The Detroit Pistons are still a few pieces from competing for an NBA title, but one free agency signing could help them take the next step.
The Detroit Pistons, after making the postseason for the first time since 2019 and narrowly losing close games to the New York Knicks in the first round, are expected to be a team on the rise.
Behind Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, and Jalen Duren, the Pistons have a solid young core, although key role players like Dennis Schroder, Malik Beasley, and Tim Hardaway Jr. are all free agents.
Assuming that they sign elsewhere for more money or a bigger role, the Pistons could add a Michigan man to their lineup, bolstering their depth moving forward.
Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty ImagesCaris LeVert would be a great offseason addition
Caris LeVert was traded to the Atlanta Hawks midway through last season, although Atlanta is not expected to offer him a competitive offer. He averaged 12.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists last season, and is one of the better bench players in the league.
“LeVert is still a formidable scorer and playmaker,” wrote The Athletic’s Hunter Patterson. “His primary purpose with this Detroit team would be to come off the bench to provide a scoring punch. If the Pistons bring back Beasley and Schröder, LeVert becomes a less desirable option, as Detroit still needs to prioritize the development of Holland.
“But depending on how negotiations go this summer between the Pistons and Schröder and Beasley, LeVert could be a dependable option.”
LeVert broke onto the scene during his four seasons with the Michigan Wolverines, averaging an incredibly efficient 16.5 points per game in his senior season.
In his freshman season, he helped Michigan make the NCAA final, where they lost to Louisville. The following season, he stepped into a bigger role and led the Wolverines to the Sweet 16, and a return to the Great Lakes State might be overdue.
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesLeVert’s possible role in Detroit
If LeVert signs with the Pistons, it would certainly be to replace Beasley, who will command plenty of money on the open market. That means he will have to both share the floor with Cunningham in crunch time and lead the bench unit, which he is more than capable of doing.
He has not been a regular starter since 2022, and his role as a bench scorer and secondary playmaker seems pretty clear-cut. He is not the best defender out there, although Ron Holland and Isaiah Stewart are capable of doing the heavy-lifting on that end of the floor.
In Detroit, he would be a scorer. He made $16.6 million this season and will likely sign a smaller deal, regardless of where he ends up.