The Detroit Pistons were one of the most pleasant surprises last season. After winning only 53 games in their previous three seasons, they won 44 games last season and finished sixth in the Eastern Conference. Malik Beasley was a huge part of their team as a scorer off the bench. But after the season, Beasley found himself a subject of a federal gambling investigation . The Pistons stopped all negotiations with him on a new contract. Detroit has had a decent offseason, but it seems like they are making a move to get their Beasley replacement.
The Detroit Pistons Might Get Their Malik Beasley Replacement
Before the offseason, the Detroit Pistons were one of the few teams with a path to cap space this summer. And it seems like they will finally use it. According to the sports betting website Bovada , the Pistons are the favorites to land Cam Thomas . They have the best odds at +350, followed by three teams at +400: the Charlotte Hornets, the Chicago Bulls, and the Memphis Grizzlies.
Recently, Thomas had a very public beef with NBA analyst Zach Lowe. In an episode of “The Lowe Post,” Lowe talked about Thomas and his restricted free agency. Thomas fired back on X (formerly known as Twitter) , and then Lowe further explained his stance on another episode of his podcast.
Nevertheless, Thomas is definitely a player who can score with ease. He has averaged 22+ points for the last two seasons, on more than 44% shooting from the floor, and 35% from behind the arc. He is not a playmaker, but when you give him the ball, good things happen, and he can be a good microwave player off the bench.
Do the Pistons Need Another Scorer?
Last season, the Pistons were in the middle of the pack in terms of offensive rating . They were too dependent on Cade Cunningham and his offensive brilliance. But that was due to Jaden Ivey missing more than half of the season with a broken left fibula . It is hard to see the Pistons re-signing Beasley after the gambling investigation, and they also lost Tim Hardaway Jr . While they got Duncan Robinson and Caris LeVert , Thomas would be an upgrade over both of them.
The challenge with Thomas is that he is a restricted free agent. Any offer sheet they sign him to, the Brooklyn Nets will have an option to match it.
Looking at Detroit Pistons Offseason Moves
The Pistons made the playoffs for the first time in Cunningham’s career last season. They finished sixth in the East, and two of the teams above them have had injuries to key players. With the Boston Celtics losing Jayson Tatum and the Indiana Pacers losing Tyrese Haliburton to injuries, the Eastern Conference is wide open. On the flip side, teams like the Atlanta Hawks and the Orlando Magic got better. While the top of the conference is weaker, the middle has become stronger.
Beasley and Hardaway were two of their top six scorers last season. It is too optimistic to expect that Robinson and LeVert will replace them . Thomas can bring that offensive firepower when Cade is resting.
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