The Detroit Pistons are coming off a 60-win season and a second-round playoff exit, and they’re not planning to stand still. According to a new report from Marc Stein and Jake Fischer at The Stein Line, the Pistons have real interest in adding Miami guard Tyler Herro and are also monitoring Norman Powell’s situation as the Heat figure out what comes next after the Giannis Antetokounmpo blockbuster.
Miami paid a massive price to bring the two-time MVP in from Milwaukee. They sent out Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, multiple first-round picks and other assets. The deal reshaped both rosters overnight. But now the Heat have a financial puzzle to solve. They’re tight against the cap and Powell, who is coming off his first All-Star season, is an unrestricted free agent. Keeping him will not be easy.
“Trading away Jaquez and Jakucionis in addition to Herro and Ware heightens the need for Miami to find a way to hold onto unrestricted free agent-to-be Norman Powell,” Stein and Fischer wrote. “Which will be complicated.”
That complication opens a door for Detroit. The Pistons need shooting and secondary playmaking around Cade Cunningham. Powell averaged 24.3 points per game this season and shot 40.6 percent from deep. Herro is a career 38.5 percent three-point shooter and a proven playoff performer. Either guy would fit next to Cunningham, but Detroit might not stop there.
The Stein Line also reported that the Pistons are kicking tires on Coby White, Isaiah Joe, Trey Murphy III, Kyrie Irving and Austin Reaves. That is a wide net, but it tells you what Detroit is prioritizing: perimeter shooting, ball handling, and players who can create their own shot in tight playoff moments.
Herro’s situation is a little weird right now. He was shipped to Milwaukee as part of the Antetokounmpo deal, but the Bucks are reportedly open to listening to offers for him. He is also a Wisconsin native, so keeping him around has some sentimental appeal. But if Milwaukee decides to pivot and move him, Detroit is ready to jump in.
Powell feels like the more straightforward target for now. He hits free agency at 32 years old, which is not ideal for a long-term investment, but the Pistons are in win-now mode. They won the East in the regular season and then lost to Cleveland in five games in the second round. The front office, led by Trajan Langdon, has been clear that they will explore every option to upgrade the roster.
There is also internal business to handle. Jalen Duren is a restricted free agent and needs a new deal. Ausar Thompson is eligible for a rookie-scale extension after showing he can guard almost anyone on the floor. Those negotiations are happening in parallel with the trade and free agent conversations.
Whether Detroit lands Herro, Powell or someone else entirely, the message is clear. The Pistons are not content with one good season. They want to get deeper, more dangerous and more durable for a longer playoff run. The next few weeks will show just how aggressive they’re willing to be.
Leave a Comment