Playoff basketball is finished in the Motor City, and it's time for the Detroit Pistons to focus on the upcoming NBA offseason.
The Pistons' Cinderella-like 2024-25 campaign ended with a first-round loss to the New York Knicks last week, forcing the J. B. Bickerstaff-led team to look for ways to improve this summer. There's going to be a big emphasis on free agency, especially as Detroit debates which veterans deserve to be re-signed and which should be let go in July.
Pistons Must Re-Sign Dennis Schröder Despite Early Playoff Exit
One pending unrestricted free agent whom the Pistons should want to re-sign this summer is Dennis Schröder. The veteran point guard played games with three different franchises throughout the 2024-25 campaign, most recently ending up in Detroit via the Golden State Warriors as a part of the five-team Jimmy Butler trade deadline blockbuster.
Schröder ended up playing 28 regular-season games with the Pistons, drawing eight starts along the way. The German-born playmaker's performance wasn't anything to write home about, as he averaged 10.8 points, 5.3 assists, and 2.6 rebounds while shooting 37.8% from the floor and 30.2% from deep.
Fortunately, Schröder proved his game had a next level once the playoffs arrived. Averaging 27.3 minutes per outing off the bench, the 31-year-old veteran put up 12.5 points, 3.7 assists, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per outing with a 49.1 FG% and 47.6 3P%, proving why he's a former NBA Sixth Man of the Year finalist.
That's without mentioning how Schröder also proved he's a solid starter whenever Cunningham is forced to miss time. The trade deadline acquisition started in eight games for the Pistons when Cunningham missed two weeks of action in March/April, averaging 12.1 points and 6.5 assists as the team went 4-4 during that stretch.
After carrying a $13 million cap hit last season, Schröder will likely command a similar amount this summer. Although that price might seem somewhat steep to some, it's worth it if Schröder can replicate his postseason performance throughout an 82-game slate, especially if he's given even more time to bond with his Pistons teammates.
Without there being many viable replacement options in free agency, the Pistons would be wise to pay Schröder whatever he wants rather than entering the 2025-26 season without a reliable backup point guard.