Detroit Pistons: 5 goals for the 2018 offseason

1. Move a big contracted player

The Detroit Pistons have four players who are earning more than $10 million next season. Andre Drummond in earning $25 million, while Blake Griffin is earning just under $32 million.

In fact, when you combine the top-four earners — Griffin, Drummond, Reggie Jackson and Jon Leuer — their total wages amount to $84.3 million. This means that 11 players have to share the remainder of the salary cap.

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By moving on one of these players, the Pistons are going to create a sizable amount of salary cap room to solve their issues at shooting guard.

It seems unlikely that the Pistons are going to move Griffin. They gave up good players and draft picks to get him midseason. This then puts the pressure on Drummond or Jackson, who is on a $17 million salary next season.

There are very few players who could replace Drummond’s output, but if the Pistons chose to move him, Griffin would be forced to do more. However, Jackson and Leuer would be the easiest to replace.

Jackson has a ready-made replacement on the team in Ish Smith. The reserve point guard has stepped up admirably in Jackson’s absence before and runs this team well with his pass-first mentality.

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Leuer has not been worth his salary. Last season Leuer averaged only 5.4 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. He might be the hardest player to move due to his lack of production.