With five days left until the 2026 NBA Draft, Detroit Pistons general manager Trajan Langdon took the stage to address the media and the fans. Discussing the team's offseason vision and the plans for the draft, Langdon was also very clear about Malik Beasley: the team has no interest in bringing him back at this point.
Pistons fans have long been clamoring for Beasley's return. As Detroit struggled shooting the ball all of last season and the playoffs, the need for a sharpshooter like Beasley became obvious. Beasley remains under investigation as part of the league's gambling probe and is unlikely to return to the NBA until he is fully cleared.
However, since he never signed with a team following his free agency last offseason, Pistons fans have held out hope that he would return to Detroit. The fact that the Pistons still hold non-Bird rights on him and could sign him to a new deal only amplified the calls from the fanbase.
From Langdon's remarks, it's clear that it's not happening any time soon. When he was asked whether he talked to Beasley's agents, Langdon responded, "No, I have not. He doesn’t have an agent right now, so that would make it hard," per Detroit Free Press' Omari Sankofa. When he was asked whether he spoke to Beasley directly, Langdon said he had not.
It's time Pistons fans moved on from Malik Beasley
While some fans may try to read between the lines, it's time to move on. Beasley is not the only elite shooter available on the market. The Pistons have the resources to replace him either via a trade or free agency.
The Pistons were on the verge of re-signing Beasley last offseason to a three-year, $42 million deal before the gambling probe. The scandal forced the Pistons to pivot, and they brought in Caris LeVert and Duncan Robinson.
While Robinson provided a ton of shooting and had a solid season, he and LeVert weren't enough to replace the production lost from the departures of Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr.
Since shooting was such a big problem for the Pistons, the obsession with Beasley is understandable. Perhaps one day there could be a scenario in which he returns to the team on a one-year, "prove-it" deal.
For now, however, the Pistons are on the verge of making the right moves to become a title contender. Instead of focusing on Beasley, it's time to think about which sharpshooters the Pistons can acquire to get the offense to the next level.
Add us as a preferred source on Google