The Detroit Pistons basketball is back. In order to take another leap forward next season after a 30-win improvement in J.B. Bickerstaff's first season in charge, the Pistons need to bolster the roster. One of their primary needs is forward depth, and they have a variety of ways to address it.
While the Pistons have cap space to be active in free agency, that can quickly dry up once they re-sign some of their own free agents like Malik Beasley, Dennis Schröder, Tim Hardaway Jr, and Paul Reed. At some point in the offseason, they will need to fill out the rest of their roster with value signings.
When that happens, they can turn overseas to find some decent value. There is one former lottery pick who has been making a strong case in Europe to return to the NBA, and the Pistons should be seriously interested.
Pistons Should Target Mario Hezonja This Offseason
The fifth-overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Mario Hezonja, has been with the Spanish giants, Real Madrid, for the past three seasons. As one of the best players in Europe, Hezonja helped Real Madrid win the Euroleague in 2023. Last season, he averaged 14.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 27 minutes per game in Euroleague.
According to Euroleague insider Donatas Urbonas, the former Magic forward is looking to make a return to the NBA. The 30-year-old has an NBA buyout clause in his contract, and he is reportedly drawing interest from "several teams".
Hezonja may not have fulfilled the promise he showed as a prospect, but he could still be a valuable piece for the Pistons. Detroit needs a backup for Tobias Harris, and Hezonja can be the do-it-all wing with size that the Pistons lacked last season.
There are plenty of international players who struggled in their first stint in the NBA, but came back to make a big impact. The last example of that was a fellow former Real Madrid player, Guerschon Yabusele, who had a solid 2024-25 season with the Philadelphia 76ers. The Pistons would be wise to consider Hezonja as a deep bench option next season.