Comment Opinions Please. Are The Trades Fair? What Would You Do Differently? Don’t Forget To Check Out The Free Agency Signings, Draft Picks, & Season Goals Down Below.
Financials(Before Moves)
Cut Candidates: None
Total Salary: $87.4M
Cap Space: $53.5M
Trade Candidates: Jaden Ivey, Isiah Stewart, Evan Fournier
FA’s: Simone Fontecchio, James Wiseman, Malachi Flynn
Targets: Getting veteran leadership and improving.
Trades 2024 DET 5th Pick to the Grizzlies for 2024 MEM 9th Pick, 2024 BKN 39th Pick, 2025 MEM First Round Pick & 2026 LAC Second Round Pick (Ja Morant - Desmond Bane - Vince Williams - Jaren Jackson - Donnovan Clingan)
Jaden Ivey, Isiah Stewart, 2029 MIL Second Round Pick & 2026 LAC Second Round Pick to the Bulls for Zach Lavine & Andre Drummond (Coby White - Jaden Ivey - Demar Derozan - Patrick Williams - Nikola Vucevic)
NBA Draft
Select F Dalton Knecht With #9 Pick: Projected Salary - $4.8M
Select F-C Izan Almansa with #39 Pick: Projected Salary - $1.8M
Select G Hunter Sallis With #53 Pick: Projected Salary - $1.8M
Free Agency
Resign F Simone Fontecchio to a 3 Year Contract Worth$31.5M(10.5M-10.5M-10.5M)
Sign F Marcus Morris to a 2 Year Contract Worth $5M(2.7M-2.3M)
Sign & Trade for Andre Drummond to a 3 Year Contract Worth $24M(8M-8M-8M)
Sign Undrafted Player F Coleman Hawkins to a 2-Way Contract
Decline Evan Fournier's $18M TO
Financials(After Moves)
Total Salary: $109.6M
Luxury Tax: $61.6M Under
First Apron: $68.6M Under
Second Apron: $79.6M Under
Ideal Starting Lineup:
Cade Cunningham, Zach Lavine, Dalton Knecht, Ausur Thompson, & Jalen Duren
Backup Five:
Marcus Sasser, Quentin Grimes, Simone Fontecchio, Marucs Morris, & Jalen Duren
Rest of Bench:
Hunter Sallis, Stanley Umude, Troy Brown, Izan Almansa, & Chimezie Metu
Izan Almansa, Hunter Sallis, & Coleman Hawkins all spend some time in the G League
2024 Season Goals
Cade Cunningham becomes that elite PG alongside people that are reliable shooters and reliable scorers. He averages 24 and 9 and becomes and All-Star shutting down any debate on who the franchise player is.
Zach Lavine was an elite pickup and second option to Cade as someone who can knock down 3's at an elite clip and score the basketball himself. Averages 22 PPG on 40% shooting from 3.
Dalton Knecht had an elite rookie year earning All-Rookie 1st Team honours. Is the number 3 option on this team averaging 15 PPG while retaining the shooting efficiency he had in Tennessee. Also improves gradually at defence throughout the year.
Ausur Thompson is that elite defender. Gets All-Defensive team shouts and slowly starts to develop a 2 way game gradually throughout the year. Not expecting him to be a 40% 3pt shooter however if he can at least be close to a 30% shooter.
Jalen Duren is the franchise center, an elite athlete and lob threat and also very good on the defensive end.
The Pistons have a total turnaround season with leadership on the court from guys such as Lavine, Drummond and Morris. They make the Play-in and have a very impressive future, finally escaping the lottery.