Pistons offseason mailbag: Re-signing Malik Beasley, potential free-agent targets and more

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Now that the Detroit Pistons are a few weeks into their offseason, it’s only right to do a mailbag. This will be a big summer for a team looking to improve in an Eastern Conference seemingly as wide open as it’s been in years.

We fielded questions to get a feel for which questions you all wanted answered this offseason. Which free agents should the Pistons target? Will Detroit’s front office offer Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey rookie-scale extensions? Should the Pistons be looking to make a “big swing” trade or improve along the margins?

Let’s get into all of that and more.

Note: Questions have been lightly edited for clarity.

Is there any hope for Ron Holland and Ausar Thompson’s jumpers? There was a lot of hoopla around Fred Vinson’s hiring last summer. Do you foresee any noticeable improvement there? — Vincent G.

There’s plenty of hope for Ron Holland II and Ausar Thompson’s jump shots.

Let’s start with Thompson, since he’ll be entering his third season but first full NBA offseason. His rookie season ended early due to blood clots, which limited his offseason work while keeping him out of training camp and preseason play. This summer will be Thompson’s first real opportunity to spend an extended period refining his jumper since joining the association.

Once he returned during the 2024-25 season, he spent time daily with Holland and shooting coach Fred Vinson after practice to build both muscle memory and confidence in his jumper. Thompson will have about five months to improve his mechanics before training camp begins. Next season should begin to answer questions about whether Thompson can become a capable perimeter shooter.

Holland is now in his first NBA offseason as well. Earlier this season, the 19-year-old alluded to Vinson being the first shooting coach he’s had.

Asked Ron Holland II what it’s been like working with Fred Vinson so consistently on his jumper.

“It’s amazing. I’ve never really had a shooting coach before. … He sees the potential of where I can be as a shooter. Just going day by day with it. I’m really trusting him.” pic.twitter.com/mucz9r01Ch

— Hunter Patterson (@HuntPatterson_) January 6, 2025

This offseason will allow Holland ample opportunity to work with his first legitimate shooting coach, which could garner a higher 3-point percentage next season. Holland and Thompson will enter next season at 20 and 22 years old, respectively. There should be optimism around their overall development, but especially their jumpers, considering jumpshot development will be an offseason focal point for each player.

How much is too much to re-sign Malik Beasley? — Ken L.

The Pistons can offer Malik Beasley a salary of up to $14.1 million using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Assuming Beasley feels he’s outplayed an average annual value with that price tag, let’s take a look at the market value for a player in a similar situation last summer.

Beasley averaged 16.3 points on a career-best 41.6 percent from 3-point range while taking 9.3 attempts per game, and was the runner-up for Sixth Man of the Year during 2024-25. Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk averaged 15.4 points on 35 percent from 3 while taking 5.9 attempts, and was the runner-up for Sixth Man of the Year during 2023-24.

Monk inked a four-year, $77,975,308 contract with an average annual value of $19,493,827 to return to the Kings last offseason. I wouldn’t imagine the Pistons’ front office would offer Beasley a contract with a salary of over $20 million per season. A reasonable range would be between $15-18 million per.

It should be noted the two played different roles for their teams. Monk averaged 5.1 assists per game that season, had the ability to score in isolation situations and was a playmaker. Nonetheless, the two were important for their teams and among the most valuable bench players in the league at the time.

Two questions: 1. Are the Pistons trying to get back into the first round of this year’s draft? 2. You are Trajan Langdon — what’s your offseason plan (e.g., build around young core, trade for established second “star”) and for Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey’s extensions?

First off, I don’t think the Pistons are eager to get into the first round. For as much as Detroit has been in the lottery the last decade, I’d imagine the front office is content with drafting early in the second round at No. 37.

If I woke up tomorrow and was somehow in Langdon’s position, I’d undoubtedly build around the young core.

Cunningham is coming off his best season. He led the Pistons to six games against the potential Eastern Conference champions, the New York Knicks, and is not yet in his prime. Based on Duren’s strong second half of the season and Ivey’s being on pace to have a career season before his injury, I’d offer Duren and Ivey rookie-scale extensions this summer.

Beasley and Dennis Schröder would be my priorities to re-sign. And rather than making a big swing for a player such as Devin Booker or Giannis Antetokounmpo, I’d keep an eye on players like Naz Reid and Santi Aldama in free agency. While both are restricted free agents and will likely be a priority for their teams, they’d both be ideal players to be the Pistons’ long-term option at the power forward.

If neither Reid nor Aldama is available, Detroit’s options become more limited on the unrestricted market. But in that case, I’d still prioritize a stretch four or a secondary scorer to aid the bench unit when Beasley doesn’t have it rolling.

This team has too much untapped potential in Cunningham, Ivey, Thompson, Duren and Holland to blow this core up.

Trajan Langdon preached patience, but we are fans and that’s not our job. Who would be a potential Pistons trade target if they want to significantly upgrade the PF position, and what’s a reasonable asking price? — Kendall C.

To go against what I said above, if there was one player I’d suggest the Pistons go after via trade this summer, it would be Jabari Smith Jr. Given the success of Thompson’s twin brother, Amen, and the logjam of wings the Houston Rockets have from Tari Eason to Amen to Smith, I’d gauge the Rockets’ interest in trading him.

Smith is listed at 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan and is a 34 percent 3-point shooter over his three years in the NBA. Smith turned 22 on May 13 and would arguably be a better long-term fit at the power forward spot for the Pistons than Reid and Aldama, given Smith’s defensive versatility.

His asking price would likely be steep. Houston would definitely ask for youthful potential in return, whether that be Ivey, Thompson to match with his brother or Duren. I’m not sure Detroit’s front office would feel the return in Smith would be worth losing any members of its core. But the thought of Smith being able to stretch the floor alongside Cunningham is intriguing.

Can Jaden Ivey turn into the two-way player they need him to be for the franchise to take a jump to a legit contender? The 40 percent on 3FGA was a good sign, but can he bring the perimeter defense to help slow the Brunsons, Mitchells, and Haliburtons of the East? — Ben C.

I don’t want to solely put the responsibility of turning the Pistons into a legit title contender on Ivey, because more will need to happen around the team than him taking a jump on both sides. But, I do believe he will turn into the backcourt running mate Cunningham needs for Detroit to be in the top half of the East standings.

Especially given how confident Ivey looked shooting 3s, both off the dribble and in catch-and-shoot situations, I think his offensive game is due for a leap. There’s a short list of players who can stay in front of him, considering his quickness, which he showed signs of translating on the defensive end.

Bickerstaff won’t accept less than Ivey’s best effort on either side of the ball, but especially defensively once he returns. Ivey has all of the tools, from his quickness to his added strength, to become one of the better perimeter defenders currently in the league.

In addition, Ivey has been in the rehab process since April. Similar to Thompson, this will be the most time Ivey has had in his career to rehabilitate, get stronger and improve his game. I’m expecting Ivey to look even better than he did last season and eventually make himself and Cunningham one of the most talented backcourt duos in the East.

With size making a comeback in the NBA, especially in the playoffs, do the Pistons need to get two more bigs to balance their roster? — Eric F.

Independent of what’s going on around the league, I think the Pistons must add height. No one on Detroit’s roster during 2024-25 was listed at 7 feet tall. While Duren and Stewart are a formidable big man tandem that rebounds and defends well as a unit, the Pistons should be looking to add size this offseason.

Even if it’s a player like Steven Adams to potentially replace Paul Reed’s minutes, Detroit needs more height next season.

Pull out your crystal ball. It’s four years from now. Where are the Pistons in 2029? In the Eastern Conference finals with a good chance of making it to the NBA finals and winning? Same as now? Worse? And name the starting 5 for that team. — David Z.

My genie hat is now on. And I see the Pistons competing for the East in 2029, barring any major injuries. The West has historically been the more competitive conference, so Detroit’s ability to compete to win it all has a lot to do with how the West shakes out.

But the East is seemingly as open as it’s been in some time going into next season. The Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks could be favorites, considering they’re in the East Finals. Unfortunately for the Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum is out for the foreseeable future and given the Celtics’ payroll, the team may be forced to look different next season.

Will Giannis Antetokounmpo be with the Milwaukee Bucks or even in the East long term? Who knows.

By then, if the Pistons can make the contracts all work, I see the starting lineup being Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Duren at center and Detroit will need to round out the power forward spot. If they’re been able to maintain their core that long, I’d see Holland being the main contributor off the bench.

What’s the biggest thing you learned about the NBA/basketball in your first season covering the Pistons? What surprised you most? — Austin A.

I’ve been watching the NBA since I was really young, and played from the time I was able to dribble a ball. So, not much about the game itself surprised me.

I was more surprised by how down-to-earth the players on this team are. I had no relationships with any of the players or coaches before taking this job. Now, from the starters to the two-way players, I’ve been able to develop relationships. Being on the road for each away game, I see them pretty much daily, but I didn’t expect any of them to be as personable as they have been.

There really weren’t any players this season who weren’t approachable. This is a genuine group of people, from J.B. Bickerstaff to Cade Cunningham to Bobi Klintman.

(Photo of Malik Beasley and Ausar Thompson: Brian Sevald / NBAE via Getty Images)

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