The Detroit Pistons are off to a poor start in free agency. First, they received the shocking news of the investigation into Malik Beasley, delaying his free agency decision. Then, they let Dennis Schröder sign with the Sacramento Kings. Tim Hardaway Jr. remains unsigned. Even though they managed to re-sign Paul Reed to a reasonable deal and brought in Caris LeVert on a two-year, $29 million deal, the Pistons still have some work to do.
With the best free agents like Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker already off the market, the Pistons need to turn their focus to the trade market. If Beasley and Hardaway's futures with the team are uncertain, the Pistons can trade for their replacement.
Sam Hauser Is the Perfect Trade Target for the Pistons
One trade target that makes sense is Sam Hauser of the Boston Celtics. The elite shooter is beginning his four-year, $45 million deal, and considering Boston's financial situation, should be acquirable.
Hauser has hit over 40% of his threes in each of his four seasons in the NBA. The 27-year-old has good size at six-foot-eight to get his shot off against anybody, and is not completely hopeless defensively. The Pistons, which have a desperate need for more forward-sized bodies and shooting, would be hard-pressed to find a better fit on the market.
One trade scenario that makes sense is Detroit attaching draft capital to Simone Fontecchio to acquire Hauser. A first-round pick would be enough of a sweetener to get the deal done.
In this scenario, the Pistons would bolster their forward rotation and have a reasonable backup for Tobias Harris while replacing Hardaway's shooting. The Celtics, on the other hand, get significant financial savings going forward since Fontecchio is cheaper than Hauser and is on an expiring contract. They could then flip the first-rounder they get in this deal to improve their roster when Jayson Tatum is ready to return next season.