The Detroit Pistons certainly had an “interesting” offseason, but they got a major piece locked down right before the season kicked off. After a whole lot of back-and-forth and a prolonged restricted free agency dispute, All-NBA and All-Star center Jalen Duren signed a massive five-year, $200 million fully guaranteed contract to stay with the Pistons.
Duren Locked Down, Thompson Extended: The Pistons’ Core Is Set
ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news, citing Duren’s agent, Chafie Fields of THE•TEAM, saying it finally ended the lengthy standoff. Getting Duren back under control was huge, especially with all the question marks swirling around his return. But that wasn’t the only big move Detroit made before training camp even really got going. NBA insider Brett Siegel reported that Ausar Thompson also officially put pen to paper on his new 5yr/$155M contract extension. Siegel pointed out that Thompson’s deal comes in around 15% of the cap, meaning the Pistons now have both Cunningham and Thompson locked in for the long haul. You gotta love seeing a team secure its young talent for the future, right?
Bleacher Report Calls for a $120 Million Scoring Boost
Even with those big extensions, Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz believes the Pistons still need more shooting. Like, a lot more. Swartz is eyeing players like Tyler Herro as an “ideal trade target,” specifically looking for a wing who can create for himself and others. The idea is to keep the offense flowing even when Cade Cunningham needs a break or hits one of those inevitable shooting slumps. Herro, currently on a $120 million contract, brings some serious firepower. He can score at all three levels and even has NBA Finals experience from his time with the Miami Heat before he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. It sounds like exactly what Detroit needs to complement their core.
The Trade Bait: Ron Holland II and Future Draft Capital
So, how do the Pistons make a move like that happen? Swartz suggests using former No. 5 overall pick Ron Holland II as trade bait, along with draft capital. The thinking is that the “runway hasn’t been opened” for Holland to reach his full potential in Detroit, so a move could give him a chance at a larger role, say, in Milwaukee’s rotation. Plus, the Pistons have all their first-round picks moving forward, which makes a potential blockbuster trade for a player like Herro much more likely. Adding a scorer like Herro to pair with Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren could seriously elevate their game.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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