Would NAW be a Dennis Schroder replacement or Malik Beasley replacement?
The Detroit Pistons being interested in pending free agent wing Nickeil Alexander-Walker is not news at this point. There have been whispers that are only growing stronger. Those whispers are turning into shouts, with the latest being that the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks are being called the “strongest contenders” to lure NAW away from the Minnesota Timberwolves once free agency begins.
“Based on the intel we’ve gathered, The Stein Line is being advised to describe the Pistons and Atlanta as the two strongest contenders to come to terms with [the] two-way guard after free agency commences for real Monday night at 6 PM ET,” Marc Stein writes on his Substack newsletter.
The biggest puzzle for me is what role the Pistons envision for Alexander-Walker, and which Pistons will not be on the team next year as a result.
Stein seems to indicate the cause and effect is Dennis Schröder, whom the Pistons acquired at least season’s trade deadline and played a huge role at backup point guard with Jaden Ivey sidelined.
Schröder has said he wants to return to Detroit, but he doesn’t seem confident that is going to happen.
“I want to stay in Detroit for sure, but Detroit ain’t waiting for me, I can tell you that much,” Schröder said on a social media live stream Saturday.
In his recent press availability, Pistons president Trajan Langdon said Detroit had interest in all its primary free agents — Schöder, Beasley, and Tim Hardaway. But it sounds like Beasley might be the only Plan A, with Schröder and Hardaway as Plans B or C.
While Alexander-Walker has played his share of point guard in Minnesota, he is more of a natural complementary off-ball wing with the advantage of having plus defense that can guard anywhere on the perimeter.
Perhaps that is exactly how the Pistons would plan on using Alexander-Walker in lineups featuring one or both of Ivey or Cade Cunningham. But the Pistons also are reportedly fully intent on bringing back sharpshooter Malik Beasley, and that would leave quiet a glut of guards in Motown.
Tim Hardaway Jr, who looks less and less likely to return to Detroit, did play 28 minutes per game last season, so there are minutes to be had. But that also included navigating long-term injuries to Ausar Thompson at the beginning of the season and Ivey from January on.
This move would also not address Detroit’s biggest seeming need, which is more size and shooting from its big men. Already, the Pistons have been linked to NAW teammate Naz Reid (already re-signed in Minnesota), Myles Turner (presumed to re-sign in Indiana) and Santi Aldama (a sign-and-trade candidate in Memphis).