The 2023-24 NBA season tips off for the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday, and as of now, Killian Hayes and James Wiseman are set to be on the team’s roster when the season begins. However, their roles with the Pistons beyond this season remain uncertain.
As reported by The Athletic, the Pistons opted against reaching contract extensions with both fourth-year players before the 6 p.m. EST deadline on Monday. Consequently, they are expected to play out the season and become restricted free agents next summer during the NBA free agency period.
Heading into this season, there has been much speculation about the status of both Hayes and Wiseman on the team. Pistons General Manager Troy Weaver commented on extensions for 2020 draftees in April, stating, “We’ll have discussions to explore this. Nothing too intensive at the moment, but when the time comes, we’ll engage in those conversations. We have other priorities to address first, but we look forward to having those discussions.”
Hayes has spent his first three years in the league under former Pistons head coach Dwane Casey. Last season, he recorded career-high averages of 10.3 points, 6.2 assists, and 1.4 steals in 76 games, with 56 of them as a starter due to Cade Cunningham’s season-ending injury after just 12 games. However, his performance has shown limited growth outside of his defensive skills. He’s struggled as a shooter, converting below 40% from the field and below 30% from beyond the arc in all three seasons.
Given his lack of production, it’s safe to surmise that’s why the Pistons acquired veteran guard Monte’ Morris from the Washington Wizards and drafted three-point specialist Marcus Sasser from Houston this year. With Cunningham’s return to full health and the addition of extra point guards, there has been speculation about the Pistons potentially trading Hayes. As of now, he is the likely immediate backup point guard to Cunningham, with Morris being sidelined due to lower back tightness.
In the case of Wiseman, he was acquired from the Golden State Warriors at last season’s trade deadline and has delivered a solid performance. The former Memphis Tiger was another project undertaken by Pistons general manager Troy Weaver, with the aim of bolstering the team’s frontcourt depth for competition in the Eastern Conference against teams like the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Boston Celtics.
“He possesses all the qualities we look for in a person, and as a player, he has tremendous upside,” Weaver said in February after the Pistons acquired Wiseman. “Often, when young players join championship-level teams, it can be challenging to find their role because they need to adapt to an established system.”
Weaver was under the belief that with Casey’s coaching, the Pistons would be able to unlock untapped potential in Wiseman, due to him falling out of favor in the Warriors’ system under coach Steve Kerr.
After initially coming off the bench in his first two games for the Pistons, Wiseman became a full-time starter on Feb. 25 and maintained this role for the remainder of the season. During that 22-game stretch, he achieved career-highs, averaging 13 points on 54% shooting from the field, 8.1 rebounds and nearly a block per game.
Despite Wiseman’s promising performance, his role in the Pistons’ rotation under new head coach Monty Williams raises questions. The team boasts a loaded frontcourt featuring Jalen Duren, Marvin Bagley, Bojan Bogdanovic and Isaiah Stewart, who signed a four-year, $64 million extension with the Pistons in the offseason.
On Monday afternoon, the Pistons announced their opening night roster for the 2023-24 season, with both Hayes and Wiseman expected to play in reserve roles.”
