Detroit Pistons 2025 NBA free agency grades for every signing

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Detroit Pistons 2025 NBA free agency grades for every signing

Jaren Kawada · ClutchPoints

Fri, Jul 25, 2025 ·

6 min read

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The post Detroit Pistons 2025 NBA free agency grades for every signing appeared first on ClutchPoints .

Coming off their best season in a decade, the Detroit Pistons entered free agency with specific goals to improve their team ahead of the 2025-2026 season. While losing veteran guards Dennis Schroder and Tim Hardaway Jr. , they improved their roster on paper by acquiring Caris LeVert and Duncan Robinson .

LeVert and Robinson, who both played collegiately at Michigan, return to the state after establishing themselves as dependable scorers in the NBA. They each fill valuable roles on the team, with LeVert profiling as an ideal sixth man and Robinson providing the much-needed shooting to complement Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey .

The Pistons wrapped up free agency by re-signing backup center Paul Reed . Detroit re-signed Reed to a two-year, $11 million deal.

Detroit also added Tennessee sharpshooter Chaz Lanier with its lone pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Lanier, 23, will be looked at as a potentially immediate contributor after spending five years in college and developing an NBA-ready skill set.

Overall, the Pistons lost more than they gained in free agency, but it is hard to see their offseason as anything other than a success. While the Malik Beasley situation remains up in the air , the additions of LeVert and Robinson — on top of Ivey's impending return — should have fans already excited for the 2025-2026 season.

The Pistons went 44-38 in 2024-2025, marking their first winning season since finishing with the same record in 2015-2016. After years of being the doormats of the league, Detroit has its most positive preseason outlook since the end of the Chauncey Billups and Ben Wallace era. A significant portion of the Pistons' success in the upcoming season will depend on how well free agent signings Caris LeVert and Duncan Robinson perform in the 2025-2026 season.

PG/SG Caris LeVert

After looking like the future of the Brooklyn Nets early in his career, Caris LeVert is now on his fifth team in the last six seasons. LeVert signed with the Pistons in free agency , agreeing to a two-year, $29 million deal to make him the team's fifth-highest-paid player.

LeVert might not have become the star some thought he might be, but he is still one of the top bench players in the league who can rack up points on a moment's notice. Similar players like Gary Trent Jr. and Alec Burks have been effective in that role for contending teams.

The Pistons did not struggle to generate points off the bench in the 2024-2025 season, averaging 40.2 points per game, the eighth-most in the league. However, most of that production came from Schroder and Beasley, neither of whom appears to be returning. While LeVert is not the same type of playmaker as Schroder or shooter as Beasley, he is arguably a better pure scorer than both.

Ideally, LeVert will accept a sixth man role with the Pistons in 2025-2026 to fill the void Schroder left behind. But with Ivey coming off a nasty broken leg injury, the move can also be viewed as an insurance policy. Ivey was enjoying a breakout campaign before his injury, but, historically, athletic players like him have not recovered well from similar injuries. In that case, Levert will not replace Ivey, but would be a fine cushion.

There is not a lot to lose by signing a player like LeVert, particularly on this deal. His $14 million annual salary places him atop the Pistons' books, but is the lowest amount he has agreed to since inking his rookie deal.

Grade: A-

SG/SF Duncan Robinson

One day after signing LeVert and Reed, the Pistons kept the ball rolling by acquiring Duncan Robinson in a sign-and-trade deal with the Miami Heat . Detroit sent Simone Fontecchio to Miami in the deal and subsequently signed Robinson to a three-year, $48 million deal.

While Robinson is essentially a direct replacement for Beasley, as the deal was made possible due to the latter's ongoing gambling probe , according to ESPN. Detroit reportedly planned to extend Beasley with the same $48 million offer, but changed course after learning about the investigation. As such, they pursued Robinson, whom the Heat have been open to trading for the past three offseasons.

Beasley broke through with a career-high 4.4 three-pointers made per game in 2024-2025, the third-best in the league. He and Hardaway filled a crucial role as floor-spacing spot-up shooters next to Cunningham and Ivey. Expect that job to now be handed to Robinson, who should take Hardaway's spot in the starting lineup.

Robinson has been up-and-down in his career, but there is no denying his elite shooting ability. A career 39.7 percent three-point shooter, Robinson is Miami's all-time leader in three-pointers made. He is also the fastest player in NBA history to reach 1,000 threes.

The biggest issue with Robinson has always been his defense, particularly on the perimeter. With the Pistons already lacking in that area, having Cunningham, Ivey and Robinson all on the floor together could quickly go south. The Pistons are banking on scoring a lot of points in 2025-2026, which is where Robinson can help, but the results on the other end of the floor could ultimately hurt them in the long run.

Grade: B+

C Paul Reed

The same day they signed LeVert, the Pistons chose to re-sign backup center 'BBall' Paul Reed in free agency. Detroit was unable to retain most of its unrestricted free agents but managed to bring the fan-favorite center back for another two years.

The center market was not very deep, surprisingly making Reed somewhat of a hot commodity. He has never averaged more than 7.1 points per game, but his energy and defense tend to impact nearly every game he plays. Although still just 26, Reed has essentially already hit his ceiling, but he is a perfect fit on this gritty Pistons team as a backup to Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart .

Detroit would ideally like to keep Duren around, but the athletic center is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Both sides seem to be on the same page regarding a long-term extension, but if anything changes at the 11th hour, having Reed locked in through the 2026-2027 season provides some level of comfort. Reed will never be a full-time starter, but he proved that he can be effective in a slightly expanded role in his final year with the Philadelphia 76ers .

Reed, who will make slightly over $5 million per year, is about as low-risk of a signing as it gets. Everybody knows what to expect from him each night, and his physicality perfectly complements that of Duren and Stewart. The Pistons weren't going to find anyone better to replace him, especially not in this price range.

Grade: A

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