The Detroit Pistons finished the regular season with the best record in the Eastern Conference. But, they were ultimately bested in seven games in the conference semifinals by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
As a result, the Pistons will likely look to upgrade the roster around star guard Cade Cunningham over the offseason. One way to do that would be to land a big fish in free agency.
Detroit Pistons Named Landing Spot for Austin Reaves in Free Agency
GettyOKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – MAY 07: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers works against Cason Wallace #22 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first quarter in Game Two of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Paycom Center on May 07, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)
The Pistons were recently listed as a potential surprise free agency landing spot for Los Angeles Lakers star guard Austin Reaves by Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report.
Reaves has a $14 million player option for the 2026-27 NBA season that he is widely expected to turn down in favor of unrestricted free agency. At that point, Reaves would be free to sign wherever he wants, and that’s where the Pistons could come in.
“But the Detroit Pistons may need his services even more than L.A., and they can get to over $40 million in cap space if they decline some smaller team options and renounce the free agency rights to Duncan Robinson and Paul Reed,” Bailey wrote.
“Both of those players offer real value to the rotation, but Reaves can replace a lot of the shooting provided by Robinson, while also being able to take a ball-handling pressure off of Cade Cunningham. … Detroit would have to nail the rest of the offseason with minimum and cap exceptions, but a top two of Cunningham and Reaves would be far more dangerous than the one it had this season.”
While Reaves would certainly be a nice addition for the Pistons, actually acquiring him could prove easier said than done for Detroit.
Lakers Want to Keep Austin Reaves in Los Angeles
The Pistons might not actually get a chance to pursue Reaves, as the Lakers have made it abundantly clear that they want to re-sign him to a new deal over the offseason, and Reaves has also expressed a desire to remain in L.A.
“He started his journey here as a Laker and has made it very clear to us that he wants his journey to continue as a Laker,” Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said of Reaves earlier this month. “And we feel the same way. We want his odyssey to continue to unfold in the purple and gold. … Both sides have made it abundantly clear that we want to work something out where he continues his prolific career here.”
At this point it would be a surprise if Reaves signed anywhere other than in L.A., but the Pistons are a team to keep in mind in case things fall apart between Reaves and the Lakers.
Detroit Pistons Named Landing Spot for Los Angeles Lakers Star in Free Agency