Pistons Turn to New Additions After Off-season Departures
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After a 30-win leap and their first playoff appearance since 2019, the Detroit Pistons will open training camp with a roster that looks markedly different from last season’s surprise team.
Free-agent plan collapses
Detroit had hoped to keep core reserves Malik Beasley, Dennis Schroder and Tim Hardaway Jr. Beasley was nearing a three-year, $42 million agreement when news surfaced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office was examining gambling allegations involving the guard. Talks broke down, Schroder accepted Sacramento’s mid-level offer, and Hardaway joined Denver on a minimum deal.
Rapid roster reset
General manager Troy Weaver moved quickly, acquiring sharpshooter Duncan Robinson from Miami in a sign-and-trade to replace Beasley’s perimeter production. Robinson owns a career 39.9 percent mark from three-point range.
The Pistons used their mid-level exception on Caris LeVert, reuniting the wing with head coach J.B. Bickerstaff from their previous stint in Cleveland. Frontcourt depth was addressed by re-signing Paul Reed on a two-year, $10.9 million contract.
In the draft, Detroit selected Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier at No. 37. The five-year college veteran is expected to compete for rotation minutes immediately.
Flexibility still available
The Schroder sign-and-trade generated a $14.1 million trade exception, and the club remains well below the luxury-tax threshold, preserving room for another veteran addition. Management is also monitoring Beasley’s legal situation; although he is reportedly no longer a primary target of the federal inquiry, he remains under investigation. Detroit retains his Non-Bird rights and could offer up to $7.2 million.
Extension decisions ahead
The front office faces looming rookie-scale extension deadlines for center Jalen Duren and guard Jaden Ivey. Duren, 21, has posted back-to-back double-double seasons and is viewed league-wide as a cornerstone who could command a contract exceeding $100 million. Ivey, rehabbing a broken leg, is likely to revisit talks next year.
Detroit currently has 13 guaranteed contracts, an established All-Star in Cade Cunningham, and optimism that last season’s turnaround marked the start of sustained progress.
Source: Hoops Wire
