Earlier this week, contract details on the Detroit Lions’ re-signing of Malcolm Rodriguez came out, and if you were to just look at the Over The Cap outline of the deal, it would probably be pretty confusing.
Detroit, MI
10 prospects Pistons should consider at pick No. 37 in NBA Draft
Detroit — The Detroit Pistons currently have one pick (second round, No. 37 overall) entering the NBA Draft. Unless president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon makes a significant move, the Pistons will remain quiet as they enter Day 2 of the draft on Thursday.
Despite not having a first-round selection, Langdon believes the Pistons still have a great chance to add an impactful player. Heading into Wednesday’s first round, here are 10 prospects the Pistons might be able to add with their lone draft selection.
▶ Johni Broome, center, 6-9, 249, Auburn
Broome seems like the most impactful prospect the Pistons might be able to draft with the No. 37 pick. He is one of the best defensive big men in this draft class, leading the SEC in blocks with 154 over the previous two years while averaging 17.5 points per game and 9.7 rebounds.
Langdon recently stressed the importance of building depth, especially during the Pistons’ first-round series when Paul Reed took the lead on replacing Isaiah Stewart’s production against the New York Knicks. Reed is among the few players to enter free agency in July. Adding Broome would provide Detroit with a dependable backup option if Reed departs.
“We were fortunate that we had Paul,” Langdon said. “I think if we didn’t have a guy as talented as Paul, another player would not have been able to hold water like Paul did for us at that time.”
▶ Ryan Kalkbrenner, center, 7-1, 252, Creighton
Kalkbrenner’s height makes him one of the most intriguing Day 2 prospects. At 7-foot-1, he is a dependable rebounder and rim protector who could keep the Pistons’ defense afloat when called upon by coach J.B. Bickerstaff. During his five-year career at Creighton, Kalkbrenner averaged 6.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks. He also developed into a solid stretch big after shooting a career-best 34.4% on 3-pointers last season.
▶ Rasheer Fleming, forward, 6-9, 240, Saint Joseph’s
Fleming has been projected as a late first-round pick, but some mock drafts have the third-year forward falling to Day 2. As a Swiss Army knife, Fleming is one of the top hidden gems who could be a second-round steal. He is coming off a career season where he averaged 14.7 points and 8.5 rebounds in 35 games for Saint Joseph’s.
▶ Koby Brea, forward, 6-6, 202, Kentucky
Brea might be the best shooter the Pistons can target at their draft position. In one season at Kentucky he made 43.5% of his 3-point attempts while averaging 11.6 points per game and led the SEC in 3-point shooting percentage. Proving that he was one of the best shooting wings in the nation, Brea shot 43.4% from beyond the arc during his four seasons at Dayton.
▶ Kobe Sanders, forward, 6-9, 207, Nevada
Sanders is a dynamic offensive weapon that fits Langdon’s mold of intriguing wings. He has great size and shooting ability — two essential attributes Langdon highlighted on Tuesday. After transferring to Nevada from Cal Poly, Sanders scored an average of 15.8 points on 46.0% shooting from the field and 34.2% from deep. He is also an underrated playmaker who averaged 4.5 assists last season.
▶ Bogoljub Markovic, forward, 6-11, 190, Serbia
Markovic is another wing who fits Langdon’s criteria for the draft. He is a sharp-shooting forward who shot 37.0% from behind the arc while playing in the Adriatic League. Markovic is also a respectable rebounder, averaging 6.8 boards.
▶ Chaz Lanier, guard, 6-4, 206, Tennessee
Lanier is a prospect who could hear his name called in either round of the draft. He has the intangibles to improve the Pistons’ backcourt depth, especially when it comes to his 3-point shooting. He averaged 18.0 points on 39.5% shooting from behind the arc in his only season at Tennessee.
▶ Ben Saraf, guard, 6-5, 200, Israel
Saraf is a crafty playmaker and one of the best pure point guards in this year’s draft. He averaged 4.3 assists as a member of Ratiopharm Ulm, showcasing his skill set as a young guard who has excellent vision and feel for the game as a floor general.
▶ Tyrese Proctor, guard, 6-4, 183, Duke
Proctor could be one of the biggest steals in the second round. He is one of the best two-way guards who established himself as a reliable secondary ball-handler. As the lead point guard for a stacked Duke team, Proctor averaged 12.4 points and 2.2 assists as a junior.
▶ Javon Small, guard, 6-1, 190, West Virginia
Small possesses all of the ingredients to develop into a dependable secondary guard. With two years of experience in the Big 12, Small averaged a combined 16.8 points and 4.8 assists while at Oklahoma State (2023-24) and West Virginia (2024-25). He can also hold his own on the defensive end as a solid perimeter defender.
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Detroit, MI
Lions save nearly $1.3 million with Malcolm Rodriguez contract trick
Rodriguez has a salary of over $2.5 million—all guaranteed—a signing bonus of $137,500, and a workout bonus of $50,000. Combine all of those, and it should equal a salary cap hit of a combined $2.7 million. Yet, per OTC, the Lions’ cap charge for Rodriguez’s deal is just $1,402,5000.
There are no void years. This isn’t a misprint. The Lions are just using a salary cap stipulation that rewards teams for developing players and staying loyal to them.
How to qualify for the Four-Year Player Qualifying Contract
The relevant Collective Bargaining Agreement rule is called the “Four-Year Player Qualifying Contract.” You can read the entire terms of this rule, but here’s the short of it. In order to qualify for this advantage, a player has to have:
Four or more Credited Seasons whose contract with a Club has expired after four or more years of continuous, uninterrupted service with that Club
In Rodriguez’s case, he played through the entirety of his four-year rookie contract, so both he and the team are certainly eligible for this benefit.
What is the actual benefit?
Essentially, a team can award a one-year contract to these players that acts as a veteran minimum salary deal when it comes to the overall cap hit, but they are able to increase these players’ salaries from the minimum by a fixed number that will not count against the cap.
In Rodriguez’s case, the veteran minimum for a player with four accrued seasons is $1,215,000. According to the CBA, for the 2026 season, the “Four-Year Player Qualifying Contract” can increase the salary by a maximum of an extra $1.55 million.
So if you look at the actual cap hit, it’s based on that veteran minimum salary:
Vet minimum salary: $1,215,000
Signing bonus: $137,500
Workout bonus: $50,000
Add those together, and you get $1,402,500—Rodriguez’s cap hit for 2026.
But the actual payment Rodriguez will be getting in 2026 is this:
Actual salary: $2,562,500
Signing bonus: $137,500
Workout bonus: $50,000
For a total of $2,700,000 in earnings. In short, the Lions are saving nearly $1.3 million by using this salary cap tool. And for Rodriguez, the benefit is that everything but the workout bonus is guaranteed. Note that no player is obligated to accept this kind of contract, but for a player like Rodriguez, who is coming off an injury-shortened season, it’s a nice little guaranteed payday that he may not have been able to get elsewhere. And for the Lions, it’s a way to pay a player his value while also getting some savings on cap space.
This isn’t the first time the Lions have used this cap trick. They used it with Jalen Reeves-Maybin back in 2021, and they’ll likely use it again.
Detroit, MI
3 Trades That Would Instantly Elevate Detroit Lions
With a majority of the big name free agents off the board, the focus for the Detroit Lions becomes acquiring depth or players that have a plus side as starters.
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The Lions have addressed two glaring holes so far in free agency, with the signings of Cade Mays and Tyler Conklin plugging holes at center and tight end depth, respectively. Now, the focus for acquiring talent can be with remaining free agents or the NFL Draft.
However, there is a third option that general manager Brad Holmes can explore. The Detroit Lions can look to acquire the crucial depth and starting-level talent with trades.
Trades do require giving up players or picks to acquire talent, and here are players that Holmes can trade draft picks for this year. These are players on the last year of their contract with their current team’s.
Safety Jeremy Chinn (Las Vegas Raiders)
Jeremy Chinn would provide a crucial depth piece at safety with the Lions facing an unknown future and Week 1 status for starters Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch, along with reserve Dan Jackson missing all of 2025.
Chinn signed with the Las Vegas in free agency before last season, and he took a two year deal with $12 million guaranteed. With the Raiders pressing against the cap, especially after the Maxx Crosby trade was revoked by Baltimore, Chinn could be a trade piece to help offset their spending spree.
The one concern for Detroit here is that Chinn missed the ending two games of the 2025 season with a back injury after 114 tackles and two forced fumbles in 15 starts. He is productive, but another player off the injured reserve could scare away the Lions as a suitor.
OT Dawand Jones (Cleveland Browns)
Jones is a player facing an uncertain future after seeing his season shut down in September last year with a knee injury. Cleveland made the former Buckeyes’ status even more cloudy with a trade for Tytus Howard earlier this offseason.
The Lions have their own uncertain future at offensive tackle, with longtime stalwart Taylor Decker released to free agency. The Lions did acquire Larry Borom during the free agency cycle, and his contract suggests he is a swing tackle option that can start. However, Borom is a downgrade from Taylor Decker in terms of tackle production.
Additionally, depth is needed beyond Borom, as tackle Giovanni Manu struggled in his limited appearances in 2025 before ending the year injured.
Jones provides a proven right tackle option, as he earned All-Rookie honors at right tackle after an injury to Jack Conklin forced him into a starting role as a fourth-round pick.
The concern on Jones is, much like Chinn, his injuries. He has ended the year on injured reserve for lower body injuries in all three seasons in the league, in addition to needing an offseason knee surgery last February.
CB Deontae Banks (New York Giants)
Banks is a former first round selection that has struggled to meet expectations since entering the league out of Maryland, and enters his fourth season with the Giants recently announcing there was no consideration of picking up his fifth year option.
He struggled in 2025, with his limited snaps having little to show for them. Banks ranked No. 112 of 114 qualifying corners among PFF grades last season, despite only ranking 88th of the 114 in snaps.
However, he has speed and athleticism, along with a knack for returning kicks. Last season saw the athlete blaze in his first career touchdown, which is a spot that is now a need for Detroit after Kalif Raymond left to reunite with Ben Johnson in Chicago.
The Giants might be looking to ship Banks off before losing him for no cost, with his current play unlikely to even factor in for a seventh-round compensatory selection. With Detroit needing depth at corner and a potential starting return man, Banks provides hidden value for Detroit.
Detroit, MI
Report: Cade Cunningham suffers collapse lung, out for extended period of time
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 31: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons looks to drive around Olivier-Maxence Prosper #8 of the Dallas Mavericks during the second half at Little Caesars Arena on January 31, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit won th
(FOX 2) – Detroit’s star point guard Cade Cunningham is expected to miss an extended period of time after being diagnosed with a collapsed lung.
First reported by ESPN, the loss to the Pistons’ offense happens as the NBA’s regular season reaches its conclusion.
Big picture view:
Cunningham appeared to suffer a back injury during Detroit’s game against the Washington Wizards. He played a little more before being subbed out for the rest of the game.
Cunningham has led the Pistons to its best season in years. The Pistons are currently seeded No. 1 in the Eastern Conference.
It’s possible he could be back in time for the playoffs, but much of his condition is unknown.
The Source: ESPN first reported the injury update.
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