Detroit Pistons: 5 free agents to target if Christian Wood leaves
By Matthew Way
3. Malik Beasley
If the Detroit Pistons want to spend real money this offseason, Malik Beasley is perhaps their best, realistic target.
Beasley, who turns 24 in November, is a restricted free agent. Otherwise, he would be higher on this list. The Minnesota Timberwolves can match any offer sheet Beasley might sign with Detroit, but they almost certainly have a price they’re comfortable paying.
The 6’4” shooting guard joined Minnesota last year after the Timberwolves traded Robert Covington for Beasley and other assets including a 2020 first-round pick. Covington is a great wing, but he didn’t quite fit with Minnesota’s timeline and they sold high on him. Beasley was surely an intriguing piece to receive back, but having played only 14 games with the Timberwolves, it’s doubtful that they have tied him tightly to their long-term plans.
In those 14 games, Beasley was terrific – scoring 20.7 points per game while shooting 42.6 percent from deep. It’s a very small sample size. Although he did show flashes of that type of scoring ability in Denver, but he never could crack a consistent role on the deep Nuggets roster. He’s a career 38.8 percent shooter from three while being an elite finisher at 67.3 percent inside three feet. There’s little doubt he could provide a creative boost for the Pistons.
If Detroit isn’t committed to Luke Kennard as the starting shooting guard, Beasley is an obvious replacement who fits well as a young piece moving forward.