Now that the peak of free agency is behind us, it's a good time to take stock of where the Detroit Pistons are. Even though Jalen Duren's free agency has yet to be resolved, we have a good idea of where things stand with the Pistons. Barring an unexpected series of events, the Pistons will likely re-sign Jalen Duren, stay under the luxury tax, and stand pat otherwise.
To do that, however, they need to part ways with a player. The Pistons don't have an open roster spot right now after trading Caris LeVert for Taurean Prince and Gary Harris in order to open up more cap space.
Whether it's by trading or releasing them, one of the players currently on the roster will be elsewhere. The top departure candidates are Prince, Harris, Chaz Lanier, and Tolu Smith.
Gary Harris may be the odd man out in Detroit
On paper, getting rid of one of Prince or Harris makes plenty of sense. The veterans were included in the LeVert trade for salary-matching and roster spot reasons. The Pistons presumably weren't interested in either player. So, releasing one of them may be the most likely scenario.
Between the two, Prince may have more to offer the Pistons. He shot 43.8% from three over the last two seasons with the Bucks. The 32-year-old has more size and length than Harris, making him a better option guarding forwards. Harris can also shoot, but he is a one-position defender. The Pistons have enough shooting guards on the roster that it's difficult to see Harris seeing the floor among that crowded backcourt.
Lanier could also be the odd man out. After not showing much in his rookie season, he got off to a poor start in the Summer League as well. If he can't string a couple of solid Summer League performances, it wouldn't be shocking for the Pistons to part ways with him ahead of his second season. It's not like Detroit desperately needs another shoot-first shooting guard when they have Isaiah Joe, Kevin Huerter, and Duncan Robinson on the roster.
Smith would be an unlikely cut. He is currently the third-string center on the roster, and the Pistons need him as an emergency backup. Considering that his salary isn't guaranteed until January, he should still be considered a departure possibility.
There can also be a surprise move by GM Trajan Langdon, to be sure. Maybe a trade involving Duncan Robinson and/or Ron Holland shouldn't be ruled out, but that seems unlikely at this point in the offseason. It also makes little sense for Detroit to just trade one of them without taking a player back.
Among these options, I guess that the Pistons will release Gary Harris when it's time to sign Jalen Duren to a new contract. However, this offseason has been quite unpredictable for Pistons fans, so nothing would be too shocking at this point.
Add us as a preferred source on Google