The Detroit Pistons had a busy draft day, where they onboarded some talented youngsters to the roster. However, the three-time world champions are, once again, in the market and are looking to bring in Gordon Hayward to the team. The forward has been in the league for over a decade now. He could be the veteran presence the team is looking for.
However, Gordan Hayward's four-year $120 million contract still has two years left. He is to earn approximately $60 million in the next two seasons. The Charlotte Hornets would like to offload his contract to make some cap space for Miles Bridges. It would be interesting to see if a team like the Detroit Pistons would pay him that much money.
The Pistons were able to land Jalen Duren in a three-team deal with the Charlotte Hornets and the New York Knicks. They also got Kemba Walker as part of the deal, but the former All-Star is expected to buyout the remainder of his contract.
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If that happens, Gordon Hayward will be a replacement for him. Although there are questions about his fitness, he is sensational when he is on the court. With him coming, the Detroit Pistons will not only have a stellar offensive player, but also a defender who can put clamps on the opposition.
What does the Detroit Pistons' future look like?
The Detroit Pistons' last appearance in the playoffs came during the 2018-19 season. Since then, they have finished 13th, 15th and 14th, respectively, in the last three years. There was a small ray of hope when they drafted Cade Cunningham last draft, but injuries hampered their chances of competing last season.
However, the team from Motor City is now fighting to become relevant again. They offloaded a stellar player in Jerami Grant to create room for the youngsters they were going to draft.
The Pistons had the fifth pick, and they brought in Jaden Ivey using that. He is a shooting guard and showed his explosiveness when he played for Purdue in the NCAA tournament.
Another player that the Detroit Pistons had their eyes on was Jalen Duren. He went thirteen and was originally drafted by the Charlotte Hornets. However, general manager Troy Weaver, who is a big fan of the Purdue player, executed a three-team deal to get him to the Pistons. Although they lost a first-round pick, the Motor City team now has a talented power forward.
Duren is a powerful player who can impose his will in the paint. His size also allows him to work on his defensive prowess. All that being said, the Pistons have the perfect balance on their roster. They have a core group of Cunningham, Ivey and Duren who are talented youngsters.
With free agency approaching, the franchise may go for a free agent as well. The team is still young, but if all pans out well, they could be a strong playoff team soon.
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