The Detroit Pistons have acquired veteran sharpshooting free agent Duncan Robinson via a sign-and-trade with the Miami Heat. Simone Fontecchio is headed to South Beach to facilitate the transaction, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
Detroit is trading Simone Fontecchio to Miami to acquire Duncan Robinson in a sign-and-trade, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/UFBaJcSaor
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2025
Robinson reportedly sorted through "multiple options", including a reunion in Miami, before agreeing to a three-year, $48 million contract with the Pistons. It speaks to the culture that head coach J.B. Bickerstaff and president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon are building in Detroit. Moreover, landing the 3-point marksman couldn't have come at a better time for a club that has watched key free agents walk out the door.
Detroit gets Robinson the same day they lost Dennis Schröder and Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets, respectively. That won't solve all the Pistons' problems, but they had to start somewhere. As things stand, let's see where the team's newest addition fits into their depth chart.
Projected Pistons lineup, depth chart after landing Duncan Robinson
Position | Starter | Bench | Deep Bench |
|---|---|---|---|
PG | Cade Cunningham | Marcus Sasser | Daniss Jenkins |
SG | Jaden Ivey | Duncan Robinson | Chaz Lanier |
SF | Ausar Thompson | Caris LeVert | |
PF | Tobias Harris | Ron Holland II | Bobi Klintman |
C | Jalen Duren | Isaiah Stewart | Paul Reed |
Schröder and Hardaway's exits created a massive backcourt void for the Pistons. Not to mention, Detroit free agent Malik Beasley's NBA future is uncertain amid an investigation by the U.S. District Attorney's Office regarding gambling allegations. In other words, Robinson gives them some timely, much-needed reinforcements.
Losing two of your top seven scorers in roughly 24 hours (and possibly three of seven in a matter of days, depending on Beasley) stings. There's no way to sugarcoat it. But above all, Detroit has seen valuable veteran leaders take their talents elsewhere, which is concerning for an organization with such a young core.
For whatever it's worth, Robinson is an experienced player who went from undrafted to a key reserve for a perennial championship-contending organization. He brings that underdog, chip-on-your-shoulder mentality that this scrappy, youthful Pistons squad embraced this past season. His time in Miami included several playoff runs and two Finals appearances, presumably giving him wisdom to impart in Detroit's locker room.
Nonetheless, if Beasley's legal issues persist and deter them from re-signing him, Robinson gives the Pistons a seamless replacement. The former shattered their single-season franchise record for threes made in 2024-25 (319). The latter holds that record for Miami and three of the five highest marks in Heat history, highlighting his ability to light it up from deep.
An incredible movement shooter, Robinson should be on the receiving end of plenty of passes from Pistons star floor general Cade Cunningham. He averaged 11 points, 2.4 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game this season, posting a stellar 39.3 three-point percentage on high volume (6.5 nightly attempts).