The Pistons were one of the NBA’s biggest surprises last year, bouncing back from a 14-win disaster to finish 44-38 and reach the postseason for the first time since 2019.
They even picked up a playoff win, something the franchise had not done since 2008.
The question this summer was whether Detroit would try to keep the roster intact by re-signing free agents Malik Beasley, Dennis Schroder and Tim Hardaway Jr. That plan quickly fell apart.
Beasley was on the verge of landing a three-year, $42 million deal with the Pistons when word surfaced that he was being investigated by the U.S. District Attorney’s office for gambling allegations tied to NBA games.
The talks collapsed and Schroder jumped to Sacramento on a mid-level deal. Hardaway landed in Denver on a minimum contract.
That left Detroit scrambling to reshape the roster. They found Beasley’s shooting replacement by acquiring Duncan Robinson from Miami in a sign-and-trade. Robinson is not as athletic, but his career 39.9 percent three-point shooting speaks for itself.
The Pistons also signed Caris LeVert with their mid-level exception, reuniting him with coach J.B. Bickerstaff from their Cleveland days.
Other moves included bringing back Paul Reed on a two-year, $10.9 million contract to provide frontcourt depth and selecting Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier with the 37th pick in the draft. Lanier is a five-year college veteran who could compete for minutes right away.
The Pistons still have options. They created a $14.1 million trade exception in the Schroder deal and remain well below the luxury tax line, giving them the flexibility to add another veteran if the right opportunity emerges.
They also continue to monitor Beasley, who is no longer considered a “target” of the federal investigation but remains a “subject.” Detroit still holds his Non-Bird rights, which would allow them to offer up to $7.2 million.
Looking ahead, the front office faces a more pressing task in the next six weeks, Namely, rookie scale extensions for Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey.
Duren, just 21, has averaged double-doubles in consecutive seasons and is viewed as a cornerstone piece. League observers believe his next deal could be worth $100 million or more.
Ivey, coming off a broken leg, may have to wait another year before serious extension talks begin.
For now, Detroit enters camp with 13 players on guaranteed contracts and the flexibility to add more. They have a tried and true All-Star in Cade Cunningham. And after a rapid turnaround last year, the Pistons believe they are building toward something sustainable.
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