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3 predictions for what Detroit Pistons will do in 2024 NBA free agency

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3 predictions for what Detroit Pistons will do in 2024 NBA free agency


Detroit Pistons enter Sunday evening and the start of 2024 NBA free agency with the second-most cap space, behind only the big-fish hunting Philadelphia 76ers.

Not many other teams are swimming in cap space, positioning the Pistons for rare flexibility to serve as a dumping ground for unwanted salary in exchange for draft capital, and/or to take shots at luring a few mid-to-lower tier free agents by outbidding other cash-strapped teams.

The NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, signed one year ago, restricts high-spending teams with numerous hard caps. Accordingly, the Pistons have already made two deals to take on salary, moving up 16 spots in the second round Thursday in exchange for taking on Wendell Moore Jr., and on Friday receiving three future second-round picks for acquiring Tim Hardaway Jr.’s overpriced contract and sending back Quentin Grimes.

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With that in mind, here are some Pistons predictions for free agency, the first under new president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon:

THE PRIMER: Pistons in NBA free agency: Cap space priorities, 8 names to watch

Detroit Pistons free agency predictions

  • Re-sign Simone Fontecchio: The Pistons on Saturday tendered Fontecchio his $5.2 million qualifying offer, a procedural formality officially making him a restricted free agent. This allows the Pistons to match any offer sheet from another team that he signs. Although Fontecchio was acquired in February for the No. 31 pick and Gabriele Procida by the previous regime, led by Troy Weaver, he proved to be a solid addition to a Pistons team desperate for any semblance of a two-way wing. He shot 40.1% last season from 3-point range in 66 games between Utah and the Pistons. Any deal for around $15 million per year over three or four years is reasonable.
  • Don’t splurge on Tobias Harris or any other over 30 big name: Just because the Pistons have money to spend does not mean they should throw a gigantic bag at anyone who will take it — especially if that player is on the downside of their career. It would be a huge mistake to take on long-term salary in a trade, like Jerami Grant from Portland (four years, $132 million), or give out a mammoth three-year, $75ish million contract to a “big name” like Tobias Harris. The Pistons should focus on short-term money in any veteran trade, as they did in taking on Hardaway’s $16 million expiring salary, or shoot lower for a role player in free agency like New Orleans forward Naji Marshall, who has plenty of familiarity with Langdon, or a low-cost center like Goga Bitadze (for defense) or Moritz Wagner (for shooting). At his introductory news conference, Langdon said the Pistons would not “skip steps” — let’s see if that holds true in his debut free agency as a lead decision maker. There should be gems to find with the market potentially collapsing for solid bench players due to the CBA constraints.
  • Add more shooting: The Pistons once again eschewed 3-point shooting by drafting Holland. They must surround Cade Cunningham with a lights out 3-point threat. He’s currently saddled by several non-shooters in Holland, Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren or those who don’t pull away defenders (Jaden Ivey, Isaiah Stewart). The Pistons should look hard at Malik Beasley, Buddy Hield or Gary Harris, or go further down the free agent list to Luke Kennard or even Seth Curry. A one-year overpay might suffice for any of the first three names above, but a balloon payment for two years with a team option on the second year (like Indiana did with Bruce Brown Jr. last summer) would give the Pistons flexibility and greater salary matching ability to use in a future trade.

THE NEW GUY: Pistons abruptly hire J.B. Bickerstaff as head coach

When does NBA free agency start?

Free agency opens Sunday at 6 p.m. ET, with negotiations allowed between teams and all upcoming free agents. Deals can be can be signed officially starting Saturday at 12:01 p.m.

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The top free agent is Paul George, with plenty of solid starters and depth pieces on the market, including James Harden, DeMar DeRozan, Klay Thompson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

Detroit Pistons 2024 free agents 

The Pistons have several free agents, both unrestricted and restricted.

  • Simone Fontecchio, restricted (Pistons can match any offer from another team)
  • Chimezie Metu, unrestricted
  • Evan Fournier, unrestricted
  • James Wiseman, unrestricted
  • Jared Rhoden, unrestricted
  • Jaylen Nowell, unrestricted
  • Malachi Flynn, unrestricted
  • Stanley Umude, unrestricted
  • Taj Gibson, unrestricted

Make “The Pistons Pulse” your go-to Detroit Pistons podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) or watch live/on demand on YouTube.

Want more updates on the Pistons? Download our app for the latest news, alerts, eNewspaper and more.





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Detroit, MI

Craig Monroe taken off Tigers’ TV minutes after sex-abuse claims came to light

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Craig Monroe taken off Tigers’ TV minutes after sex-abuse claims came to light


Craig Monroe was removed from his role as an analyst on Tigers television and radio broadcasts last month minutes after a post on social media accused him of sexually molesting a girl in Florida, a source with knowledge of the removal told The Detroit News. The accuser said the abuse continued for years, into his years playing in Detroit.

The accuser first posted on X about the allegations last month, tagging multiple news outlets, before deleting that original post. However, according to the source with knowledge of the situation, an executive with Bally Sports Detroit had already seen the post.

At the time, Monroe was at Comerica Park preparing to work the series opener between the Tigers and Washington Nationals on June 11. Within 30 minutes of seeing the post, a Bally Sports Detroit executive demanded Monroe leave the ballpark, according to the source.

Bally Sports Detroit, which broadcasts Tigers games, and the Tigers issued a statement to The News on Tuesday, acknowledging the accusations.

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“Bally Sports Detroit and the Tigers are aware of the social-media allegations and take them seriously,” the Tigers and Bally Sports Detroit said in a jointly released statement. “As previously stated, Mr. Monroe has not been on the broadcast schedule, and that will continue on an indefinite basis. We will have no further comment and any questions should be directed to Mr. Monroe.”

Monroe hasn’t called a Tigers game since the June 9 game between the Tigers and Milwaukee Brewers in Detroit. He hasn’t posted on social media since May 8.

Bally Sports Detroit and the Tigers first acknowledged Monroe’s on-air absence in a statement to local media outlets June 21, saying he was “addressing a personal matter.”

Monroe hasn’t returned multiple messages from The News since he was removed from the air last month. The News has reached out to the woman who made the accusations on social media, via X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, and she has not responded.

The woman who detailed abuse dating back to her childhood did talk anonymously to WJBK-TV (Channel 2) for a story posted late Monday.

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Gabriella Ruiz of the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office in Florida confirmed to The News that the agency is actively investigating the woman’s claims, and it is asking anyone else with information to come forward.

Bally Sports Detroit and the Tigers are not investigating the claims; they are leaving that to the authorities, according to the source with knowledge of the situation.

The allegations date to the late 1990s, when Monroe was playing for the Texas Rangers’ minor-league organization in Port Charlotte, Florida. The woman said Monroe lived with her family when he was 20, and she was 12. Back then, it was common for players in the low levels of the minor leagues to stay with “host” families, to save on costs.

The woman posted the allegations again Thursday, and that post remains on X and Instagram. The woman posted a video Saturday expanding on her original post.

Monroe, 47, is a freelance employee who was paid on a per-game basis for his work on the Tigers’ television and radio broadcasts, with no minimum or maximum number of games in his agreement. Monroe received no health insurance or other benefits through his work on television or radio, and he is not being compensated during his absence. Bally Sports Detroit paid him for his work on TV, and the Tigers paid him for his work on radio.

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Monroe joined the Tigers’ television team in 2012, first as a studio analyst, and eventually as an on-air game analyst. He emerged in recent years as the lead TV analyst, in a rotation that now includes Kirk Gibson, Dan Petry, Carlos Pena and Todd Jones. Petry has been handling additional game work, in Monroe’s absence.

Monroe broke into the major leagues with the Rangers in 2001 and was claimed off waivers by the Tigers in 2002. A slugging outfielder, he played parts of six seasons with the Tigers, helping lead them to the 2006 World Series.

tpaul@detroitnews.com

@tonypaul1984

Staff Writer George Hunter contributed.

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Detroit, MI

Metro Detroit businesses addressing shoplifting

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Metro Detroit businesses addressing shoplifting


Businesses keep eye out for shoplifters

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Businesses keep eye out for shoplifters

01:53

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ROYAL, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) — Retailers across the country are taking action against shoplifting, including one small business in Royal Oak.

Julia Manzella is a buyer with Rail and Anchor, an eclectic shop in Royal Oak. She says a few years ago, the small business started noticing declining profits and missing merchandise, and they took action.

“To stop the theft we had to put money back into the store,” Manzella said. “So we spent thousands of dollars on a security system.”

The store started posting photos and videos of shoplifters on social media, in order to catch the crooks.

“Now we’re actually finding the people and they’re not coming back,” Manzella said. “We’re actually taking a stance on it.”

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Bloomberg reports that retail giant Target is also taking a stand. The publication cited insiders within the company who told them that Target had instructed employees to lower the threshold for confronting shoplifters from $100 to $50.

“Maybe that will help the problem if big companies like Target start taking a stand,” Manzella said. “But it will also take a lot of local agencies to start prosecuting repeat offenders.”

“I’ve had a lot of friends have to close their business because of this problem,” Manzella told CBS News Detroit. “But we’re not some small pot shop and they can’t just abuse us. We have to keep the doors open and we have to make a business.”

Target has not responded to CBS News Detroit’s requests for comment at the time this article was published.

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Detroit, MI

Gosted! Shayne Gostisbehere blows off Detroit Red Wings to sign with Carolina Hurricanes

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Gosted! Shayne Gostisbehere blows off Detroit Red Wings to sign with Carolina Hurricanes


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The Detroit Red Wings will have to find someone else to run their first power play unit.

Shayne Gostisbehere, the team’s leader in man-advantage points last season, has been lost to the Carolina Hurricanes.

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He took a pay cut from the $4.13 million he made with the Wings, but instead gets three years at $3.2 million per season. The Wings wouldn’t give the 31-year-old that many years – nor tempt him with a two-year deal at more money, apparently.

LIVE UPDATES: Detroit Red Wings tracker in NHL free agency 2024: Latest news and updates

Gostisbehere had a transformative effect on the power play, where he delivered 29 of his 51 points.

The knock on Gostisbehere, though, has always been his defense.

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The Wings instead brought in Erik Gustafsson, a 32-year-old who last played for the New York Rangers. He’s better defensively, but not as potent offensively and he’s not a power-play guy.



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