The Pistons went after upgrades hard this summer, but most of those pursuits ran into one of two walls: a price that was way too steep, or a front office that was convinced its team was closer to something meaningful than reality suggested.
Detroit ended up with role players instead of the big swing it wanted. Still, when you look at what some teams were reportedly asking for even non-All-Stars, it’s easy to see why the Pistons chose to wait rather than overpay.
That patience could pay off later. If some of those same teams eventually come back to the market, Detroit may be able to land one of its targets for less and make the other side regret sitting on a player too long.
The Pistons know that kind of mistake better than most.
Detroit’s tank years were full of examples of a team holding onto veterans past the point where their value made sense. Jerami Grant, Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks all stayed in Detroit longer than they probably should have, and the price for those kinds of players almost never rises with time.
It’s a lesson Troy Weaver should already know, even if he may have to learn it again.
Several names the Pistons were tied to are entering next season on expiring contracts, including Kawhi Leonard, Tyler Herro and Michael Porter Jr. Kawhi has already been moved (pending)(, but the Bucks and Nets do not appear to have much interest in dealing Herro or MPJ.
That stance makes a certain kind of sense. With tanking no longer delivering the best odds at the bottom, teams are less eager to fully tear things down.
But if those clubs wait until the deadline to move Herro and MPJ, they’ll almost certainly get less than they would right now. By then, contenders would be treating them like short-term rentals, with no promise they’ll stick around after next season.
Their prices could fall fast, especially if those teams decide they’d rather clear room for younger players.
Kyrie Irving is another case worth watching. He has a player option beyond next season, which makes him feel like an expiring-type situation as well. He’s also older and coming off a serious injury, so next season brings a lot of uncertainty.
If Irving doesn’t return to his old level, the Mavericks will have every reason to wish they had moved him when they had the chance.
And then there’s Weaver again. His asking price for TMIII, a player who has never sniffed an All-Star team or achieved much of anything, was reportedly outrageous, with New Orleans looking for 3-4 picks.
The Pelicans finished with 26 wins last season, even with a relatively healthy year from Zion Williamson. Yet they chose to run it back this offseason after nobody would meet their asking prices for TMIII or Herb Jones.
That could come back to bite Weaver if the Pelicans are bad again next season and still can’t find anyone willing to meet those demands. At that point, he’ll either have to lower the price or risk doing to New Orleans what he did to Detroit: overvalue his own players and hold them too long.
Detroit didn’t land the headline move it was chasing this summer, but the trade deadline could bring a second chance. And by then, the asking price on some of those targets may be a whole lot more manageable.
In Other News...
Pistons Nearly Lost A Trusted Voice At The Worst Time
The Pistons had a quiet but important off-court worry hanging over their offseason as Dwane Casey, who has served as an adviser since 2023, drew interest from a new opportunity overseas. Casey has long been valued in Detroit for the kind of experience that steadies a front office through turnover, with a background that spans both NBA coaching and executive work, which made his presence especially useful during a stretch of major roster change.
What made the situation noteworthy was how close he came to taking another path, with a head coaching opening in Italy suddenly in the mix. Detroit ended up keeping Casey in place, preserving a veteran voice the organization trusts while it continues sorting out its next steps. For a team trying to build continuity, retaining that perspective mattered just as much as any move on the court. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Duren Standoff Is Becoming A Massive Pistons Offseason Question
Jalen Durens restricted free agency has quietly grown into one of the biggest questions hanging over Detroits offseason. The Pistons and the young big man remain far apart in talks, even as he is eligible for a supermax-level payday and has built enough value to make this a legitimate test of the teams long-term commitment to him.
The sense around the situation is that this one will take time, with a resolution more likely as the Oct. 1 deadline gets closer than any time soon. Duren is looking for a multi-year arrangement, while interest from teams such as the Kings and Lakers has surfaced, though there is no sign he is pushing to leave Detroit - which only makes the gap between the sides more important for the Pistons to bridge. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Need Chaz Lanier To Answer One Big Rotation Question
Chaz Lanier spent enough of last season between Summer League and the G League to give the Pistons a useful glimpse of what he can be as a second-year wing. He flashed real scoring touch, and his shooting was one of the brighter signs in a summer that suggested there may be a path to a bigger role if his game keeps trending in the right direction.
For Detroit, the appeal is bigger than one players numbers. The Pistons are trying to raise their three-point ceiling and sharpen the overall shape of their rotation, which makes Lanier a meaningful name to watch in camp and beyond. The next step is less about proving he can score in bursts and more about showing he can turn that promise into something the coaching staff can trust every night. [Read more 🡒]