroit will have roughly $34 million in cap space to spend on players after the suggested trade to bring in Bridges.
Center Nic Claxton has developed strongly in Brooklyn, even garnering Defensive Player of the Year talk in 2022-23. The 25-year-old impacts the game on offense, defense and the glass as a rebounder. The Athletic suggested that Claxton could command around $20 million per year on the open market this offseason. While that could be a pricey signing, the Pistons would still have about $12 million remaining.
Edwards also proposed signing Delon Wright and Thomas Bryant as veteran fillers on the roster. They both would both come cheap, potentially even on one-year deals.
Claxton would be an immediate upgrade over Duren defensively and should have the ability to translate offensively in pick-and-roll sets with Cunningham. The Nets, meanwhile, could be willing to let significant pieces walk after missing the postseason with a 32-50 record.
Grade: B
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