Seeing estimates that we have about $8m to work with.

Could totally see signing Monta, if Bucks would agree to S&T for Stuckey or CV.

Free agent shooters/scorers that could be possibilities (for WAY less than $8m):

Wayne Ellington
Anthony Morrow
Daequan Cook
Aaron Brooks
Chauncey
Nick Young
Alan Anderson
Randy Foye
Pussfino (signed with Bucks)
Gary Neal
Mo Williams
Teague

(Forgive me if any of these bros have signed elsewhere already)


Could/would Joe go after Brandon Jennings?

Curious thought here - feel free to blast me. I see that Denver just signed JJ Hickson, I imagine intending to play him next to Faried as their front line. They're also stinging a bit from the loss of Iguodala. I always think big, and I'm dreaming of a 4-team deal with Denver, Boston, and Toronto that somehow ends up with Detroit trading Monroe, Charlie V, and Stuckey (plus picks, maybe Knight) and ending up with Rondo, Gay, and Javale McGee. I hate the idea of McGee because his contract is dreadful and he's really not that good, but it's part of the price you pay for bringing in two stars to partner with Drummond and Pope as the future of the franchise. I think Detroit would need to clear about another 7 million to make it work. I don't know if they could do that and still have a roster though.

I'm grasping for straws because the free agent crop is dreadful.

I like your train of thought. but there's no way Monroe, Charlie v, and stuckey would land us rondo, gay, and javalle McGee. that would be amazing but I don't see any way the other teams involved in this hypothetical situation could justify that move. we're basically trading a really solid young big man and some spare parts for 2 allstars and a really solid big man in his own right.

that sounds cool as a piston fan but completely unbalanced from the other teams' perspectives.

Yeah, if we could get just Rondo for that package I'd be pretty happy, even if we have to take on McGee's deal.

I know. I started down a road and got tangled up. The road I started on was one in which I think perhaps the best candidate as a stop-gap (my opinion of what even the return of Calderon would have been) might be Andre Miller. So I started thinking what would it take to land him? I don't think the Nuggets are too concerned about him with Lawson there and I thought I read that he may be shopped around. I'm not sure they love McGee based on him getting less than 20 minutes per game, his huge contract, and the Hickson signing. So I thought what about our two expiring contracts for Miller and McGee? Then I realized that really crowds our frontcourt (though it gives us a solid and young 4 man rotation there) and plus it means Denver takes back 2 million more than they ship out, so a 3rd team might be needed. Then I remember reading that if Detroit wanted to get Gay or Rondo they would likely need a 3rd team. I got me thinking more, along the lines of perhaps if Detroit were willing to part with some of the actually marketable pieces they may be able to do some real damage. Shortly after that is when things got derailed. At least now you can see the conception of the idea. I simply feel Denver would be thrilled to get out from under that contract.

Jimmer is another possibility.

Is no one concerned about Rondo's injury?

Is no one concerned about Rondo's injury?


No.

ACL is sorta like having a tooth pulled these days, especially when it's only a partial tear like Godndo's.

Agree with Glan Damnzig.

i have to admit i haven't watched these guys much in the last 2 years. but nick young was seemingly a rising star early on with the wizards. what happened to him?

as for PGs, i know joe liked mo williams years ago when he was coming out. he would be a solid vet/backup type.

i really want some shooters so a backup PG who can shoot and a 2/3 that can shoot would be awesome. still hoping we can dump stuckey and charlie v as both players would simply occupy space. particularly stuckey- he doesn't fit what we're trying to do going forward IMO.

sorry i can't let this go, but i wish we had somehow landed eric bledsoe. put him on this team right now and we have a young core that could seriously be a playoff spoiler and has really good potential beyond that in another year or so.

anyway, i'm excited to see our next move....

I'm somewhat interested in Mo Williams as well, but I have a bad feeling about it. I'm not sure there's anything to back it up but I just get a bad chemistry/locker room vibe from him. Speaking of which - with Nick Young I don't want anyone from that Arenas and Co. Wizards gun pulling locker room. Who was the other guy? Javaris Crittendon?

I like the idea of trying someone young/cheap like Ellington or Jimmer (could he be the new Jon Barry?). I agree that Nick Young is intriguing, too.

These cheaper pieces should come after our last "big" move though, would hate to miss out on a bargain/opportunity because we gave some chump a $2.5m deal.

Would still love to pillage a team in cap/tax hell in a trade.

How much is Gary Neal going to get?

Just found this, which mentions the same guys that I am.

http://www.mlive.com/pistons/index.ssf/2013/07/randy_foye_gary_neal_and_even.html

lol nick young was not involved in that incident. pretty sure that happened a couple of years before he was even drafted by the wiz. and ya- that beef was between arenas and crittendon....who i believe is in jail now. or did i imagine that....?

Do Pistons have enough free money next year to sign another max player

I struggle with the cap math, always have.

Wish we still had Pharaoh and chanes.

This is from last week, but things have changed since then with our signings:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1691815-rebuilding-nba-teams-that-should-save-cap-space-for-2014-offseason/page/2

This is a helpful page, too:
http://www.hoopsworld.com/detroit-pistons-team-salary

I think we might just barely if hoopsHype's numbers are right? If we could dump Jonas's contract we would for sure I think.

Hoopshype has us at $37.66 for next year. Guessing: add 2.2 for KCP, 1.5 for luigi and we're at 41.36. Maybe $1M each for Siva and Mitchell if they make it....gives us 43.36 for 14 players. $2M Cap hold for a first rounder if we keep it gives us 45.36.....Cap around $59M Looks about right. KING!

We could also use the pick to induce someone to take Jerebko's contract from us....or if we're out of lottery, we don't get the pick anyways, it goes to Charlotte I think so there's $2M there.

Don't quote me on any of this...

I think we might just barely if hoopsHype's numbers are right? If we could dump Jonas's contract we would for sure I think.

Hoopshype has us at $37.66 for next year. Guessing: add 2.2 for KCP, 1.5 for luigi and we're at 41.36. Maybe $1M each for Siva and Mitchell if they make it....gives us 43.36 for 14 players. $2M Cap hold for a first rounder if we keep it gives us 45.36.....Cap around $59M Looks about right. KING!

We could also use the pick to induce someone to take Jerebko's contract from us....or if we're out of lottery, we don't get the pick anyways, it goes to Charlotte I think so there's $2M there.

Don't quote me on any of this...

uh oh

I think the protection on the Charlotte pick is top 8

I will quote Vinny on all of that.

I think the protection on the Charlotte pick is top 8
It is but I was thinking in terms of if we're out of the lottery, we lose it no matter what....If we're in the lottery, we don't know if we keep it or not until the lottery so we couldn't plan for whether we'd be taking the hit or not. Didn't really think that through too long so if it doesn't make sense please correct me.

So it looks like we have some money to play with next year too. Nice. I was looking at the Knicks salary situation. I can't believe Amare has 2 years and $45 mil left. What a ridiculous contract.

LLTP:
After presser, Joe D made it clear roster isn't finished. Trades more likely to start in August, after FA smoke clears.