The Pistons have found a veteran scorer to help fill a couple voids in the backcourt.
Detroit has agreed to a two-year, $29 million deal with shooting guard Caris LeVert, per reports, the day after the team paused contract talks with Malik Beasley after it was revealed that Beasley is under federal investigation for gambling allegations.
LeVert, a Michigan product, averaged 12.1 points and 3.4 assists last season in 64 games with the Cavaliers and Hawks, while shooting about 37 percent from three. He's a nine-year vet who spent three seasons under Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff when Bickerstaff was head coach of the Cavs.
LeVert's signing comes at a necessary time. The Pistons' backcourt has been further compromised by the loss of veteran point guard Dennis Schroder, who has reportedly agreed to a deal with the Kings. That means that at least two of Detroit's top three internal free agents likely won't be back.
Jaden Ivey is prepared to reclaim most of the minutes that Schroder took on after he arrived at the trade deadline last season while Ivey recovered from a broken leg, but Schroder's steady hand on offense and scrappiness on defense will be missed.
LeVert, who turns 31 in August, has played on four playoff teams in his career, including twice under Bickerstaff. He isn't the same sharpshooter as Beasley, who led the East in threes last season, but he's a more versatile offensive player with a little more lineup flexibility given his length.
The Pistons are taking a slight gamble that LeVert stays healthy. While Beasley played in all 82 games last season, LeVert has been plagued by injuries over the course of his career. He's averaged fewer than 60 games per season in the NBA.
Pistons president of basketball ops Trajan Langdon was hoping to re-sign the trio of Beasley, Schroder and Tim Hardaway Jr. after they played key roles in Detroit's success last season, but circumstances have forced him to pivot.
The Pistons could still bring back Hardaway Jr., a teammate of LeVert's at Michigan who's coming off a season in which he averaged 11 points and shot about 37 percent from three in 77 games.
Detroit did re-sign backup center Paul Reed to a two-year, $11 million deal, per reports. Reed played in 45 games last season, supporting the duo of Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart.