The Detroit Pistons haven't been active in trade and free agency discussions besides their ongoing stalemate with Jalen Duren. The general expectation is that if and when they re-sign Duren, the Pistons will be done with their offseason.
While that is certainly the most likely scenario, the Pistons would be wise to at least consider going after a remaining restricted free agent. And the player they should be going after is not Bennedict Mathurin, as some reports have suggested. Instead, they should explore whether they can bring Peyton Watson to Detroit.
Watson remains unsigned in restricted free agency, and it's growing increasingly unlikely that he will be able to get a contract that satisfies him from the Denver Nuggets. The Athletic reported earlier in the week that the Nuggets are offering him a five-year, $70 million deal. Denver is in financial hell and is desperately trying to go below the second apron. They have no way of significantly increasing their offer without making radical changes to the roster.
If that is indeed the price, Watson is unlikely to accept it any time soon, which means that there could be an opportunity for the Pistons to beat it.
Can the Pistons actually acquire Peyton Watson?
There are obviously different ways that the Pistons can try to acquire Watson. They currently have cap space, but this will be vaporized once they re-sign Duren. So, they could try to create more by moving on from one of their veterans like Duncan Robinson. Or, they could engage in a sign-and-trade scenario.
The Pistons have a $15 million trade exception from the Isaiah Stewart deal. They could use this to pay Watson in a sign-and-trade, but they would obviously have to convince the Nuggets to part ways with him. It would likely require a first-round pick or a young player of value, like Ron Holland, to pull off this trade.
If the $15 million trade exception is not enough, the Pistons can try to pay Watson more and make a bigger trade, involving both Robinson and Holland.
The ideal scenario would obviously be re-signing Duren and bringing Watson in using cap space, but that may be a pipe dream at this point. It doesn't even seem like Duren is willing to engage with Detroit on anything less than a $40 million per year valuation.
Watson reportedly has multiple suitors, including the Bucks, Hawks, and the Clippers, so it won't be easy to win the sweepstakes. What the Pistons can offer, however, is a chance to win a championship. Plus, Detroit desperately needs more forward depth, and Watson could even be a starter right away. Signing a short-term deal with the Pistons, starting on a title contender, then hitting unrestricted free agency could be appealing for Watson.
For Detroit, Watson would fill an immediate need as a versatile forward who can do a little bit of everything. He is an improved shooter and shot creator who is already a big plus defensively. His age and upside would be worth the Pistons giving up future assets for. Whether that would be enough to lure him to Detroit, however, remains to be seen.
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