The 5 Best Value Free Agents for Detroit Pistons in 2015 NBA Free Agency
The Detroit Pistons may have a lot of roster turnover this offseason, and they will need to look for high-value players to fill out the roster.
With as much as $30 million in cap space this summer, the Pistons have the chance to land a big-name free agent. But signing even one top player would eat up a good portion of that money, and re-signing either point guard Reggie Jackson or big man Greg Monroe (or both) would greatly cut down their spending ability. To add other talent, coach and team president Stan Van Gundy has to do some discount shopping.
With as many as nine free agents from all positions possibly leaving Detroit, Van Gundy can look at almost any available player as a potential target for the Pistons. What we should expect is for the Pistons to target guys who can shoot from the outside, play tough defense or, ideally, do both.
"Van Gundy likes perimeter floor stretchers offensively but also players adaptable enough to switch deftly between guarding ball-handlers and screeners," David Mayo of MLive.com wrote of what Van Gundy is looking for in draft prospects, though it applies to free agents. "Players who can't defend both pick-and-roll elements become targets."
When adding rotation players and end-of-the-bench guys, Detroit can find those traits at a low price, but players only come cheaply if they have flaws in their games. If Van Gundy can pick guys who fit his system, then the Pistons can get more value than they paid for on the open market.
5. Gerald Green
1 of 5
Gerald Green wasn't happy with his role on the Phoenix Suns in 2014-15, and perhaps that could keep his price tag down.
After playing more than 28 minutes per game in 2013-14, he averaged fewer than 20 this season, and his scoring dipped by nearly four points per night. At age 29, he can still be a valuable scorer, and his 36.8 percent career three-point mark would be appealing to Van Gundy.
Green made just $3.5 million last season, and if the Pistons could bring him on board for little more than that, they would be quite happy. He seemed poised for a big payday after averaging 15.8 points and shooting 40 percent from the arc in 2013-14, but his issues with Suns coach Jeff Hornacek may have brought his value down significantly.
The Pistons have Jodie Meeks and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope at shooting guard already, so there might not be enough minutes in Detroit to keep Green happy. And his price tag may inflate if more highly touted wings get signed quickly.
But Caldwell-Pope, 6'6", and Green, 6'8", are big enough to play alongside each other against most teams. And if Green's price stays down, he would instantly add offensive firepower and athleticism to the Pistons.
4. John Jenkins
2 of 5
Van Gundy can add more shooting to the end of his bench by bringing in Atlanta Hawks shooting guard John Jenkins.
The third-year player has played in just 27 games the past two seasons and would need significantly fewer minutes than Green. He could simply be a third shooting guard who plays primarily during garbage time.
What Jenkins would offer is a three-point shooting option if other guys got injured or for late-game situations where the Pistons are trailing. He shot 40.4 percent from the arc in 2014-15 and is a 37.5 percent shooter from there for his career, which should pique Van Gundy's interest.
Jenkins isn't without his faults: he's a slow-footed defender, and he can't really create his own shot. But he's a borderline elite shooter, and at just 24 years old, there is a chance he could still develop into a rotation player down the road. For a contract near the league minimum, he could end up being an excellent free-agent bargain.
3. Derrick Williams
3 of 5
The Pistons may be able to get good value for their money by targeting an apparent bust like Sacramento Kings forward Derrick Williams.
He was drafted four years ago No. 2 overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves behind Kyrie Irving. Irving is an All-Star playing in the NBA Finals. Williams was traded in his third season and started just six games for a team that won just 29 games in 2014-15.
But failing to live up to expectations for a top draft pick is not the same as being a useless player, and Williams can still give a lot to the right team. He has averaged over nine points for his career, he is an excellent athlete and he has the positional fluidity that is valued in the current NBA.
At 6'8" and 240 pounds, Williams can bang with all but the strongest power forwards, and he can switch on to many 3s. He is far from a lockdown defender, but the right coach can make him useful on that end of the floor.
And importantly for the Pistons, Williams is a competent outside shooter. He shot 31.4 percent from the arc in 2014-15—below the league average but close to acceptable for a stretch 4. In 2012-13, he shot 33.2 percent, and if he could get to that level or a bit higher, Williams could be a solid backup for Van Gundy.
Williams is a flawed player and has been one of the bigger draft busts in recent years. He isn't a great defender, and his jump shot needs work. But he was drafted No. 2 because he had the raw talent to give scouts visions of a prototypical stretch 4 for the modern NBA.
At 24, Williams still has plenty of room to grow, and much of that potential still exists. For the right price, Van Gundy could take a chance and hope that Williams finds his fit with the Pistons.
2. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
4 of 5
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute of the Philadelphia 76ers is another option at the forward positions.
While Williams is a young player searching for an NBA identity, Mbah a Moute is a veteran who has already carved out a role for himself. At 28, he has played seven seasons as a hard worker and gritty defender. With the lowly 76ers this past season, he was one of the few veteran leaders in the locker room.
The Pistons will be in need of a starting power forward if Monroe leaves in free agency, and fans will hope for a big name like Draymond Green or Paul Millsap. But if those top guys are gone and Monroe is out the door, Mbah a Moute could be a stopgap option while they develop a younger player.
At 6'8" and 230 pounds, he is undersized against some opposing big men. But he is athletic enough to cover both forward positions, he is a beast on the defensive boards and he shoots the ball proficiently enough to help the Pistons stretch the floor.
Mbah a Moute made 30.7 percent of his threes in 2014-15 and 33.3 percent in 2013-14—he isn't Ryan Anderson from outside—but with the solid defense he provides, he would be useful for what Van Gundy wants to do on both ends.
Mbah a Moute made a little over $4 million in 2014-15 for the Sixers, and he likely won't command too much more than that this summer. If the Pistons spend the bulk of their money on a big-name small forward or swing and miss on the top 4s, then Mbah a Moute could fill their potential hole at power forward.
1. Omri Casspi
5 of 5
The Pistons are not expected to re-sign Tayshaun Prince, according to Mayo, and they could waive fellow small forward Caron Butler to save over $4 million for next season. That would leave them without a single small forward in their rotation.
If that is the case, they'll need to bring in at least one quality 3 via free agency, and Kings forward Omri Casspi would be a cost-effective option to come off the bench or even to plug into the starting lineup.
Casspi has now played six NBA seasons, and at 27 years old in June, he has really emerged as an outside shooting threat. In 2014-15, he made more than 40 percent of his triples.
He would be best-suited for a role off the bench, but he has started before—115 of his 394 career games. And his 48.9 field-goal percentage would improve the Pistons offense right away.
Signing Casspi, especially to be a starter, would not be the flashy move that Pistons fans are hoping for after missing the playoffs for the sixth consecutive time. But he made just over $1 million in 2014-15, and he will be a relatively cheap option again this offseason.
If the Pistons need someone to fill in at small forward for a season, or if they're just looking for a bench scorer, there may not be a better value available in free agency than Casspi.
Jakub Rudnik covers the Detroit Pistons as a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all contract information is courtesy of Spotrac. Talk Pistons basketball with him on Twitter.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
