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The Detroit Pistons continue to reshape a roster that won 60 games last season as they battle for supremacy in a suddenly stacked and formidable Eastern Conference.
The Pistons swung a trade Tuesday, July 7, with their Central Division foe Milwaukee Bucks in a salary swap, sending Caris LeVert and two second-round picks for forward Taurean Prince and ex-Michigan State guard Gary Harris, a league source confirmed to the Free Press. The outgoing second-round picks are from the 2027 draft.
The Pistons save roughly $7.2 million in the deal and get a trade exception worth that amount that expires in one year, ESPN reported.
Prince, 32, is on an expiring $3.8 million contract. Harris, who turns 32 in September, is on an expiring $3.8 million contract.
LeVert, 31, is on a $14.8 million expiring.
[ 4 Pistons roster questions with NBA free agency underway ]
LeVert, a Michigan alumnus, averaged 7.4 points on 41.7% shooting, 33.3% on 3s, and 2.7 assists in 60 games averaging 19.2 minutes off the bench last season. He spent one year with the Pistons after signing a two-year, $28.9 million contract in 2025 and battled lower body injuries as he has for his entire career including college.
LeVert played in 13 of 14 playoff games for coach J.B. Bickerstaff, averaging 5.9 points in 16.6 minutes per game on 44.6% shooting (29-for-65) and 37% on 3s (10-for-27) and helping the Pistons win a first-round series for the first time since 2008.
From Pickerington, Ohio, LeVert was the No. 20 overall pick in the 2016 draft acquired by the Brooklyn Nets.
The Pistons have been busy this offseason. In the NBA Draft, they selected Stanford freshman guard Ebuka Okorie after trading up four spots with the Memphis Grizzlies to No. 17 overall.
A day later, the Pistons traded Isaiah Stewart and his $15 million contract to the Grizzlies for the same three future second-rounders they'd traded one night earlier. Later that night, the Pistons purchased the No. 53 pick from the New York Knicks to draft Virginia center Ugonna Onyenso, who since signed a two-way contract.
The Pistons have since agreed to acquire sniper guard Isaiah Joe in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder and re-signed wing Kevin Huerter.
After the 2026 NBA free agency negotiation period opened June 30, they agreed with power forward John Collins in a sign-and-trade with the Los Angeles Clippers and re-signed wing Javonte Green.
The Pistons lost their second-leading scorer from the playoffs when Tobias Harris agreed to a two-year deal with the San Antonio Spurs.
The Pistons finished 60-22 last season – the third-best record in franchise history and their best since 2005-06, and fell to the Cavaliers in seven games in their deepest postseason run in 18 years.
Third-year president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon said he is building around their core three – Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson – this summer, with a repeated emphasis on adding more shooting and ball-handling. Duren remains a restricted free agent.
[MUST WATCH: Make "The Pistons Pulse" your go-to Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) or watch live on YouTube. ]
Contact Omari Sankofa II at [email protected]. Follow him on X and/or Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pistons trade Caris LeVert and picks to Bucks to create salary space
Continue reading...
The Pistons swung a trade Tuesday, July 7, with their Central Division foe Milwaukee Bucks in a salary swap, sending Caris LeVert and two second-round picks for forward Taurean Prince and ex-Michigan State guard Gary Harris, a league source confirmed to the Free Press. The outgoing second-round picks are from the 2027 draft.
The Pistons save roughly $7.2 million in the deal and get a trade exception worth that amount that expires in one year, ESPN reported.
Prince, 32, is on an expiring $3.8 million contract. Harris, who turns 32 in September, is on an expiring $3.8 million contract.
LeVert, 31, is on a $14.8 million expiring.
[ 4 Pistons roster questions with NBA free agency underway ]
LeVert, a Michigan alumnus, averaged 7.4 points on 41.7% shooting, 33.3% on 3s, and 2.7 assists in 60 games averaging 19.2 minutes off the bench last season. He spent one year with the Pistons after signing a two-year, $28.9 million contract in 2025 and battled lower body injuries as he has for his entire career including college.
LeVert played in 13 of 14 playoff games for coach J.B. Bickerstaff, averaging 5.9 points in 16.6 minutes per game on 44.6% shooting (29-for-65) and 37% on 3s (10-for-27) and helping the Pistons win a first-round series for the first time since 2008.
From Pickerington, Ohio, LeVert was the No. 20 overall pick in the 2016 draft acquired by the Brooklyn Nets.
The Pistons have been busy this offseason. In the NBA Draft, they selected Stanford freshman guard Ebuka Okorie after trading up four spots with the Memphis Grizzlies to No. 17 overall.
A day later, the Pistons traded Isaiah Stewart and his $15 million contract to the Grizzlies for the same three future second-rounders they'd traded one night earlier. Later that night, the Pistons purchased the No. 53 pick from the New York Knicks to draft Virginia center Ugonna Onyenso, who since signed a two-way contract.
The Pistons have since agreed to acquire sniper guard Isaiah Joe in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder and re-signed wing Kevin Huerter.
After the 2026 NBA free agency negotiation period opened June 30, they agreed with power forward John Collins in a sign-and-trade with the Los Angeles Clippers and re-signed wing Javonte Green.
The Pistons lost their second-leading scorer from the playoffs when Tobias Harris agreed to a two-year deal with the San Antonio Spurs.
The Pistons finished 60-22 last season – the third-best record in franchise history and their best since 2005-06, and fell to the Cavaliers in seven games in their deepest postseason run in 18 years.
Third-year president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon said he is building around their core three – Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson – this summer, with a repeated emphasis on adding more shooting and ball-handling. Duren remains a restricted free agent.
[MUST WATCH: Make "The Pistons Pulse" your go-to Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) or watch live on YouTube. ]
Contact Omari Sankofa II at [email protected]. Follow him on X and/or Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pistons trade Caris LeVert and picks to Bucks to create salary space
Continue reading...
