DeMar DeRozan to the Detroit Pistons is not the sexy story of NBA free agency. It might be the smart story.
Marc Stein reported this week that Detroit is evaluating a run at DeRozan after his release from the Sacramento Kings. It sounds strange on the surface. Detroit already has Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, and a young core that finished last season as the No. 1 seed in the East. Why bring in a 36 year old scorer who has been in the league since 2009?
Because Detroit needs a closer.
The Pistons went 60-22 last regular season, which was a franchise turnaround the size of a small country. Then they lost in the second round to the Cavaliers. When you look at those games, the story is the same one Cade has been dealing with his whole career: nobody else could get a bucket when it mattered.
DeRozan is exactly that guy. He averaged 18.4 points and 4.1 assists per game last year on a Kings team that was falling apart. His footwork in the mid range is still elite. His free throw rate is still elite. He is still one of the best late clock isolation players in the league.
That is exactly what Detroit lost this summer. Tobias Harris walked in free agency. Caris LeVert got traded. Both were scorers who could handle the ball in a pinch. John Collins is a nice addition but he is not a shot creator. Signing DeRozan would fill that gap in one move.
The age concern is real. DeRozan turns 37 next month. He is not fast anymore, and he never was much of a defender. On a young athletic team like the Pistons, he could look out of place at times.
But you are not signing him to guard Jayson Tatum. You are signing him to score 20 in a playoff game when Cade is doubled and everyone else on the floor looks nervous. That is a role. That is worth a minimum or mid level exception.
The Pistons also have something DeRozan values: a real team culture. J.B. Bickerstaff runs a tough, connected program. Detroit’s young players are hungry. Cade is one of the most well liked stars in the league. DeRozan is a locker room guy. He will fit.
There are other suitors. The Heat and Cavaliers have both been linked to him. The Raptors, his old team, are still hovering. But Detroit might be able to offer him something none of those teams can: a starting job or at least a heavy 6th man role on a legitimate contender.
Stein noted that DeRozan’s market will not fully take shape until LeBron James decides. That makes sense. The Cavs will not spend on DeRozan if LeBron is coming. Miami will not spend if LeBron is coming. Detroit is in a different lane. They can move first.
If Trajan Langdon and the Pistons front office want to be aggressive, this is the kind of move that could push a 60 win team into contender territory. If they wait too long, they will miss the window.
DeMar DeRozan to Detroit is not a headline that will trend for days. It might just be the underrated move of the summer.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
