Who do you want left with what we got?

[Blkbrd671]

Do we have any cap room left?

No this is it. If we get anyone it's likely going to be a veteran minimum. They're not going to get any minutes anyway seeing how deep our team is this season.

I do believe SVG is compiling a TON of assets on great contracts to make room for a big trade at any point in the season or next. He's put us in the best position to get better as best as he could. Very good!!

i would have really liked Derrick Williams on this team

[Joe Berry]

Do we have any cap room left?

No this is it. If we get anyone it's likely going to be a veteran minimum. They're not going to get any minutes anyway seeing how deep our team is this season.

I do believe SVG is compiling a TON of assets on great contracts to make room for a big trade at any point in the season or next. He's put us in the best position to get better as best as he could. Very good!!

The Pistons still got the room exception, which is about $ 3 mil. Enough to add a veteran quality guard if necessary.

[BIG BEN'S FRO]

I'm choosing to look at our players and see what ages we have them under contract for:
Smith 28-30
Leuer 27-30
Morris 27-29
Jackson 26-29
Drummond: 23-27 (could opt out after 26)
Harris, 24-26
Caldwell-Pope 24 (and then extension or at worst RFA)
Johnson 20-22 (and then extension or at worst RFA)
Henry Ellenson 20-23 (and then extension or at worst RFA)

This team is so young. We don't have to make any huge moves just yet. The hardest and most immediate decision we'll have to make is on KCP in a year, but beyond that, we can just cruise and see what we have.
The soonest we can lose a starting player will be in three years when Tobias Harris' contract is up, and when that happens, our oldest player will be 30 (Smith, who we could re-sign...or not!). Nothing foreseeable is difficult until then.
We've got the luxury of time on our side. If a no-brainer deal presents itself, I have to hope that we'd jump on it, but our window isn't even open yet and we're already a playoff team.

This team is very young, but I definitely see SF ballas point. GS is not going anywhere in that time and Their core is just as young. Plus Stan will be on year 6. How long do expect him to stay? We will have minimal cap room and all of those players will likely be near or on second contracts. I DO think as he wrote, a Westbrook Dre combo can beat anyone. And all you have to have is one of those Westbrook goes insane series to make a difference. He is that unguardable. We can always rebuild again. I say offer Jackson and anything short of Dre for Westbrook. Use our depth. Westbrook and Dre also take advantage of most other teams weaknesses. He has a really good point. I don't want to be mediocre for 4 seasons waiting for the elites to age. The Spurs are the model for player development, and are no doubt Stan's model. Hope it works.

[coordinator0]

Do we have any cap room left?

I don't want to type it all again, so:

So, the update:

PG: Reggie Jackson / Ish Smith / Lorenzo Brown
SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope / Reggie Bullock / Michael Gbinije
SF: Marcus Morris / Stanley Johnson / Darrun Hilliard
PF: Tobias Harris / Jon Leuer / Henry Ellenson
C: Andre Drummond / Aron Baynes / Boban Marjanovic

The roster now stands at 15 players under (or soon to be) contract. By my sheet, which is linked below, the Pistons have roughly just over $2.5 million in cap space. That's assuming Mayo's earlier report that Blake has been renounced as well as Anthony and Bairstow being released is true. They're also around $8 million under the luxury tax with Drummond's extension included so they're pretty safe in that regard. The cap hits in the first year for Smith and Leuer are just estimates at this point, and nobody knows how much of his draft slot Ellenson has or will sign for yet. I think it's safe to say Gbinije is only getting a minimum contract but that's still up in the air as well.

With all that in mind the only "easy" move the Pistons have left to open up cap space is cutting Lorenzo Brown and his unguaranteed contract. If they do that there will be roughly $3.6 million in cap space available. Of course Brown may very well end up keeping his roster spot as the third point guard since that's pretty much the only move left Detroit would make. Not a ton of space to absorb someone decent in a trade even with Brown cut, and it seems pretty unlikely Bullock or Hilliard would go out in one unless a rotation-quality combo guard is coming back. Still plenty of point guards left on the market though and it seems like things are drying up a bit for money being handed out.

I should also mention that the Pistons still have the room exception to use as well. Off the top of my head it's something like $2.898 million for the first season and then whatever it goes up to for the season(s) after if it's for more than one year. I'm pretty sure Zaza Pachulia, Seth Curry, and DeWayne Dedmon were signed using it so decent (or at least intriguing) players have come off the board via that route this summer.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DWFeG156MPjSSd3aOjewz5WzQbc6AiWOqgrOHc2TebM/edit?usp=sharing

[DetroitSho]

I'm choosing to look at our players and see what ages we have them under contract for:
Smith 28-30
Leuer 27-30
Morris 27-29
Jackson 26-29
Drummond: 23-27 (could opt out after 26)
Harris, 24-26
Caldwell-Pope 24 (and then extension or at worst RFA)
Johnson 20-22 (and then extension or at worst RFA)
Henry Ellenson 20-23 (and then extension or at worst RFA)

This team is so young. We don't have to make any huge moves just yet. The hardest and most immediate decision we'll have to make is on KCP in a year, but beyond that, we can just cruise and see what we have.
The soonest we can lose a starting player will be in three years when Tobias Harris' contract is up, and when that happens, our oldest player will be 30 (Smith, who we could re-sign...or not!). Nothing foreseeable is difficult until then.
We've got the luxury of time on our side. If a no-brainer deal presents itself, I have to hope that we'd jump on it, but our window isn't even open yet and we're already a playoff team.

This team is very young, but I definitely see SF ballas point. GS is not going anywhere in that time and Their core is just as young. Plus Stan will be on year 6. How long do expect him to stay? We will have minimal cap room and all of those players will likely be near or on second contracts. I DO think as he wrote, a Westbrook Dre combo can beat anyone. And all you have to have is one of those Westbrook goes insane series to make a difference. He is that unguardable. We can always rebuild again. I say offer Jackson and anything short of Dre for Westbrook. Use our depth. Westbrook and Dre also take advantage of most other teams weaknesses. He has a really good point. I don't want to be mediocre for 4 seasons waiting for the elites to age. The Spurs are the model for player development, and are no doubt Stan's model. Hope it works.

I agree 100%

[flow]

Do we have any cap room left?

I don't want to type it all again, so:

So, the update:

PG: Reggie Jackson / Ish Smith / Lorenzo Brown
SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope / Reggie Bullock / Michael Gbinije
SF: Marcus Morris / Stanley Johnson / Darrun Hilliard
PF: Tobias Harris / Jon Leuer / Henry Ellenson
C: Andre Drummond / Aron Baynes / Boban Marjanovic

The roster now stands at 15 players under (or soon to be) contract. By my sheet, which is linked below, the Pistons have roughly just over $2.5 million in cap space. That's assuming Mayo's earlier report that Blake has been renounced as well as Anthony and Bairstow being released is true. They're also around $8 million under the luxury tax with Drummond's extension included so they're pretty safe in that regard. The cap hits in the first year for Smith and Leuer are just estimates at this point, and nobody knows how much of his draft slot Ellenson has or will sign for yet. I think it's safe to say Gbinije is only getting a minimum contract but that's still up in the air as well.

With all that in mind the only "easy" move the Pistons have left to open up cap space is cutting Lorenzo Brown and his unguaranteed contract. If they do that there will be roughly $3.6 million in cap space available. Of course Brown may very well end up keeping his roster spot as the third point guard since that's pretty much the only move left Detroit would make. Not a ton of space to absorb someone decent in a trade even with Brown cut, and it seems pretty unlikely Bullock or Hilliard would go out in one unless a rotation-quality combo guard is coming back. Still plenty of point guards left on the market though and it seems like things are drying up a bit for money being handed out.

I should also mention that the Pistons still have the room exception to use as well. Off the top of my head it's something like $2.898 million for the first season and then whatever it goes up to for the season(s) after if it's for more than one year. I'm pretty sure Zaza Pachulia, Seth Curry, and DeWayne Dedmon were signed using it so decent (or at least intriguing) players have come off the board via that route this summer.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DWFeG156MPjSSd3aOjewz5WzQbc6AiWOqgrOHc2TebM/edit?usp=sharing

I think we're done for a while, trades notwithstanding.

From ESPN:

"The long-term implications in Detroit are interesting. The Pistons join the L.A. Clippers as the second team with at least $100 million in committed 2017-18 payroll, according to my projections. The Clippers' figure includes both Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, who are all but certain to opt out. The only player option for Detroit is Baynes' $6.5 million.

In fact, Detroit has more than $100 million committed in 2018-19. Realistically, the Pistons are capped out through the life of Marjanovic's contract and won't be able to shop in free agency using anything more than their mid-level exception.

Detroit can still make trades to shake up its core, but the team will have limited flexibility for the next several seasons. We'll see if this roster is good enough to justify that expensive commitment."

[coordinator0]

I think we're done for a while.

From ESPN:

"The long-term implications in Detroit are interesting. The Pistons join the L.A. Clippers as the second team with at least $100 million in committed 2017-18 payroll, according to my projections. The Clippers' figure includes both Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, who are all but certain to opt out. The only player option for Detroit is Baynes' $6.5 million.

In fact, Detroit has more than $100 million committed in 2018-19. Realistically, the Pistons are capped out through the life of Marjanovic's contract and won't be able to shop in free agency using anything more than their mid-level exception.

Detroit can still make trades to shake up its core, but the team will have limited flexibility for the next several seasons. We'll see if this roster is good enough to justify that expensive commitment."

There's enough room for one or two more minor moves (~$3 million or less with cap space or the room exception) this offseason but yeah the pistons are pretty much done in free agency for the next two summers. Trades would obviously change things but as it stands all the Pistons can/have to do is re-sign Caldwell-Pope. I'm kind of thinking they will match just about any offer for him since they won't be able to get his replacement via free agency, but Stanley might be able to take over if they don't want to spend $20+ million on Kentavious. Will be interesting to see.

[Canadafan]

I love kcp and baynes but I could see svg dealing them before we have to hand them ridiculously large contracts next summer. Those two combined will our little bit of cap space available would get us a nice $12million dollar player. I don't want to let kcp go to be honest but if you could get a Middleton or someone like that I might pull the trigger
Kcp will be signing for over $20 per year and we can only offer baynes $11 or so. Which means we might lose him for nothing.
Bowers and svg are proactive guys I could see that happening

[Joe Berry]

Thank God, Free Agency is terrible and capspace is as useless as ever when every team has it. The Kevin Durants and Al Horfords of the NBA aint coming here anyway, we ve got a full stacked roster, a lot of potential and young guys and some nice veteran guys. IF a real difference maker is available trade is the way to go anyway, VanBower have done everything right.

[coordinator0]

I love kcp and baynes but I could see svg dealing them before we have to hand them ridiculously large contracts next summer. Those two combined will our little bit of cap space available would get us a nice $12million dollar player. I don't want to let kcp go to be honest but if you could get a Middleton or someone like that I might pull the trigger
Kcp will be signing for over $20 per year and we can only offer baynes $11 or so. Which means we might lose him for nothing.
Bowers and svg are proactive guys I could see that happening

Baynes? You must have missed the Marjanovic news...

Milwaukee isn't trading Middleton. He was one of Boston's targets with the #3 pick package and it didn't even move the needle for them. Caldwell-Pope, Baynes, and whatever future firsts isn't going to get it done. If the Pistons would even have $12 million next summer (have to wait and see what the specifics are on the new contracts) that won't really be much anyways. Not if you want a good starter at least. Good wings are hard to find and they get paid.

Now if Johnson takes over at shooting guard then you might find a decent backup with that much space, but I think he's better off guarding the bigger wings. Detroit is definitely better off being able to hide Reggie on less imposing guards, so having a two who can switch on ones is valuable. I don't think Stanley has the quicks to do that. Even if it's not Caldwell-Pope I'm guessing the Pistons will still want more of a pure guard next to Jackson.

[Canadafan]

Signing the giant makes baynes expendable. Plus he'll make too much next summer for us to keep him. Love kcp but next summer that is too much money to give him.
I'm saying deal both of them for someone on an older contract.
We won't have any cap space next summer. None. Zero zilch.
To repeat though, I love kcp. Pretty much my favourite piston. So I'm more than happy keeping him too

[Canadafan]

More than likely we trade baynes for a Lou Williams type deal

[Todd3]

Signing the giant makes baynes expendable. Plus he'll make too much next summer for us to keep him. Love kcp but next summer that is too much money to give him.
I'm saying deal both of them for someone on an older contract.
We won't have any cap space next summer. None. Zero zilch.
To repeat though, I love kcp. Pretty much my favourite piston. So I'm more than happy keeping him too

One of the reasons I liked the Boban deal (in addition to just liking him better than Baynes).

We needed a sizeable expendable contract to add in any KCP trades, because his salary is so little it won't get much in terms of matching talent/salary. Now we can add in Baynes and get a ~10m type player for KCP and still have Boban at C.

[fekz]

I love kcp and baynes but I could see svg dealing them before we have to hand them ridiculously large contracts next summer. Those two combined will our little bit of cap space available would get us a nice $12million dollar player. I don't want to let kcp go to be honest but if you could get a Middleton or someone like that I might pull the trigger
Kcp will be signing for over $20 per year and we can only offer baynes $11 or so. Which means we might lose him for nothing.
Bowers and svg are proactive guys I could see that happening

I want some of what you're smoking. KCP ain't going anywhere

[Alexander]

I'm choosing to look at our players and see what ages we have them under contract for:
Smith 28-30
Leuer 27-30
Morris 27-29
Jackson 26-29
Drummond: 23-27 (could opt out after 26)
Harris, 24-26
Caldwell-Pope 24 (and then extension or at worst RFA)
Johnson 20-22 (and then extension or at worst RFA)
Henry Ellenson 20-23 (and then extension or at worst RFA)

This team is so young. We don't have to make any huge moves just yet. The hardest and most immediate decision we'll have to make is on KCP in a year, but beyond that, we can just cruise and see what we have.
The soonest we can lose a starting player will be in three years when Tobias Harris' contract is up, and when that happens, our oldest player will be 30 (Smith, who we could re-sign...or not!). Nothing foreseeable is difficult until then.
We've got the luxury of time on our side. If a no-brainer deal presents itself, I have to hope that we'd jump on it, but our window isn't even open yet and we're already a playoff team.

This team is very young, but I definitely see SF ballas point. GS is not going anywhere in that time and Their core is just as young. Plus Stan will be on year 6. How long do expect him to stay? We will have minimal cap room and all of those players will likely be near or on second contracts. I DO think as he wrote, a Westbrook Dre combo can beat anyone. And all you have to have is one of those Westbrook goes insane series to make a difference. He is that unguardable. We can always rebuild again. I say offer Jackson and anything short of Dre for Westbrook. Use our depth. Westbrook and Dre also take advantage of most other teams weaknesses. He has a really good point. I don't want to be mediocre for 4 seasons waiting for the elites to age. The Spurs are the model for player development, and are no doubt Stan's model. Hope it works.

There's something to be said for not being quite so reactionary. We haven't ran it back for a season with the starting five yet, we haven't seen a minute of Smith or Leuer or Boban in a Pistons uniform. We don't know if this team is a 2 seed or an 8 seed or anything in between, we just know that the healthy Cavs are a lock for first.
We have the luxury of time. If, in that time, our players appear to stagnate or depreciate, then I hope they're moved. If KCP's percentages don't rise, we can deal with it. If he commands more money than we deem he's worth, we can aim for a sign and trade. If Jackson has already plateaued (his stats from his first half season were better than or equal to this full one, not necessarily a great sign), we can shake things up. If Harris is already a finished product at 23, we'll be the first to know, and we can respond accordingly.
We are in a position where we can buy low, sell high, or stay put. We don't need to take any risks quite yet, and that doesn't mean that we won't, rather that we can be intentional when the time comes.

Russell Westbrook is a generational talent, I'm just not sold on selling the farm for a title run at this juncture. We didn't win a championship in 04 by going all in and trading for Garnett or Kobe or what have you. The missing piece was Rasheed, acquired for peanuts. Let's enjoy our (analogs to) Chauncey, our Rip, our Tayshaun, our Ben Wallace, and see what happens from there. There will be some can't miss opportunities.

It's just too soon.