The Pistons still have a major piece of business hanging over their offseason, and it’s shaping the rest of the roster picture in Detroit.
Restricted free agent Jalen Duren and the team have not come to terms, and at this point it does not look like a deal is near. If Duren does come back, Pistons.com’s Keith Langlois laid out how the rotation could shake out this season.
Langlois sees Paul Reed, Ron Holland and free agent pickup John Collins as locks for the rotation. He also points to Robinson and Collins as the favorites to grab the other starting spots.
Reed is in line for a bigger job after spending last season essentially backing up both Duren and Isaiah Stewart, who was traded to Memphis. Holland, meanwhile, is expected to take a jump in his third season.
The other players in the mix for regular minutes include Isaiah Joe, who came over from Oklahoma City this offseason, along with returnees Kevin Huerter, Daniss Jenkins and Javonte Green.
In Indiana, the Pacers are in unfamiliar territory on the financial side. Tony East of Forbes notes that the team has 14 players on standard contracts worth $206.3MM, putting them about $5.9MM over the luxury tax line. That’s a place the franchise hasn’t been since the 2004/05 season.
If the Pacers get back to being a major factor in the Eastern Conference, management has said ownership is prepared to pay the tax. But there’s another path, too: moving one or more mid-sized contracts such as Kelly Oubre Jr., Ben Sheppard, Jarace Walker, or Jay Huff to get back under the line before next season ends.
Cleveland also made a notable move off the court, reaching a multi-year local broadcasting agreement with DAZN. According to a team press release, DAZN will carry all regular season games that are not picked up exclusively for national broadcasts. The Cavaliers will also bring game production in-house through Rock Entertainment Sports Network.
Previous reporting had already pointed to Cleveland as one of the teams expected to strike a deal with DAZN for the 2026/27 season, after its games were previously aired by Main Street Sports Group.
In other news, Thanasis Antetokounmpo has signed a multi-year contract with a Greek club after spending six of the last seven seasons with the Bucks.
In Other News...
Former Pacers Star Victor Oladipo Makes Emotional NBA Plea
Victor Oladipo is still trying to write one more chapter in an NBA career that once made him one of the leagues most compelling guards. The former Pacers standout recently posted an open letter to general managers across the league, making a direct appeal for another chance after years spent grinding through the long road back from injury and the uncertainty that comes with it.
Oladipos path has been shaped by major setbacks, including a ruptured quadriceps in 2019 and a torn patellar tendon in 2023, and he spent last season appearing in 26 G League games as he kept chasing a return. He has also held open tryouts this summer, underscoring how far he is willing to go to get back in front of NBA decision-makers, even as the finish line remains out of sight. [Read more 🡒]
Pascal Siakam Just Set The Tone For Indianas Next East Push
Pascal Siakam is already sounding like the kind of veteran the Pacers needed as they look ahead to their next Eastern Conference push. The four-time All-Star spoke about bringing a tougher, more aggressive edge into the 2026-27 season, and that attitude fits a roster that has been reworked around him with the additions of Ivica Zubac and Kelly Oubre Jr., plus Tyrese Haliburton expected back from injury.
For Indiana, the message matters because the margin in the East is so thin and Siakam just spent last season averaging 24 points per game while carrying a major offensive load. If Haliburton returns at full strength and the new pieces settle in quickly, the Pacers have a chance to look more complete than they did a year ago, with Siakam positioned to help drive the whole thing. [Read more 🡒]