The Detroit Pistons have to be feeling pretty good as they prepare to head into training camp. The Pistons have addressed their biggest needs this offseason, although there is still some unfinished business left to attend to, according to Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press .
One offseason after completely retooling their roster, Detroit has made a couple of small yet significant moves. The Pistons added Duncan Robinson via trade and signed free agent Caris LeVert while also re-signing Paul Reed . Robinson signed a three-year deal with the Pistons after being acquired from Miami for Simone Fontecchio .
Pistons Have Unfinished Business This Offseason, What Is Left to Do After Signing Former Second-Round Pick
Robinson replaces Malik Beasley as the Pistons’ designated shooter off the bench. The 31-year-old wing has done a good job putting his 2022-23 disappointing campaign behind him. He averaged 11.0 points, 2.4 assists, and 2.3 rebounds this past season in 24 minutes over 74 appearances. Additionally, he drained 2.4 threes with shooting splits of 43.7/39.3/88.7.
Speaking of Beasley, the 28-year-old guard put up some of his best full-season numbers in years and finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting. However, Beasley remains a free agent due to the betting probe surrounding a game that took place while he was still with the Milwaukee Buck s at the end of January 2024.
LeVert’s addition will also help fill the void left by Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr . While Hardaway Jr., who signed with Denver this offseason, had a solid campaign as a shooter, knocking down 2.2 treys at a 36.5% clip this past season.
LeVert had a solid campaign with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks . The 30-year-old wing averaged 12.1 points, 3.4 assists, 3.2 caroms, and 1.2 turnovers in 64 contests. He drilled 1.7 triples while shooting 46.7%, 37.3%, and 72.2%. He scored in double-figures in 39 of 64 games, topping the 20-point plateau on nine occasions, and produced one double-double.
It is a surprise that the Pistons re-signed Paul Reed . Reed signed a two-year deal worth $10.9 million after making $1.4 million this past season. The 26-year-old center averaged 4.1 points and 2.7 boards while shooting 50.7/ 28.6/76.2 in 10 minutes of action over 45 appearances. He is slated to be the Pistons’ third-string center behind Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart .
Pistons Agree To Terms With Colby Jones
Detroit has 13 players on standard contracts with a salary cap hit of $166.8 million, meaning the Pistons will need to add another player to their 15-man roster before opening night. However, the Pistons finalized their minor league deals by agreeing to a two-way contract with Colby Jones , per ESPN’s Shams Charania .
“The Detroit Pistons are signing G/F Colby Jones on a two-way NBA contract, sources tell ESPN,” Charania tweeted. “Jones, 23, averaged 8.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.3 steals in the final two months of 2024-25, showing flashes as a productive rotation player in his second NBA season.”
Jones has appeared in 69 games since being selected with the No. 34 pick in the 2023 draft. The athletic former Sacramento King and Washington Wizard is highly skilled with the ability to do a little bit of everything. He is a solid perimeter defender who also excels as a slasher, boasting a decent mid-range game, although he struggles with shooting from beyond the arc.
With Jones’ NBA Experience, he has a chance of earning time with the Pistons this season. He joins Ron Harper Jr. and Tolu Smith on two-way deals.
So, What Do the Pistons Need to Add?
Detroit is over $21 million below the luxury tax. So, the Pistons have plenty of money to spend, though don’t expect them to be a taxpayer unless an elite player that they like comes available via trade. The Pistons have the entire $5.1 million bi-annual exception and a $14.1 million trade exception from the Dennis Schroder trade with the Kings this summer.
With so much space and the trade exception, the Pistons could go several ways. The Pistons are likely to add two players. However, as Sankofa noted, the Pistons don’t necessarily have to use their trade exception right away. The trade exception doesn’t expire until next July.
Although Detroit has been named the favorite to land Cam Thomas, it doesn’t make sense for the Pistons to make that move. Thomas is a shorter version of Cade Cunningham , a high-volume scorer who is prone to turnovers and lacks defensive ability. Brooklyn has complete control of Thomas’s fate as he is a restricted free agent. Plus, the Pistons already have Robinson and LeVert on multi-year deals, along with Marcus Sasser and Chaz Lanier .
Who To Add?
If Detroit were going to go the restricted free agent way, Jonathan Kuminga and Quentin Grimes make more sense. Kuminga would give the Pistons much-needed frontcourt scoring depth behind power forward Tobias Harris . Grimes played six games for the Pistons after being acquired from New York at the 2024 NBA trade deadline. While the Pistons sent Grimes to Dallas for Hardaway Jr. last summer, the 25-year-old had a fantastic year this past season.
The concern with both Kuminga and Grimes is that they would take playing time away from Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland . Thompson and Holland are better suited for the wing, and both players need to improve their perimeter shooting. Meanwhile, Holland showed promise during his rookie campaign and had an outstanding summer league.
Besides depth at power forward, the Pistons could use more size and a true backup point guard. The Pistons have tendered an offer to restricted free agent Daniss Jenkins , who was on a two-way contract last season.
Jenkins had an outstanding 2024-25 G-League season and appeared in seven games with the Pistons a year ago. He also had a solid summer league campaign in Vegas, producing one double-double while averaging 14.0 points and 5.6 assists in 23 minutes of action. The Pistons may sign Jenkins to a standard contract, although they also could promote Tolu Smith from his two-way deal.
Smith, who stands at 6-11, is highly athletic and a capable rim-protector. The 24-year-old averaged a double-double in the G-League and appeared in one game for the Pistons last season. He had a good summer league campaign, though he is not a floor spacer.
Extending Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren
Besides finalizing it 2025-26 roster, Detroit has a couple of procedure moves to make. Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren are extension-eligible. It seems like a no-brainer for the Pistons to extend both players this summer.
Ivey has shown improvement in each of his NBA seasons, though the 23-year-old guard was limited to 30 games last season due to injury. Duren produced a double-double for the second straight season and showed improvement in efficiency and as a rim-protector.
“Those guys are key guys for us. We’re not the cap-space Pistons anymore. We’re the playoff-Pistons now. If want to keep being the playoff-Pistons, we need to be smart from here on out,” a Pistons front office told Keith Smart of Sportac . “That means finding the right deal for us and our players. But we love the way both Jalen and Jaden have developed. Look, if we have Jaden last year, we win our first playoff series in forever. We believe that 100%. We’re hopeful we can get extensions done with both of those guys to keep them in Detroit for a long time.”
The Postons also have until October 31 to make more future decisions. A decision on the status of Thompson ($11.1 million), Sasser ($5.1 million), and Holland ($9.0 million) for the 2026-27 season team options will need to be made. Thompson and Holland will surely have their option exercised. They will also likely exercise Sasser’s option as the 24-year-old point guard who showed improvement as a shooter in year two, shooting 38.2% from beyond the arc.
Photo Credit: © Rick Osentosk , Imagn Images
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