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The Detroit Pistons scored a big offseason victory before NBA free agency even started. Hiring Monty Williams to be their new head coach could end up being a franchise-altering move if he can accelerate this young roster's development. His experience in reviving struggling teams makes him a sound investment, even at a historic rate. This was probably always going to be their crowning summer achievement.
But that does not mean the Pistons couldn't have done more, or rather done things a little better in free agency. Although there is still time to sign a veteran wing, Detroit general manager Troy Weaver opted not to use the team's ample cap space to make a big move. Instead, the front office took on money via the trade market. Admittedly, the top-tier available players did not seem to have the Pistons in their sights, but a compelling offer coupled with the high ceiling of their young nucleus could have landed another viable contributor.
A conservative approach means that Detroit is going to finish this rebuild the old-fashioned way instead of rushing through like the Houston Rockets are attempting to do. Fred VanVleet was not a fit for this group and overpaying Dillon Brooks by such a large amount after the worst season of his career is not a gamble everyone can stomach. Still, there were other avenues the front office could have explored.
We're going to take a closer look at the Pistons' biggest mistake of 2023 NBA free agency and determine if there was a more practical and effective way to use their financial flexibility.
Pistons shouldn't have traded for Joe Harris
I am not picking on Joe Harris here. The franchise's bigger blunder is not maximizing their cap space better. The former Brooklyn Nets sniper just happens to be a consequence of that mistake. Harris nicely recovered from an injury-ravaged 2021-22 season and was again a reliable perimeter threat this past year. He shot 45.6 percent from the floor and 42.6 percent from behind the 3-point line (made nearly two per game). However, he is still essentially a one-dimensional role player who is making almost $20 million dollars next season.
Can the Pistons expect much more than the 7.6 points per game the 31-year-old gave Brooklyn in 2022-23? It seems unlikely. A veteran presence was undeniably a need for this team, but Harris does not necessarily look like an ideal one for Detroit. Despite providing more depth at small forward, taking on his sizable expiring contract for a couple second-round picks is a tad befuddling.
Other players who could have been considered
There were other more cost-efficient ways to improve upon their 22nd-ranked 3-point percentage, like signing Terrence Ross, for example. He still can be a strong locker room presence to the younger guys while filling a sufficient on-court role. Or Weaver could have made a significant push for a more high-profile talent. Los Angels Lakers' fan favorite Austin Reaves could have gelled very nicely alongside Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey.
Three young players who can all potentially be high-level scorers sounds pretty good for a team that has not had a winning season in seven years or reached the second round of the postseason since 2008. They are putting everything on the existing core. Signing Isaiah Stewart to a four-year, $64 million contract extension reinforces that notion and also explains a bit more why Detroit stayed out of the fray.
Was it time for Pistons to roll the dice?
Settling for Joe Harris before NBA free agency even began, though, might be difficult for some fans to rack their brains around. Building through the draft is the blueprint this organization must strictly adhere to, but this was an opportune time to supplement the rest of the roster on the open market. While Houston's boldness might backfire in a big way, teams stuck in the NBA basement have to take more chances.
Those shackles will not come off so easily. Selecting high-upside prospects is not always enough. The culture has to be fixed, too. Monty Williams should greatly help in that regard, but another tone-setter who could also have a big in-game impact is something that should be valued. Harris will be off the books after this season, so this trade is obviously not a long-term backbreaker.
Heck, he might he even breathe new life on this team. The 2014 second-rounder has already been part of one resurgence with the Nets a few years back and could open the Pistons' offense. But there has to be a time when owner Tom Gores and this regime takes a leap. It felt like it could have been this offseason.
Playing the long game has worked before and could be the Pistons' ideal pathway to success in the Eastern Conference. Though, not piling on a little more to the solid foundation they are gradually building feels like a mistake in this moment.
