The offseason is here for the Detroit Pistons. The team already has some important decisions to make before next season starts.
After more than tripling their regular-season win total and winning the franchise’s first playoff games in 17 years, the 2024-25 Pistons bowed out in the first round to the New York Knicks in six games, but not without exorcising their playoff demons (and suffering some controversial calls along the way).
Much of the team’s success that turned into an unlikely playoff appearance can be credited to key role players, many soon entering free agency. They include a record-setting shot-maker, a playoff-tested floor general and a former Wolverine who started all 83 games he appeared in this season.
All of them should get attention on the free agent market. The Pistons, per HoopsHype, have the second-lowest dedicated payroll for the 2025-26 season, with around $19 million in cap space plus the $14.1 million non-tax midlevel exception and $5.1 million biannual exception available to use.
Here’s the breakdown of the upcoming Pistons free agents (age as of Oct. 1, 2025):
SG Malik Beasley
Age: 28.
Salary: $6 million.
The buzz: The prolific shooter signed with the Pistons before this past season on a one-year, $6 million deal, and it was one of the most economical free-agent deals in franchise history. Not only was Beasley the only Pistons player to appear in all 82 regular-season games, he also smashed the franchise record with 319 made 3s in a season (the previous record was held by Saddiq Bey, with 211 in 2021-22).
Beasley, who finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting, almost single-handedly raised Detroit’s 3-point making from 29th in the league in 2023-24 (11 per game) to 20th in the league in 2024-25 (12.7 per game). And since 3-point shooting fits on every team, Beasley will be one of the most sought-after free agents in the offseason.
That could be bad news for the Pistons if Detroit enters a bidding war, as the Pistons have a growing list of young players who will need new contracts soon. But on the other hand, Beasley already stated his desire to come back to Detroit in a recent Players’ Tribune article. He could be president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon’s top free-agent target, and should interest several other teams.
Beasley has non-Bird rights, meaning the maximum starting salary he can sign for with the Pistons is $7.2 million, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. However, the team can use cap space or dip into that non-tax midlevel exception ($14.1 million) to sign him to more money.
SG Tim Hardaway Jr.
Age: 33.
Salary: $16.19 million.
The buzz: Much like Beasley, Hardaway also arrived to the Pistons this past offseason, though via a trade on the last year of his four-year, $75 million deal he signed with the Mavericks in 2021.
And like Beasley, Hardaway was a key contributor. His 83 total games started trailed only Jalen Duren (84) for the most on the team, while he finished second on the team in 3-pointers made (168, tied for ninth-most in a season in franchise history).
Because Hardaway is 33 years old, he won’t command a contract as high as his last one, meaning he might be a reasonably-priced shooter Detroit could prioritize should Beasley sign with a different team (or maybe they’ll keep both).
PG Dennis Schröder
Age: 32.
Salary: $13.03 million.
The buzz: If Schröder ends up on a different team next season, it won’t be a new feeling for him since the veteran technically was on four different teams this year (playing for three).
But he arguably made his biggest impact for the Pistons as the team’s backup point guard once he arrived via a midseason trade. In 28 regular-season games for Detroit, Schröder averaged 10.8 points and 5.3 assists per game, with his assist numbers behind only Cade Cunningham for the team lead.
Schröder also played a huge role for the team in the playoffs, hitting key shots in the final minutes of a Game 2 victory over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. For a team with one of the youngest cores in the league, signing a veteran ballhandler might be a priority this offseason, and Schröder has shown the chops to be that player.
C Paul Reed
Age: 26.
Salary: $1.43 million.
The buzz: With only 45 games played and zero starts, Reed didn’t get as much playing time or shine as the third center behind Duren or Isaiah Stewart. But the fifth-year reserve was thrust into the spotlight after Stewart’s late-season injury caused him to miss Games 2-6. Reed, undersized at 6 feet 9 and 210 pounds, chipped in with his usual energy and handsy defensive plays in the playoffs, averaging 10.6 minutes in five games with 2.8 points, three rebounds and a steal.
The Pistons roster could benefit from retaining Reed next season. However, considering the Pistons already waived him in December before re-signing him for less money, they also might not commit to Reed.
The rest
Two more players on Detroit’s roster will be free agents heading into next season: Lindy Waters III and two-way contract player Daniss Jenkins.
Waters came over in the Jimmy Butler trade that eventually brought Schröder to Detroit and appeared in 14 games for the Pistons this season while making the postseason roster. Jenkins, meanwhile, was an undrafted rookie who spent most of his season with the G-League Motor City Cruise (though he did play in seven games with the Pistons this season). He is a restricted free agent.
When is NBA free agency 2025? Start date
The NBA allows teams to start negotiating with the free agents on their rosters the day after the end of the NBA Finals. Key dates to know:
- June 30: NBA teams may begin negotiating with all other upcoming free agents beginning at 6 p.m. ET.
- July 6: NBA teams may begin signing free agents to contracts at 12:01 p.m.
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