Kawhi Leonard Said NO, and Detroit Still Has ZERO Power Forwards!
Alright, you guys, buckle up! The NBA offseason is already a wild ride, and the Detroit Pistons just slammed into free agency after a crazy week. They were hustling hard during the NBA Draft, making three trades and picking up two new guys. They sent Isaiah Stewart packing, snagged Ebuka Okorie at No. 17, Ugonna Onyenso at No. 53, and even traded for Isaiah Joe. Big moves, right?
But then, BAM! Just when you think things are looking up, the rumors started flying about Kawhi Leonard. And lemme tell you, it was a rollercoaster. Pistons fans, I'm talking about a potential game-changer. Word on the street, from The Athletic and The Stein Line, was that Detroit was a team to watch if Kawhi and the Clippers decided to part ways. Leonard's on a massive $50.3 million expiring deal, so the stakes were sky-high!
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The Kawhi Rollercoaster and a Glaring Roster Hole
Hold up, though. That excitement fizzled out faster than a free beer at a Mariners game. The very next day, the buzz shifted. Reports, specifically from The Stein Line, hit that Kawhi wasn't interested in extending with the Pistons. Yep, likely taking them completely out of the running. Can you even believe it? The Dallas Mavericks then swooped in as the new favorites to land Leonard, putting together a package rumored to include P.J. Washington, Klay Thompson, and some picks. Plus, Masai Ujiri, who was the Raptors' top exec when they traded for Kawhi in 2018 and then won the title, is now running the show in Dallas. The Raptors are also in the mix, having "real trade conversations this weekend" with Los Angeles, according to Jake Fischer.
So, where does that leave Detroit? Well, they’re staring down free agency, which kicks off Tuesday, June 30, at 6 p.m. ET, with a huge need at power forward. Seriously, they've got ZERO on the current roster! They can operate as an over-the-cap team, which lets them keep re-signing free agents and gives them a non-taxpayer $15 million mid-level exception, potentially for a four-year deal worth up to $64.7 million. Or, the less likely path is opening up cap space, which would mean trading Caris LeVert for picks, waiving Duncan Robinson, and renouncing Tobias Harris' Early Bird rights. Jalen Duren, a restricted free agent, and Harris, an unrestricted one, are their most important free agents. Guess what? Other potential targets, like Austin Reaves, Ayo Dosunmu, and Coby White, have already re-signed with their teams. Tough break.
Who's Left for the Pistons to Grab?
With Kawhi off the table and others locked down, who's still out there to fill that gaping power forward void? They could totally bring back Tobias Harris, try another trade, or even do both. We're talking about potential free agent matches like Heat guard Norman Powell, Lakers power forward Rui Hachimura, and Clippers power forward John Collins. And hey, you've probably heard of another Lakers forward, LeBron James, but landing him would likely require the Pistons to open up a ton of cap space, and that's only if the league's all-time leading scorer is even open to Detroit. The trade market has some other big names buzzing too, with Celtics wing Jaylen Brown and Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III mentioned. Bucks guard Tyler Herro is also a possibility they could revisit, though that smart trade for Isaiah Joe on Friday did help shore up their shooting needs.
As free agency looms tomorrow, June 30, at 6 p.m. ET, the Pistons are looking at a depth chart that, even assuming Jalen Duren re-signs and Ugonna Onyenso gets a two-way deal, still has two open roster spots. Cade Cunningham, Daniss Jenkins, and Ebuka Okorie are at point guard. Isaiah Joe, Marcus Sasser, and Chaz Lanier are the off-ball guards. Wings include Ausar Thompson, Duncan Robinson, Caris LeVert, and Ron Holland. Centers are Jalen Duren, Paul Reed, and Tolu Smith. But power forwards? Zilch. All eyes will be on Detroit to see how they fix this crucial hole and what moves they make when the free agency floodgates open. It’s gonna be a wild one!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.