NBA Free Agency 2018: 5 offseason targets for the Detroit Pistons

DETROIT, MI - MARCH 26: Stanley Johnson #7 and Blake Griffin #23 of the Detroit Pistons during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 26, 2018 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

4 of 6

LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 21: Doug McDermott /

3. Doug McDermott

Like Rodney Hood, Doug McDermott is a restricted free agent. The Dallas Mavericks might be inclined to keep him instead of renouncing his rights. But for the sake of this article, let’s say the Mavericks let McDermott walk or don’t match a potential offer from the Pistons.

I’m just envisioning McDermott alongside Luke Kennard. Go ahead. close your eyes. Think about it.

Kennard shot 41 percent from 3 last season. McDermott was at 49 percent. That’s a combined 90 percent from three. If my math and logic is correct (it’s not), nine out of ten 3s taken by Kennard and McDermott would go in. Numbers don’t lie, people. Move over, Golden State and Houston, the Detroit Pistons are about to have the most prolific three-point shooting in the league.

In all seriousness, you can never have too much shooting, especially off the bench. The Philadelphia 76ers proved this theory correct when they signed Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova after they were bought out.

Defensively, he’s a liability, but a team with $75 million committed to Jackson, Drummond, and Griffin is not worried about defense. The Cleveland Cavaliers proved that defense doesn’t actually matter. The only thing that matters is having more points than the other team. And Doug McDermott gets buckets. That’s why he’s nicknamed “McBuckets,” not “McDefense.”

With their limited resources, Detroit could use a guy like McDermott with his range.He can play small forward or be used as a stretch power forward, potentially replacing one of James Ennis or Anthony Tolliver. I’d rank him as a better option than Hood because we know McDermott won’t refuse to come off the bench in the playoffs.

Home/NBA Free Agency