Joe Harris trade signals Detroit Pistons are punting on making big swing in free agency

The Detroit Pistons were set to enter free agency with roughly $30 million in cap space to spend.

But hours before the negotiation period opened at 6 p.m. Friday, they took themselves out of the running.

They’re acquiring Joe Harris and two future second-round picks — from Dallas in 2027 and Milwaukee in 2029 — from the Brooklyn Nets and will send back nothing, a league source confirmed to the Free Press. It’s a salary-clearing move for the Nets, who packaged two picks to entice the Pistons to take on Harris’ $19.9 million in expiring salary.

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For the Pistons, the trade nets them one of the NBA’s most accurate shooters and draft capital, and also positions them to have significant cap space, north of $50 million, in 2024. But barring any further moves, it also means they will punt on making a run at a big free agent this offseason.

They now have roughly $10 million in cap space available, as well as the $7.7 million room exception — well short of the amount needed to sign restricted free agent Cameron Johnson away from Brooklyn. Another league source told the Free Press earlier this week that while Johnson was a likely target for the Pistons, they were unlikely to overpay for the 27-year-old sharpshooter. Because the Nets can match any outside offers, the Pistons appear to have decided to go a different route altogether.

Harris fills an immediate need for the Pistons as an outside shooter. The 31-year-old, 6-foot-6 wing is coming off of a down season during which he averaged 7.6 points in 20.6 minutes per game while still shooting 42.6% from 3. He only played 14 games in 2021-22 due to a left ankle injury, which required two surgeries.

The Pistons are banking on Harris returning to full form next season. Prior to last season, Harris was a starter for Brooklyn for four years and averaged double-digit points in his first five seasons with the Nets. A career 43.7% 3-point shooter, he gives the Pistons another marksman who can help them ascend from below-to-above league average in 3-point percentage.

But Harris doesn’t address their other needs at the wing — defense. The Pistons still have avenues to improve in that area, either in free agency or the trade market. But the solution won’t come in the form of a free agency swing. The odds of them signing Johnson have plummeted. And former Piston Jerami Grant reportedly agreed to a five-year, $160 million deal to stay in Portland.

Time will tell if they made the correct decision. Johnson, in line for a big payday and could make more than $20 million annually with his new contract, would’ve filled a big need for Detroit as a big, sweet-shooting wing with defensive chops. The 6-8 forward averaged 15.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and shot 40.4% from 3 in 42 games last season with the Phoenix Suns and Nets. He would’ve fit the Pistons like a glove.

Pursuing Johnson would’ve come with its own set of risks, however. There was concern about Johnson’s injury history, as he missed 40 games last season with a meniscus injury and has never played more than 66 games in a season. There’s also the likelihood that the Pistons would’ve had to offer most, if not all of their cap space to convince the Nets to not match their offer.

If not through free agency, the Pistons could continue to evaluate the trade market. In addition to around $10 million in cap space, have two strong-shooting veterans in Bojan Bogdanovic (owed $20 million next season) and Alec Burks ($10.5 million) they can include to sweeten any trade packages.

The Pistons will once again be positioned as a major player in free agency next summer. But the Harris trade opens the possibility that any significant improvement next season will rely on internal player development — players such as Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey taking steps toward stardom — rather than outside help moving the needle forward.

Harris will fill an important role in Detroit. The next week will determine if Troy Weaver has any more tricks up his sleeve to pull the Pistons out of the rebuilding phase and closer to competing for a playoff berth.

Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @omarisankofa.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Joe Harris trade says Detroit Pistons punting on big free agency swing