Pistons Waive Isaac Jones

The Pistons waived forward Isaac Jones in order to clear the roster space necessary to officially completed their three-team trade with Chicago and Minnesota, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac.

An undrafted free agent out of Washington State, Jones played well in a modest role for the Kings as a rookie in 2024/25, beginning the year on a two-way contract and earning a promotion to a standard deal last March. However, Sacramento cut him this past November to make room on its roster for Precious Achiuwa, at which time Detroit claimed the 25-year-old off waivers.

While Jones was on Detroit’s roster for nearly three months, he appeared in just one game for the Pistons, logging two garbage-time minutes. He has spent most of this season with the Motor City Cruise, the Pistons’ G League affiliate. In 26 NBAGL outings, he has averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.3 blocks in 28.1 minutes per game, making 55.7% of his field goal attempts.

Jones’ salary was non-guaranteed when the Pistons claimed him in November but was locked in after January 7, when the team opted not to release him at the league-wide salary guarantee deadline. Unless he’s claimed off waivers again this time around, Detroit will be on the hook for Jones’ full $1,955,377 cap hit.

The trade the Pistons officially finalized on Tuesday night sent Jaden Ivey to Chicago, with Kevin Huerter and Dario Saric landing in Detroit. Since the Pistons had a full 15-man roster, they weren’t able to accommodate the one-for-two deal without waiving a player.

Saric looks like the next potential release candidate for the Pistons — cutting him would allow the club to open up a 15-man roster spot for two-way standout Daniss Jenkins, who is just one game away from reaching his limit of 50 active regular season games.