It has been an eventful offseason for the Detroit Pistons. They were thrilled to see Jaden Ivey slide to them at the fifth spot and jumped on the opportunity to draft the thrilling guard.

Detroit also got involved in trade talks with the New York Knicks. The Pistons managed to add top big man prospect Jalen Duren and help the Knicks clear the necessary cap space to add Jalen Brunson. As a result of this, Detroit also added Kemba Walker, Nerlens Noel, and Alec Burks. Detroit agreed to a buyout with Kemba Walker shortly after the deal but is expected to keep the other two players.

The Pistons also agreed to a free agency deal with Marvin Bagley after he spent 18 games with the team last year. Kevin Knox was also added on a low-end free agency deal. The Trail Blazers also made a trade with the Pistons which landed them Jerami Grant. Detroit received a 2025 first-round pick and a few second-round pick swaps in the deal.

While it has already been a busy offseason, the work is not done for the Pistons. Here are a few moves to keep an eye on to complete an already impressive offseason.

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Pistons 2022 NBA Free Agency Moves

Trade Killian Hayes

There was a great deal of excitement surrounding Killian Hayes after the Pistons selected him with the 7th overall pick in the 2020 draft. While Hayes is still an intriguing talent, the focus must be on developing the backcourt of Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. The French product is also a ball-dominant guard and it is tough to imagine him coexisting with the past two top picks. In his two seasons in Detroit, Hayes has averaged 6.8 points, 4.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.1 steals. He also has connected on just 26.8% of his three-point attempts.

At 20 years old, Killian Hayes still possesses a great deal of potential. He has underperformed but still shown some nice flashes. Detroit must focus on making their decision around the duo of Cunningham and Ivey. With Hayes on the outside looking in on the future of the backcourt, the organization would be at its best to move on. There are certainly multiple teams who would be willing to roll the dice on a former top-10 pick just two years into his career. Flipping Killian Hayes for a collection of future picks would set the franchise in the right place moving forward.

Pickup Team Options

The Detroit Pistons are still in a state of evaluation as a franchise. While their collection of impressive players is growing, they are still several years away from truly competing. When looking ahead to their roster, there are several players coming to the end of their deal. Cade Cunningham, Isaiah Stewart, Saddiq Bey, Saban Lee, and Isaiah Livers all have team options for 2023-24. Picking up the team option on Stewart, Bey, and Cunningham should each be a no-brainer. Working toward a long-term extension with Cunningham and Bey could also prove to be beneficial. Cunningham will have the largest pay slot out of the team options at around $11 million. Each of the other players would be set to make $5.3 million or less.

While Saban Lee and Isaiah Livers are tougher decisions, it should be noted that the franchise is still in a state of evaluation. Getting an extended look at each guy could prove beneficial to the franchise. At the minimum, this could open the door for the Pistons to trade the young players rather than let them walk in free agency. This type of flexibility is what the franchise should focus on as they are still in the developmental process.

While there has been some noise connecting the Pistons to potential free agents, Detroit is wise to stay patient. Avoiding a Deandre Ayton deal or any other big-name target is best for the current state of the franchise. The Pistons are moving in the right direction and must make each decision based on what is best for the development of the current core. There is no need to rush the current timeline and allowing the young players to grow must remain the priority.