In the spring of 2002, the Detroit Pistons’ offseason included three crucial moves that propelled the team from second-round exits to NBA Champions in just two seasons.
Those moves included the signing of Chauncey Billups, who went on to be an All-Star and Finals MVP, drafting Tayshaun Prince 23rd overall in the 2002 NBA Draft, and signing Richard “Rip” Hamilton. Nearly 25 years later, the Detroit Pistons have the chance to do it all over again.
Here are five changes Detroit must make if they want to push for an NBA title.
1. Acquire Austin Reaves in a Sign-and-Trade
Unfortunately, Jalen Duren’s playoff performances were far too underwhelming for the Pistons to trust him as the team’s number-two option and sign him to a max contract. Thankfully for Detroit, there are numerous teams in need of a young, gifted center with strong talent to send back in a fair trade.
The most beneficial candidate for a “sign-and-trade” deal will be the Los Angeles Lakers. In this deal, the Lakers and Pistons would swap Duren for Reaves. Reaves is also approaching the end of his deal and has reportedly been seeking a max contract, similar to Duren. With both players seeking max contracts, a swap could allow each franchise to address a positional need while committing significant long-term money to a player who better fills the team’s gaps.
Especially for Detroit, Reaves would be more than suitable, as he has spent his whole career as a second and third option to Luka Doncic and LeBron James, making him a perfect player for Detroit to pair with Cade Cunningham.
2. Select Henri Veesaar With the 21st Pick
With the Pistons trading Duren for Reaves, the team will be lacking rebounding and size.
To the luck of Detroit, North Carolina center Henri Veesaar will realistically still be available at pick No. 21. Veesaar, a 7-foot European sharpshooter who averaged 17 points and nine rebounds his junior year, would provide an immediate impact on the court. He would also be a massive help in terms of floor spacing, as he shot 43% from three during his time as a Tar Heel.
3. Cut Ties With Tobias Harris
This past season, Tobias Harris made $27 million and only averaged 13 points per game. He was cemented as the second scoring option in the playoffs due to Duren’s inconsistency, but struggled from the field. In the Cleveland and Orlando series’, Harris shot a disappointing 29% from three. With Detroit’s impressive young core, they have potential to start building a roster of guys that will play together for years to come. Harris, approaching age 34, will simply be taking up minutes and money from other younger players.
Harris’ time in Detroit should be over, as the team would greatly benefit from the freedom of cap space his departure would create.
4. Extend Ausar Thompson
In just his third NBA season, Ausar Thompson finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting and was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. Despite being such a weapon on the defensive end of the court, Thompson often becomes a liability on offense. He has career averages of 20% from three and 60% from the free-throw line.
However, having a player who can nearly take away the opponent’s best scorer on a nightly basis is something only a handful of other teams can also say they have. For these reasons, Detroit must continue to trust the process with Thompson.
5. Sign Robert Williams III in Free Agency
Once again, with the loss of Duren, rebounding becomes Detroit’s biggest weakness. Robert Williams III is the perfect candidate for the Pistons to bring in to turn this weakness into a strength. This past season, he averaged seven rebounds and nearly two blocks in just 17 minutes per game. While he might not be “starting center” material, he and Veesar would provide a lot of help to the team in their own ways.
Another huge benefit of bringing in a player like Williams is the cost at which he’ll sign for. Currently, he is making just over $13 million playing for the Trail Blazers, which seems like an extreme bargain for a player who brings so much to the table. This means Detroit won’t have to commit an absurd amount of money to him this offseason, while still getting him to sign.
Final Thoughts
Windows of opportunity can close at any second. Injuries, trades, contract disputes, and coaching changes are just a few of the reasons teams go from being on top of the mountain to the bottom. Coming off a 60-win season with Cade Cunningham putting up First Team All-NBA numbers, Detroit must realize the time to win is now. The Pistons have a chance to repeat history and must take advantage of it.
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