A midseason blockbuster for Blake Griffin didn’t lead to immediate results for the Pistons, but the team will look to the Pelicans as a reason for hope going forward — New Orleans’ trade-deadline acquisition of DeMarcus Cousins didn’t really pay dividends until year two. With a nucleus of Griffin, Andre Drummond, and Reggie Jackson, there’s some reason for optimism in Detroit heading into 2018/19 — as long as those stars can stay healthy.
Here’s where things currently stand for the Pistons financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2018:
Guaranteed Salary
- Blake Griffin ($32,088,932)
- Andre Drummond ($25,434,263)
- Reggie Jackson ($17,043,478)
- Jon Leuer ($10,002,681)
- Langston Galloway ($7,000,000)
- Ish Smith ($6,000,000)
- Josh Smith ($5,331,729) — Waived via stretch provision
- Stanley Johnson ($3,940,402)
- Luke Kennard ($3,275,280)
- Henry Ellenson ($1,857,480)
- Total: $111,974,245
Player Options
- None
Team Options
- None
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Reggie Bullock ($2,500,000)1
- Eric Moreland ($1,826,300)2
- Dwight Buycks ($1,600,520)3
- Total: $5,926,820
Restricted Free Agents
- None
Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds
- Anthony Tolliver ($3,948,000): Non-Bird rights
- James Ennis ($3,936,933): Early Bird rights
- Jameer Nelson ($1,499,698): Non-Bird rights
- Total: $9,384,631
Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000
Projected Cap Room: None
- With or without Griffin’s mammoth salary on their cap, the Pistons wouldn’t have had any space this summer, since the contracts for Tobias Harris and Boban Marjanovic run through 2018/19. With Griffin on the books though, Detroit projects to be way over the cap, with a total team salary starting at $114,468,178 — that accounts for the Pistons’ nine guaranteed contracts, plus cap charges for three empty roster spots.
Footnotes:
- Bullock’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 15.
- Moreland’s salary becomes guaranteed for $750K after July 8. There are additional partial guarantees of $250K apiece after September 1 and after the first game of the regular season.
- Buycks’ salary becomes fully guaranteed after September 1.
Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
The pistons are already in too deep they need to just ride it out and see if this core can stay healthy and win some games. Which fans should be somewhat optimistic of
I imagine they keep Bullock, but do you think they will keep their other 2 non- guaranteed contracts?
Detroit -Mack, Daniels, Iwundu
Charlotte- chandler, Dudley, Ross
Phoenix -Vucevic
Orlando-Batum, Kamensky, Leuer, stone, Buyck, Hernangomez, Phoenix 2nd rounder
Detroit gets good back-ups in Mack and Daniels and this opens up more playing time for Ellenson
Charlotte gets 3 10mil. Expiring contracts that gives them money to resign Kemba. They also get out of Batum’s huge contract.
Phoenix trades 2 veterans on expiring deals and pick 31 for a borderline all-star center.
Orlando gets Leuer and Batum, who can be good mentors and help them win games, gets future projects with the 31st pick and Hernangomez, and gets Frank the tank, who I believe will work perfect along Isaac in the starting lineup.
It’s a little complicated, and it’s probably never going to happen, but I feel everybody wins. Tell me what you think below!!!
There is no way I see Charlotte getting rid of Willy. I think they’ll be heavily invested in Willy and Malik going forward.
The status of that trade is…
It’s complicated. But Orlando won’t like it for one.
Detroit has to do everything possible to make sure Drummond comes back with some sort of a perimeter game. I think if Drummond can make that 15-20 foot jumper the Pistons would be absolutely lethal next season, but it will all depend on Reggie and if he could stay healthy. Without him it’s a lost season which is why I think they should look to draft Trevon Duval with that late first round pick if they can get him.
Detroit doesn’t have a late first. They have the #42 pick of the 2nd round.
Yikes maybe they can trade up to get Duval? It’s possible. Duval would be a really nice back up behind Jackson and Ish, in 2 years he might be able to step in as a starter.