After a hard-fought battle against the New York Knicks in Game 6, the Detroit Pistons suffered a heartbreaking loss in the first round of the playoffs. The three home losses for the Pistons in the series had a total of a six-point margin, highlighting how close Detroit actually was to pulling off a massive first-round upset.
Despite the disappointment, the vibes in Detroit are strong. The team had a historic 30-win improvement from a season ago and unexpectedly made the postseason. While the Pistons will try to retain most of their core players, one starter's future with the team is uncertain.
Pistons Should Seriously Consider Letting Tim Hardaway Jr. Walk
Tim Hardaway Jr. was a solid contributor for the Pistons throughout the regular season, starting in 77 games and playing 28 minutes per game. His shooting and off-ball gravity helped provide much-needed spacing for Cade Cunningham and the Pistons offense. Having a competent veteran who head coach JB Bickerstaff could draw plays for was a valuable asset for Detroit.
In the playoffs, however, Hardaway continued his usual struggles, something Mavericks fans were accustomed to during his tenure in Dallas. In six starts, he shot 33.8% from the field and 30.8% from three, averaging 12 points in 31 minutes per game.
Considering the fact that Hardaway doesn't do much else offensively except shooting and is a defensive liability, this became a major problem for the Pistons in this series. In the last two games, Hardaway shot a combined 2/13 from downtown, adding to Detroit's struggles in half-court offense. Bickerstaff's insistence on playing Hardaway over Malik Beasley in key stretches was certainly a questionable decision.
Hardaway is a free agent this offseason, alongside Dennis Schroder and Malik Beasley. The Pistons should prioritize re-signing Schroder and Beasley, and should be fine letting THJ walk unless they can get him on a short, team-friendly deal. Making Beasley the long-term starter to replace Hardaway is something the organization should seriously think about heading into the offseason.