The Detroit Pistons have several key free agents as we approach the crucial offseason. Tim Hardaway Jr, Dennis Schröder, Malik Beasley, Paul Reed, and Lindy Waters are hitting free agency, and the front office has to make a decision on who to keep and who to let walk.
This is a tight rope to walk since the Pistons can't pay all of these veterans. As Detroit gets more expensive with upcoming extensions for Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, team needs to be more cautious in how to allocate its resources.
That is why GM Trajan Langdon should be fine with moving on from a few veterans if they can't get them on a bargain deal. At the top of that list should be Tim Hardaway Jr. Even though the 33-year-old shooting guard provided the Pistons with veteran competence and decent shooting, he is not irreplaceable.
He is already a liability on the defensive side of the ball, and he is not an elite enough shooter to make up for his deficiencies on the other end. At this stage of his career, he is underqualified to be a starter on a playoff team.
Letting Tim Hardaway Jr. Walk Will Help Pistons Re-Sign Malik Beasley
If THJ is willing to stay on a contract similar to Beasley's one-year, $6 million deal from last season, the Pistons should be happy to bring him back. Assuming that will not be possible, it's time for Detroit to move on.
Instead, the Pistons should invest their resources in re-signing Beasley to a long-term deal. He is still only 28 years old and is coming off an excellent season, shooting 41.6% from three on a whopping 12.1 attempts per 36 minutes. As one of the best three-point shooters in the league, Beasley provides a valuable skill set the Pistons can't afford to lose.
A multi-year deal of around $12 million per season should be enough for Beasley. Considering his age and skill set, that should be a movable contract for the Pistons even if things didn't work out.