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Detroit Pistons 2021 Roster: What the Team Looks Like After All Trades and Free Agency Signings

Published 11/21/2020, 7:40 AM EST

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The Detroit Pistons are headed into the 2020/21 NBA season after making ample changes to their roster. These trades and signings came in light of the fact that the franchise finished 13th in the Western Conference. With more firepower for the upcoming season, there are high hopes riding on the 3x NBA champs.

Numerous players from the Pistons’ 2020 roster have been shown the exit door. The front office has made drastic chances via newly hired General Manager Troy Weaver. However, the franchise wisely used their #7 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft to select International prospect, Killian Hayes

Furthermore, the team acquired two-more first-round picks (#16 and #19). Weaver used them to select Isaiah Stewart and Saddiq Bey respectively. The team struck an agreement with the Utah Jazz and received the 38th overall pick through which they picked Vanderbilt point-guard Saben Lee. 

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Detroit Pistons 2020 Transactions: Players Signed via Trades and Free-Agency

The Pistons went all-out to add to the madness during the 2020 NBA free-agency. They brought in various talents into the roster, but a lot of them have filled up the center position. For instance, they signed free-agent Jahlil Okafor, who previously played for the New Orleans Pelicans

Then, the Pistons also made a quick deal with the Utah Jazz during the draft that included their 38th overall pick and center Tony Bradley in exchange for future considerations. 

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Furthermore, the Pistons also signed big-man Mason Plumlee from the Denver Nuggets via free-agency. The Indiana native saw his deal expire with Denver and opted out of an extension. He chose to join the Pistons in a three-year deal worth $25 million.

The team acquired another center amid the overflow of signings when they traded out Tony Snell to the Atlanta Hawks in return for 7-foot Dewayne Dedmon.

Moving on, the Pistons swooped into the market and sealed the services of Jerami Grant, a super explosive and talented forward. Grant excelled with the Nuggets who even offered him the same money as the Pistons, but the free-agent chose to sign with Detroit. 

The Pistons gambled big in the free-agency market to load up their roster for the 2020/21 season. The front office was reported to be finalizing a deal with Josh Jackson, a talented forward with a promising career. The Detroit native will sign a two-year deal with the team. 

The Pistons also received 6’5” guard Delon Wright through a three-team trade involving the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

Detroit also received Clippers guard Rodney McGruder in yet another three-team trade. Furthermore, the team traded guard Bruce Brown in exchange for Bosnian forward Dzanan Musa and a second-round 2021 draft pick from the Brooklyn Nets.

The Pistons added more talent to their roster when they signed free-agent LiAngelo Ball on a one-year non-guaranteed deal.

Players lost

The Pistons gave up Christian Wood in order to free up cap space for their brand new signings. Wood spent only one season in Detroit, but he’s made a move to the Houston Rockets via a sign-and-trade from the Pistons. 

The Pistons received Trevor Ariza from the Rockets as a part of the trade, but they quickly re-routed him. The management sent the NBA veteran to OKC in a three-team trade which saw the Pistons getting Delon Wright. This was Ariza’s fourth team swap within a week. 

Detroit was obliged to send Luke Kennard to the Clippers as a part of the trade that brought in Rodney McGruder. Likewise, the Nets received combo guard Bruce Brown in return for Dzanan Musa.

The team then traded out Tony Snell and Khyri Thomas in return for big-man Dewayne Dedmon. Dedmon added to the growing center players in the team, while Snell left Detroit after just one season with the franchise. 

The Pistons have signed a list of players who can contribute along the way. Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin will once again lead the way, but this time they have plenty of back-up to fill in. Where will the Pistons finish this season?

2021 Detriot Pistons Roster

Backcourt

LiAngelo Ball (G)

Wayne Ellington (G)

Killian Hayes (G)

Josh Jackson (G/F)

Saben Lee (G)

Rodney McGruder (G)

Dzanan Musa (G)

Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (G)

Derrick Rose (G)

Deividas Sirvydis (G/F)

Delon Wright (G)

Frontcourt

Saddiq Bey (F)

Sekou Doumbouya (F)

Jerami Grant (F)

Blake Griffin (F)

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Louis King (F)

Anthony Lamb (F)

Jahlil Okafor (F/C)

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Mason Plumlee (F/C)

Isaiah Stewart (F/C)

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Written by:

Arjun Athreya

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Arjun Athreya is a senior writer at Essentially Sports and has been contributing since early 2020. Having developed an avid interest in sports at an early age, he pursued a Journalism degree and graduated from Madras Christian College. Arjun manages the Golf division and its content, and primarily covers news pertaining to the NBA as well.
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