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DETROIT PISTONS: state of the franchise

State of the Franchise

Projected Cap Space (before luxury tax): $31 million

Background: Josh Smith. Saying that name to a Detroit Pistons fan is all it will take to give them horrible nightmares. After being signed to a 4 year/$54 million in 2013 in what was a highly questionable deal from the start, Smith (PF, SF Hou) has been nothing short of a complete disaster in multiple ways. Not only did his record-setting inefficiency of 41.9% shooting on 16 attempts totally kill the Pistons’ season en route to a 29-53 record, but he also got head coach Lawrence Frank and GM Joe Dumars fired for Detroit’s lack of success. In addition, when Smith began playing in Motor City, it caused PF Greg Monroe to get fewer minutes and opportunities, making him very frustrated and in turn causing him to sign a one-year qualifying offer from Detroit as opposed to a long-term extension. Monroe was not the only big man who had fewer opportunities due to Josh Smith, however. Young, upcoming star C Andre Drummond’s development was severely hindered by Smith taking lots of minutes, shots and opportunities, as well as causing spacing issues in the Pistons’ frontcourt. And just in case you aren’t convinced that Smith was absolutely the worst off-season signing of all time, that 4 year/$54 million contract should speak for itself. Finally, after being absolutely fed up with everything Smith had done to the organization, Detroit released him. Done with Josh Smith. Never going to think about him again. Right? Wrong. The remainder of his contract must still be paid out, and that will come in the form of $5.4 million annually over five years. That’s right: Smith will continue to haunt Detroit fans everywhere with that $5.4 million counting against the cap for the next five years, even though Smith isn’t even on the team (he is now causing issues for the Houston Rockets).  However, the non-Smith roster of this squad has potential. Despite the season-ending injury to PG Brandon Jennings, this is clearly a rebuilding franchise. Monroe and Drummond figure to be cornerstones for Detroit for years to come, and despite this season pretty much being lost, the Smith-less future in Motor City promises to be bright.

Current Financial State: As funny as this may seem, Detroit paying Smith not to play for them anymore will be the third-highest salary the Pistons will pay next season. PG Brandon Jennings is the first, and after a season-ending injury, the jury is still out on whether he’s the long-term answer at PG for Detroit. Detroit money was thrown around to average shooters this offseason in a sort of odd way, but none of the contracts are too horrible, despite each being a touch pricey. SG Jodie Meeks, SF Caron Butler, and PG DJ Augustin will make a combined $13.8 million next year, with Meeks’ deal carrying into the 2016-2017 season. Fortunately for Detroit, future stars SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and C Andre Drummond are still on their ridiculously cheap rookie deals of approximately $2.6 million apiece. Monroe remains the only question mark this offseason. A restricted free agent last offseason, Monroe and the Pistons were not able to work out an extension, and after not getting any offers from other teams, the power forward was forced to agree to the 1 year/$5.5 million qualifying offer from Detroit, far less than he is actually worth. Now with Smith gone and a full-time starting job in Detroit, Monroe was vital to the Pistons’ turn-around post-Josh Smith, and this off-season he is due for a payday. A 4 year/$56 million contract for Monroe seems fair, given what he can offer to the Pistons and what the market will hold for him. Still, that would leave the Pistons with roughly $20 million in available cap before the luxury tax.

Targets: One interesting way to spend this money would be on Spurs SF Kawhi Leonard. The Pistons can offer Leonard a max deal of 5 years/$90 million, and he is worth every penny of it, considering he won Finals MVP at just 23 years old. The only potential issue with this deal is that Leonard is restricted to the San Antonio Spurs. It is more likely than not that the defending champions will match any offers, including the max, as Leonard represents the future of the franchise. However, if they do not, a lineup consisting of Jennings, Caldwell-Pope, Leonard, Monroe and Drummond will have opponents quaking with fear for years to come. Should they strike out on Leonard, they should not sign anyone else to a long-term deal, as financial flexibility is key to a rebuilding franchise.

The Fit: Monroe’s fit with the Pistons is obvious. A low-post scorer who can grab rebounds in bunches, Monroe presents the optimal fit next to Drummond, who is an elite rim protector still figuring out his offensive game. It is absolutely vital, however, that Monroe develop a mid-range jump shot. Having Monroe and Drummond in the paint would present serious spacing issues for the Pistons’ offense, no matter how many shooters are on the court. This can wait, however, because the Pistons have little interest in winning right away. Despite being unrestricted, Monroe is still highly likely to remain in Motor City. Leonard, on the other hand, is a bit of a long shot, but he does provide an interesting fit in Motor City. An elite defensive stopper, Leonard represents a truly imposing frame, especially for his position. He is a 6’7” small forward with a 7’3” wingspan, not to mention hands that are 9.8 inches long and 11.3 inches wide (seriously, measure your hands to see how they compare). The reigning Finals MVP also has a rapidly improving offensive game, averaging 15.5 ppg, building off of last season’s 12.8. Also an above average rebounder, Leonard has all the tools to become a superstar in this league. He addresses a need for a wing defender for Detroit, and would immediately slide in as the starting small-forward. With Leonard in town, Detroit would become a force for years to come.
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