Pistons Rumors: R.J. Hampton Waived; Contract Was Non-Guaranteed for 2023-24 Season

R.J. Hampton is set to become a free agent this summer.

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the Detroit Pistons waived the 22-year-old guard. His $1.997 million salary for 2023-24 was non-guaranteed if he wasn't on the roster by July 6.

Hampton has bounced around the NBA since being selected with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2020 draft. He was originally taken by the Milwaukee Bucks, who traded his rights to the Denver Nuggets.

After playing 25 games for the Nuggets, Hampton was traded to the Orlando Magic in March 2021 as part of the Aaron Gordon deal. He had his best stretch in the NBA upon joining the Magic, averaging 11.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in 26 appearances.

The 2021-22 season saw Hampton set a career high with 64 games played, but he only shot 38.3 percent from the field.

With Gary Harris and Jalen Suggs as the primary two-guards for head coach Jamahl Mosley, Hampton saw his playing time significantly cut back to start last season. He was eventually waived by the Magic on Feb. 21.

The Pistons signed Hampton two days later. He performed well in 21 games primarily off the bench with 7.3 points on 36.5 percent shooting from behind the arc.

Even though it's been difficult for Hampton to stick with a single team in the NBA over the past three seasons, being a recent first-round pick could help him find a new home this offseason.

Hampton has, at times, shown an ability to be a decent three-point shooter. If he can land with a team that is able to provide him with consistent playing time, there might be more upside in his game that has yet to be unlocked.