the Detroit Pistons She did not follow the free agency scheme many expected.
In separate deals on Friday, they acquired a 6-foot-6 sniper Joe Harris6-1 point guard Monty MorrisBalsa Koprivica, a future second-round pick and $110,000 in cash. Nearly $30 million in cap space was absorbed by the salaries of Harris ($19.9 million) and Morris ($9.8 million). They still had an exception for the $7.7 million room, but it was a series of quiet moves taking care of the assets by the front office.
They haven’t brought in a big name like Cameron Johnson or Kyle Kuzma, but their moves open the door for big talent promotion sooner rather than later. Here are three notes about the free agency period so far:
They have much more flexibility in the trade market
After Friday’s moves, focus has shifted to the free agency class of 2024. The Pistons could open up some $60 million in space next summer after acquiring Harris and Morris, both on expired contracts, and could be a key player in a class that includes Pascal Siakam and DiGaunt. Murray and Domantas Sabonis.
But they may not have to wait that long. The Pistons now have several veterans with reasonable contracts expiring in Harris ($19.9 million), Burks ($10.5 million) and Morris ($9.8 million) — making them players at the trade deadline, or even this season. Bojan Bogdanovic ($20 million) could also be considered an expired contract, As only $2 million of the $19 million owed to him in 2024-25 is guaranteed.
The Pistons could simply choose to turn these players on the deadline in exchange for more assets. Competitive teams always need to shoot and make plays, and they can get paid badly for draft picks or young talent. But they can also take a bigger swing, if they want to double the supplement boost.
More Sankofa: Trade signals Joe Harris Pistons take a big swing in free agency
We can use the recent trade of John Collins from the Atlanta Hawks as an example. Collins signed a five-year, $125 million extension in 2021 after establishing himself as an athletic and handsome two-way forward. But after a down year, Atlanta traded him to the Utah Jazz last week for Rudy Gay’s expiring $6.4 million contract. and a future pick for the second round. The move gave the Hawks significant financial relief, bringing them below the luxury tax threshold. And the Jazz have given up a bit to get a versatile striker who will help them win games next season.
The Pistons aren’t likely to be the top destination in free agency, so instead they could look to shop early and trade for star talent at the deadline.
It remains to be seen if the Pistons’ conservative approach will help them enter the playoff conversation next season. But they’ve got a couple of well-served contract veterans who meet immediate needs, and who can help facilitate a more substantial move down the road.
reaction: Trade signals Joe Harris Pistons take a big swing in free agency
Harris and Morris promote archery and the game industry
It got lost in the hype about the Pistons’ free agency period the kind of players they got without giving up many assets via trade.
Harris is a career 3-point shooter 43.7% and should play important minutes at the wing position. He had two ankle surgeries during the 2021-22 season and saw his workload diminish last season, but he has played at least 69 games in five of the last six seasons and has been reliable and efficient.
Morris developed into an all-around player and powerful keeper. The Flint native and 2013 Mr. Basketball of Michigan averaged 10.3 points, 5.3 assists, and 3.4 rebounds in 27.3 minutes per game last season while shooting 48% overall and 38.2% from 3–right in line with his career averages. He is also exceptionally good at handling the ball, averaging less than six seasons in turnover.
The Phoenix Suns improved from 19 to 34 wins during Monte Williams’ first season as head coach in 2019-20. The Suns were propelled by the breakthrough play of Devin Booker, but Williams also identified veteran point guard Ricky Rubio as a factor behind their rapid improvement.
“I thought signing Ricky Rubio was huge,” Williams told Free Press after his introductory press conference in June. “You look back, where I got Ricky around the time we got him, allowing Book to get a veteran guard who knew what he was doing in the backcourt. Really helped.”
Morris will fill that role for the Pistons, but his presence raises more questions about base rotation.
There is some menu rebalancing to be done
The Pistons now have five players who can play point guard – Cady Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Killian Hayes, Marcus Sasser and Morris. Along with Alec Burks, it’s a bunch that goes three deep at both guard positions, assuming Sasser is ready for minutes next season as a starter. But there is no time to play six.
Hayes is eligible for an extension and a year away from restricted free agency, but the Pistons have made moves that call his future into question. In consecutive weeks, they took up his starting position via the draft market and trade. Cunningham’s shin injury secured an important role for Hayes last season. There are no such guarantees this year.
Burks and Morris are two of the best shooters on the list, and Sasser was one of the best shooters in college basketball as a junior and senior. It makes each of them easy to fit alongside Cunningham and Ivey, who will both attract plenty of interest from opposing defences. Hayes remains one of Detroit’s best passers and defenders, but his poor outside shooting (28% last season, 27.4% career) and no deceptive draw limit him from being a leading scorer.
The Pistons could look to trade one or both of Burks or Morris. Or they could let training camp battles dictate next season’s rotation.
Hayes, in his spurt, improved his shot making last season. But the team, as it is currently being built, can no longer prioritize development minutes for itself. They’ve added a guard who can help the team win now (Morris), and one they think will develop into a two-way powerhouse (Sasser). Hayes’ factors in the team’s overall plan remain unclear now.
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @tweet.
This article originally appeared on the Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons Free Agency Thoughts: Could a Big Trade Come?