Detroit Pistons 2023 offseason cheat sheet: Cap space, NBA free agency and big decisions
"We don’t want to appear, we want to arrive."
Those were the words of Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver, one year ago, espousing a build towards a sustainable future.
The Pistons have yet to even "appear," finishing dead last in the NBA this season with 17 wins. That has to change in 2023-24, Weaver's fourth season, and he knows it. Fans are growing restless, and perhaps the team can feel that. Weaver in April wrote a letter to fans to essentially reaffirm confidence in the Pistons' positioning. The team wants to change the narrative starting now.
It has a great opportunity to do so.
The return of Cade Cunningham, maturations by Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, the presence of some proven role players and a guaranteed top-five pick in June's NBA draft give them reason to believe the future is bright and a leap is coming — how significant, who knows? But the plethora of young players and veterans competing for touches, and clogged frontcourt makes the fit of the current roster a question.
The draft will be a gigantic decider of how the Pistons approach the rest of the roster and their outlook, on paper, for the season.
Here's the Pistons' offseason FAQ, with an eye towards cap space and free agency.
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Find a new head coach
The first big question to be answered is who replaces Dwane Casey as coach. The Pistons should be an attractive coaching situation, with Cunningham as a mature leader plus Ivey, Duren and roster flexibility. Houston also has a head coach vacancy that will draw top talent — we recently ranked the Pistons just ahead of the Rockets among rebuilding teams with the brightest futures. But that can all change in the draft lottery.
Weaver, who inherited Casey, knows what he wants in his first coaching hire: "Discipline, development and defense."
The Pistons have a few powerful voices outside of Weaver, notably vice chairman Arn Tellem and owner Tom Gores, so everyone will have to agree on a top coaching choice. There are a litany of candidates, both in the NBA and outside — we looked at seven known to be of interest. Both the past two hires, Stan Van Gundy and Casey, signed five-year contracts.
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2023 NBA draft
Dates to know: NBA draft lottery May 16 at 8 p.m. in Chicago; NBA draft June 22 in Brooklyn.
Pistons 2023 draft picks: First round: Guaranteed to have a top-five pick. Second round: No. 31 overall (No. 1 in second round).
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.
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No. 1: 14%No. 2: 13.4%No. 3: 12.7%No. 4: 12%No. 5: 47.9%
Top prospects: PF/C Victor Wembanyama (LNB Pro A, France), PG Scoot Henderson (G League Ignite), F Brandon Miller (Alabama), G Amen Thompson (Overtime Elite), PF Jarace Walker (Houston), G/F Ausar Thompson (Overtime Elite), F Cam Whitmore (Villanova).
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Future draft picks
This is where the Pistons lag behind fellow rebuilding competitors — other than in the win/loss column, of course. They are out one first-round pick from the 2020 draft-day trade with the Rockets for Isaiah Stewart. Until that selection is conveyed (New York now owns it), the Pistons are barred from trading a future first-round pick through 2028. They can trade their 2029 pick. They can officially trade their 2023 pick after the draft. The Pistons are plus-two in future seconds, though.
Outgoing:
• 2024 first-round pick to New York (protected Nos. 1-18 in 2024, 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).
• 2024 second-rounder to New York.
• 2025 second-rounder to New York.
• 2026 second-rounder to Orlando.
Incoming:
• 2024 second-rounder from Washington or Memphis (more favorable).
• 2025 second-rounder from Golden State or Washington (more favorable).
• 2026 second-rounder from New York or Minnesota (more favorable).
• 2026 second-rounder from New Orleans or Portland (more favorable).
• 2027 second-rounder from Brooklyn.
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 $134 million, an 8.4% increase of $11.3 million from 2022-23. The luxury tax threshold is projected for $162 million.
Pistons salary cap situation: They'll have around $25-30 million, depending on where they draft in the first round and what happens with their second-round pick. This assumes the Pistons pick up the team options on Alec Burks and Isaiah Livers.
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 version of the mid-level exception. It is worth two years and $12 million.
Top NBA free agents, unrestricted: James Harden (player option), Kyrie Irving, Khris Middleton, Draymond Green (player option), Kristaps Porzingis (player option), Jerami Grant, Fred VanVleet (player option), Kyle Kuzma (player option), Harrison Barnes, Nikola Vucevic, Brook Lopez, Josh Hart, Dillon Brooks, Caris LeVert.
Top NBA free agents, restricted: Cameron Johnson, P.J. Washington, Austin Reaves, Grant Williams, Coby White.
Pistons' free agents: Rodney McGruder, Cory Joseph, Hamidou Diallo.
Pistons' team options: Alec Burks ($10.5 million), R.J. Hampton ($2 million non-guaranteed), Isaiah Livers ($1.8 million), Eugene Omoruyi ($1.9 million).
Pistons' 2024 expiring contracts: James Wiseman (restricted), Killian Hayes (restricted), Isaiah Stewart (restricted).
Dead money: $2.9 million — Dewayne Dedmon (waived and stretched).
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Needs and fits
Everyone and their mother knows what the Pistons desperately need this summer. So does Weaver: "A wing defender that can shoot it, I would say that’s maybe the one tool we don’t have.”
That could come through trade. This isn't the greatest free agency class, but a handful of players fit Weaver's criteria to differing degrees.
*Age as of Dec. 31, 2023; contract is cap hit for 2022-23 season
• Jerami Grant, forward: 6 feet 8, 210 pounds, 29 years old, $21 million, 3-and-D role.
Coming off the best offensive season of his career in 63 games with Portland. Shot 40.1% on 3s (5.7 attempts per game) and 52.3% on 2s for a 55.4 effective field goal percentage (eFG%; league average is 54.5). Averaged 20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks as the third option for the disappointing Blazers. Looking for a larger payday after completing the three-year, $60 million contract signed in 2020 with the Pistons. Declined a four-year, $112 million extension ($28 million average annual salary) in-season from the Blazers. The Pistons would have to use essentially all of their cap space to make a run at him, but "it would be surprising to see the Pistons not touch base with Grant," Free Press beat writer Omari Sankofa II wrote at the end of the season. The Blazers want to retain Grant, after they gave up a first-round pick, a second-round swap and two seconds to the Pistons for him last summer. The Pistons and Grant know the fit here, after he spent two seasons in Detroit, and he gives them the defensive size and shooting they desperately need, and draws fouls (five-plus free throw attempts in three straight seasons). He'd have to accept a role as the Pistons' third or even fourth option over the course of his contract, despite being more accomplished than the younger players ahead of him.
• Harrison Barnes, forward: 6 feet 7, 225 pounds, 31 years old, $18.4 million, 3-and-D role.
A little older than Grant, but brings the same veteran pedigree and playoff experience, with similar 3-point shooting, defensive versatility and foul drawing. Averaged 15 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 0.7 steals in 82 starts for upstart Sacramento in 2022-23. Shot 37.4% on 3s (4.3 attempts), 55.3% on 2s for a 55.6 eFG% with five free throw attempts per game. Likely a little less expensive than Grant due to age and mileage (more than 28,500 minutes, including playoffs, to Grant's 17,773).
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• Caris LeVert, guard/forward: 6 feet 6, 205 pounds, 29 years old, $18.8 million, scorer/playmaker role.
Another name to watch, according to Sankofa. The former Michigan Wolverine does not fit the 3-and-D role as cleanly as the other two above, as he's known more as a scorer with below-average efficiency. That has been tweaked a bit recently with Cleveland, a team desperate for 3s and perimeter defense. Had easily the best 3-point shooting season of his career, making 39.2% of his 4.4 attempts per game in 2022-23. He's a career 34.4% 3-point shooter. Shot 46.2% on 2s for a 51.7 eFG%. Averaged 12.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists and one steal in 74 games (30 starts). Slim and not a lead defensive option, but has shown better effort for the Cavs.
More names to watch: Dillon Brooks (27, G/F), Donte DiVincenzo (26, G/F), Kyle Kuzma (28, F), Jalen McDaniels (25, F).
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons 2023 offseason cheat sheet: Cap space, NBA free agency
