3 Free Agents The Detroit Pistons Could Fill Final Roster Spot With
Examining three free agents the Detroit Pistons could sign to fill their 15th and final roster spot as the offseason enters its final days.
With just over a month remaining until NBA training camp begins, the Detroit Pistons still have one open roster spot to work with as the offseason enters its final days.
It’s been widely speculated that Detroit has kept that spot available to be a partner in any blockbuster trade this summer. However, many of the potential trade candidates, including Donovan Mitchell and Lauri Markkanen agreed to new contracts with their current teams, thus taking them off the market.
The opportunity for Detroit to be the third team in one of these big trades has dwindled.
If no moves in the trade market are out there to be had, the Pistons could turn to the remaining free agency class to fill the team’s final roster spot.
Here are three players that could make sense for Detroit and are still free agents:
Markelle Fultz
I am still of the belief that the Pistons need another point guard on the roster. Even if the plan is to use Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey as the team’s point guards for 48 minutes each night, it’s unrealistic to think neither will miss time. That scenario could create a significant hole in the rotation.
Fultz would give Detroit an experienced depth piece at the point guard spot. He is far from perfect — likely why he remains without a contract to this point in free agency — but his ability to score in the mid-range and facilitate are valuable traits to have.
Just two seasons ago he averaged 14 points and nearly six assists in under 30 minutes a game as Orlando’s starting point guard. He shot 54% from inside the arc and was relatively healthy.
That being said, there are some flaws. He is not a threat to score from the outside, shooting just 22% from the 3-point line last season and attempting a meager 18 3-pointers in 43 games. The other issue is that 43 games played component. Fultz has missed significant time in nearly all seven seasons he has been in the league.
Still, in a pinch, he would be a better option at point guard than anyone currently on Detroit’s roster not named Cunningham or Ivey.
Oshae Brissett
The Pistons seemingly already have a good group of forwards on the roster. With the signing of Tobias Harris, the acquisition of Tim Hardaway Jr., and the return of Simone Fontecchio, Trajan Langdon has bolstered a part of the roster that sorely needed attention. But, if Detroit did decide to add one more forward to the roster, Oshae Brissett makes a ton of sense.
He appeared in 55 games for the Celtics last season, bringing an important mix of energy, defense, and rebounding to the table. Although he did not shoot the ball particularly well from the outside this past season, he shot 42% and 35% from deep in previous seasons (on a smaller number of attempts).
You’re not going to add a season-swinging piece when signing a player to your 15th roster spot, but Brissett brings plenty of good traits and now has the experience of playing for a championship team.
Dennis Smith Jr.
I couldn’t help but go back to the point guard spot with this final target. Dennis Smith Jr. is a much different player now than he was years ago during his short stint with the Pistons.
He has become a high-level perimeter defender, accepting a much different role than what was anticipated of him when he came into the league in 2017.
Offensively, he has yet to become an efficient scorer, forcing him to adapt to remain in the league.
Smith would give Detroit a mix of size, athleticism, and defensive toughness that it lacks in their guard rotation currently. He is capable of stepping into a team’s rotation and contributing across the board on any given night. He did it in Charlotte a few years ago and with Brooklyn last season. He is also still just 26 years old and is more than capable of helping an NBA team.
Wrap Up
Well, those are my three targets for the Pistons to consider with their 15th and final roster spot, let me know who you think Detroit should acquire as we inch closer and closer to the start of a new season.