It wasn't the offseason Pistons fans were dreaming of when they lost to the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs. The fanbase in Detroit was hoping their team would make a big splash this summer to establish itself as a true Eastern Conference contender. Instead, the team was forced into making tough decisions after the unfortunate Malik Beasley investigation, having to replace the sharpshooter, in addition to Dennis Schroder and Tim Hardaway Jr., by signing Duncan Robinson and Caris LeVert.
While there is a chance the Pistons will take a step forward next season in the weak Eastern Conference, they still have a few more holes they need to address before feeling good about their chances. One of those is the backup power forward spot.
After the departure of Simone Fontecchio, the Pistons don't have a traditional power forward on the roster behind Tobias Harris. Considering how big of an issue that was in the postseason, the Pistons can't waste any more time before signing a backup PF.
Fortunately, there is a former Piston who would be a good fit for that role among the unsigned free agents.
Pistons Can Still Sign Still Available FA Trey Lyles
Trey Lyles, who spent the first part of the 2021-22 season in Detroit, hit free agency this summer after his contract with the Sacramento Kings came to an end. While Lyles failed to hit shots during his Pistons tenure (shooting 30% from three), the 29-year-old Canadian had a solid stint in Sacramento over the last 3.5 years. As a King, Lyles averaged 7.5 points, 4.5 rebounds in 19.1 minutes per game while hitting 36.2% from downtown.
The former 12th-overall pick is not going to change the fate of the franchise, but he could give solid minutes off the bench as a floor spacer. He is not an elite defender by any means, but he can hold his own in small spurts guarding bigs. Most of his value, however, will come on the offensive end as a pick-and-pop partner for Cade Cunningham.
Lyles can likely be signed to a veteran's minimum deal. The Pistons will still need to find a long-term answer at power forward once Tobias Harris' contract expires next summer, but Lyles and Harris can make it work for a season until a solution is found.