Detroit Pistons Offseason: 2026

[Deleterious]

I would almost guarantee it wasn't Gores.

Gores is a glory hound.  He is the guy with PE on the LCA floor even though 99.99% of the people watching can't invest in their funds.  He is the guy with his massive picture mixed in with the players in the tunnel.  Extending a coach who has three years left on his deal is boring.  It isn't sexy.  Gores wouldn't care about it.

 

[Mr.TaterSalad]

Maybe this is just my own biases as a Michigan fan clouding my judgement, alongside my general lack of basketball knowledge, but Yaxel Lendeborg seems like he would be good fit here for the Pistons. First, he can help the Pistons space the floor. He's not a guy that is going to be down in the paint bumping around with Duren and clogging things up. Second, he has a decent 3pt% where he shot around 38% from deep at Michigan this season. He can also create shots when asked and is not simply a catch and shoot guy. Who needs shooting worse than the Pistons? Third, he plays good defense and has the length to guard bigs and the athleticism to go on a guard if he absolutely had too. 

I don't understand why most mock drafts I've read are projecting him outside the top 10. But if he were to fall outside the top 10, is Yaxel the type of player you think would be worth getting aggressive for and trading up to get?

[buddha]

43 minutes ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

Maybe this is just my own biases as a Michigan fan clouding my judgement, alongside my general lack of basketball knowledge, but Yaxel Lendeborg seems like he would be good fit here for the Pistons. First, he can help the Pistons space the floor. He's not a guy that is going to be down in the paint bumping around with Duren and clogging things up. Second, he has a decent 3pt% where he shot around 38% from deep at Michigan this season. He can also create shots when asked and is not simply a catch and shoot guy. Who needs shooting worse than the Pistons? Third, he plays good defense and has the length to guard bigs and the athleticism to go on a guard if he absolutely had too. 

I don't understand why most mock drafts I've read are projecting him outside the top 10. But if he were to fall outside the top 10, is Yaxel the type of player you think would be worth getting aggressive for and trading up to get?

pros: great player with range and length.  can guard 3-4 positions in the nba.

cons: old, so probably not going to get significantly better than he is now.  not as athletic as you think.  range is good but not great for the nba.

i dont think he'll be available at 21, but i do think mara and morez get picked before him.  i'd take him if i were detroit, but i'd almost rather have morez.  he's more athletic and reminds me a bit of stew.

[Deleterious]

#21 is a throwaway pick, so I wouldn't get mad if they picked him there.  But I'm not trading away a future first to move up and pick Yaxel.  

[buddha]

i'm not trading future assets for yaxel.

they need those future assets to trade for a second scorer.

[Deleterious]

27 minutes ago, buddha said:

i'm not trading future assets for yaxel.

they need those future assets to trade for a second scorer.

If they give Ausar and Duren a combined $60-$70 million a year, you're not getting a second scorer.  Your second scorer has to be one of them.

The summer of 2027 the Pistons have 4 guys under contract currently for a cap hit of $98 million.  If you give Duren $30 million a year and Ausar $35 million per, that is 6 guys committed at $165 million a year, which is right where the cap will be.  Your 7th guy can't be a $40 million a year second option with that roster.  

You are right they will need those future assets.  But it will be to add cheap talent to fill out the bench because they are going to be struggling with the cap.  

[Shinzaki]

Would like to have any of the guys on Michigan's front line at #21.  I think Johnson has the highest ceiling of them, Yaxel the highest floor.  Mara is intriguing because there may be some growth in his game as a shooter...but not as much overall upside as Johnson.

Agree that if we're going to spend substantial future assets we have to get a legit #2 for Cade to work with

NC's Henri Veersaar would be an intriguing guy...7ft C who hit 42% from 3 against high level competition in the ACC.  

Edited 4 hours ago by Shinzaki

[buddha]

1 hour ago, Deleterious said:

If they give Ausar and Duren a combined $60-$70 million a year, you're not getting a second scorer.  Your second scorer has to be one of them.

The summer of 2027 the Pistons have 4 guys under contract currently for a cap hit of $98 million.  If you give Duren $30 million a year and Ausar $35 million per, that is 6 guys committed at $165 million a year, which is right where the cap will be.  Your 7th guy can't be a $40 million a year second option with that roster.  

You are right they will need those future assets.  But it will be to add cheap talent to fill out the bench because they are going to be struggling with the cap.  

i was just going to come on and ask that question.  if they re-sign duren, THATS IT.  THATS THE CORE.  

unless you find someone to take him on once he's making $40 million a year.  youre betting on his development, because you cant get anyone else at that point.

all this talk i hear about signing duren and then trading for someone like kwahi is nuts.

[NYLion]

5 hours ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

Maybe this is just my own biases as a Michigan fan clouding my judgement, alongside my general lack of basketball knowledge, but Yaxel Lendeborg seems like he would be good fit here for the Pistons. First, he can help the Pistons space the floor. He's not a guy that is going to be down in the paint bumping around with Duren and clogging things up. Second, he has a decent 3pt% where he shot around 38% from deep at Michigan this season. He can also create shots when asked and is not simply a catch and shoot guy. Who needs shooting worse than the Pistons? Third, he plays good defense and has the length to guard bigs and the athleticism to go on a guard if he absolutely had too. 

I don't understand why most mock drafts I've read are projecting him outside the top 10. But if he were to fall outside the top 10, is Yaxel the type of player you think would be worth getting aggressive for and trading up to get?

Highly doubtful that he makes it to 21 but you never know. Would you trade #21 plus next years 1st+ other stuff to move up to 12 or so to grab him? I'd rather not, I would prefer to save the draft capital for a more proven commodity if needed although it seems more likely than not that Langdon makes no significant trades and just signs Duren and Ausar long term as well as Harris for 2-3 years with some edge of the roster moves.

Edited 3 hours ago by NYLion

[Deleterious]

56 minutes ago, buddha said:

i was just going to come on and ask that question.  if they re-sign duren, THATS IT.  THATS THE CORE.  

unless you find someone to take him on once he's making $40 million a year.  youre betting on his development, because you cant get anyone else at that point.

all this talk i hear about signing duren and then trading for someone like kwahi is nuts.

Something to consider regarding his future trade value. 

Teams out west will not want him or other centers like him.  Victor is going to run that conference for the next 10+ years.  You can't play a non-shooting big against him.  You have to have a guy that can shoot 3's and pull Wemby out away from the basket.  It's why Hartenstein barely played in game 1.  

His value will go down when half of the league isn't a viable landing spot.  

[Deleterious]

 

[NYLion]

On 5/18/2026 at 3:07 PM, Deleterious said:

I'm going to throw out a free agent target I want.

Peyton Watson from Denver.  

3 and D type.  Shot 35% from three last year and upped it to 41% this season.  Corner specialist.  Shot 42% from the right corner and 47% from the left corner this season.  

Very good defender both on and off the ball.  Big wingspan and is very disruptive in the passing lanes, like Ausar.  Can play/guard SG/SF and maybe some small ball PF's.  He would be a huge upgrade over Robinson.

I have no clue how they obtain him.  He is a restricted free agent, and he will cost more than the MLE.  So it would have to most likely be a sign and trade with Denver.  They want to keep him but probably can't afford to.  They are currently at $209 million next year without including his new deal.  That is way over the luxury tax.  They could dump salary, but the problem is, they don't have draft picks to trade and to dump salary you almost always have to attach picks.  

Another problem.  He will be a very sought after FA this summer.  So the price might get too high really fast.  

I'd love to get Watson but I bet that Denver will find other ways to move money to fit him in.

[Betrayer]

21 is a much better place to be than 28. Guys expecting to get picked 1-20 are far more likely to stay in the draft. Any later than that and there's far more risk of falling to the 2nd round, making the college money enticing. We'll likely have at least a few players projected to be picked higher who fall.

But none of that matters to me. If I'm Trajan I'm not drafting anyone at #21. They seem committed to a Cade/Ausar/Duren core. Meaning this pick, a couple future picks, Holland, Stew, and some contracts (Robinson, Lavert, etc) are the only assets you have to get talent in the door.

Free agency is mostly for back of the rotation guys in the NBA these days and this is a terrible free agent season anyway. Tobias will be valued highly if that tells you anything. It has to happen via trade.

Of course, I have no idea if any trade we'd want is actually available or the asking price. That's always the problem. It's not NBA2K and we have no idea what options Trajan actually has available to him. So, he may wind up just having to draft someone and keep trying into the season. Remember, the '04 team didn't get Sheed until the deadline.

[Deleterious]

27 minutes ago, NYLion said:

I'd love to get Watson but I bet that Denver will find other ways to move money to fit him in.

The more likely scenario is they just match and accept they will be a 2nd apron team and have to pay the luxury tax.  But, that gets expensive fast.  A $25 million Peyton Watson contract now comes with heavy luxury tax penalties.  

The Pistons biggest hurdle is they simply don't have $25 million to throw at him.  It would 100% have to be a sign and trade.  Robinson + Reed is $20 million total which means Detroit could offer Watson $27.5 million for his first year.  Denver cuts both players.  Robinson only has $2 million guaranteed and Reed has nothing, so Denver saves $18 million.  Toss in next year 1st round pick top 5 protected to complete the deal.

[Deleterious]

Pass.

He will be 35 when the playoffs start.  Coming off of a major knee injury and already had a shaky injury history before that.  

I did get a good laugh looking up his age on Basketball Reference.  They list one of his nicknames World B. Flat.  

 

[buddha]

11 minutes ago, Deleterious said:

Pass.

He will be 35 when the playoffs start.  Coming off of a major knee injury and already had a shaky injury history before that.  

I did get a good laugh looking up his age on Basketball Reference.  They list one of his nicknames World B. Flat.  

 

seems like a guy destined to end up on the lakers in their quiotic pursuit of a last lebron championship.