The Detroit Pistons have a clean slate. They have a new lead decision-maker in Trajan Langdon, and soon will have a new coach after Wednesday's firing of Monty Williams.
It's the first time since 2018 the organization has made a front office and coaching change in the same offseason season. Langdon has more big decisions coming up rapidly: Who to select with the fifth overall pick next Wednesday in the 2024 NBA draft, which players to prioritize in free agency, and which players to pry from financially challenged competitors.
With $64 million available in cap space, Langdon has plenty of money to spend, and the NBA rumor mill will include the Pistons. The league's new collective bargaining agreement introduced a second tax apron and made the first tax apron more punitive. Long story short: High-salary teams now have more incentive to shed money, which could create an opportunity for the Pistons to acquire solid players without dipping too far into their asset pool.
Here are six teams that could be trade partners with the Pistons this summer, and 11 players potentially obtainable.
Portland Trail Blazers
After finishing as the worst team in the Western Conference last season, Portland needs to shed salary. The Blazers are over both the luxury tax line and first apron, and are likely a ways away from making noise in the playoffs as they enter their second year of rebuilding. They have several veterans who could help the Pistons.
Jerami Grant: The former Piston signed a five-year, $160 million contract last summer with a player option at the end. While the end of the deal could be a bad value, Grant would immediately give the Pistons a needed big forward who plays both sides of the floor.
Robert Williams III: The big man, who has two years left on a four-year, $48 million contract, is one of the league’s better defensive centers. He has had health issues — knee, ankle and hamstring injuries limited him to just six games last season and 35 a year prior. If he can stay on the floor, he’d fill a major hole for the Pistons.
Atlanta Hawks
They beat the odds to acquire the first overall pick. Now, the Hawks have to commit to a direction. After winning 36 games, it makes sense to get off of some of their larger contracts and avoid paying the luxury tax. They’re believed to be a team that will be active in the trade market.
Dejounte Murray: The 6-foot-5 guard is entering Year 1 of a four-year, $114 million extension ($28.5 million average per year). It’s big money, but Murray, 27, would provide playmaking, defense and athleticism next to Cade Cunningham.
De'Andre Hunter: The 26-year-old 6-8 forward may be expendable following Jalen Johnson's breakout season. Hunter plays both ends of the floor and just completed his first year of a four-year, $90 million extension.
Bogdan Bogdanovic: A career 38.4% shooter from outside, Bogdanovic would give the Pistons more spacing. The 31-year-old has three years remaining on a four-year, $68 million deal, the final season being a team option.
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Minnesota Timberwolves
It’s an inopportune time for the Timberwolves, fresh off of their second Western Conference Finals trip in franchise history, to have financial issues. But they’re above both the first and second apron after signing most of their core players to extensions. They could run it back, but it’ll cost them.
Karl-Anthony Towns: He's potentially the most talented player on this list, and perhaps the game's most potent big man shooter: He cracked 40% from 3-point range last season for the fifth time in the past seven seasons. At 28, he’s also the most expensive player on this list, earning $221 million (roughly $55 million per season) through the next four years, the last being a player option.
Naz Reid: He’s cheaper than Towns (two years, $29 million remaining) and is essentially Towns-lite as a player. But he has a player option for 2025-26, and has incentive to test the market, meaning the Pistons would need to be prepared to give him a hefty raise.
Dallas Mavericks
Derrick Jones Jr. emerged as a long-term solution at the wing this season, and they want to retain him. They’ll have to create room to do so, as they’re already above the luxury tax.
Tim Hardaway Jr.: The Michigan alumnus’ role declined this season, starting 12 games and averaging his fewest minutes since he joined the Mavs in 2018-19. The 32-year-old will make roughly $16 million next season before entering unrestricted free agency.
Maxi Kleber: Injuries have limited him to 80 games combined the past two seasons, but the 6-10 shooter can knock down 3s (35.7% from 3 for his career). He has two years on his deal, making $11 million each season.
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New Orleans Pelicans
They’re under the tax, but still viewed as a team likely to be active due to unmet roster needs. They have a crunch at forward now that Trey Murphy and Herb Jones have emerged as viable starters, meaning one player is the odd man out from Langdon's former franchise.
Brandon Ingram: New Orleans reportedly is unlikely to offer a max extension (four years and $208 million) to the one-time All-Star wing. He will make $36 million next season before entering unrestricted free agency. There’s obvious upside to adding an efficient 20-plus points per game scorer, but the Pistons could risk losing him for nothing if they aren’t willing or able to extend him.
Chicago Bulls
Per reports, the Bulls are aiming to retain both DeMar DeRozan and Patrick Williams this offseason. They are already saddled with bad contracts, and may have to unload one to create room.
Zach LaVine: He’s one of the better scorers in the Eastern Conference when healthy, and is being paid like it. LaVine, 29, has three years remaining on a five-year, $215 million deal, with the final season a player option worth $49 million. The Pistons would almost certainly need significant assets to consider taking on the money with LaVine's lower-limb injury history.
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him@omarisankofa.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 11 NBA players Detroit Pistons could trade for this offseason
