Pistons Eye Powell
Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade to Heat Shifts Eastern Conference, Impacts Celtics and Powell
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Key Points
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Heat cap constraints have intensified due to the Giannis trade, triggering apron-related restrictions and a looming luxury tax under the new CBA, forcing Miami to operate with minimal cap space and rely on minimum-salary deals rather than market-rate free agents like Norman Powell.
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Detroit can create roughly $28 million in cap space to pursue Powell, but doing so would require painful moves like renouncing Tobias Harris and waiving Duncan Robinson to open room for unrestricted free agency.
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Powell's production last season: 21.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists over 58 games, plus an All-Star selection and a 38% three-point rate, highlighting why he’s a coveted fit for a Cade Cunningham-led lineup.
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The Giannis deal included a substantial asset package from Miami to Milwaukee (Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware plus multiple first-round picks and a pick swap), which underlines how far Heat roster depth and future flexibility were sacrificed to land Antetokounmpo.
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Detroit’s interest in Powell sits among broader target lists, with reports also naming Coby White, Austin Reaves, Tyler Herro, Isaiah Joe, Trey Murphy III and Kyrie Irving as possible fits, illustrating the wider, multi-front pursuit around the Pistons’ young core.
The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade to Miami has created an unexpected opening in free agency — and the Detroit Pistons are moving fast to fill it. With the Heat now hard-capped and unable to re-sign Norman Powell, The Detroit News reports that Pistons President Trajan Langdon held emergency meetings to target the All-Star guard as Detroit's marquee offseason addition.
Powell, 33, just finished the best season of his career: 21.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game on 38% three-point shooting, according to Basketball-Reference. Detroit sees him as the veteran scoring piece to push Cade Cunningham into MVP territory — if they can clear the cap room to get him.
Giannis Trade Forces Miami to Dump Powell
On June 18, Miami finalized a blockbuster deal to land Giannis Antetokounmpo from Milwaukee. The Heat sent Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel'el Ware, three unprotected first-round picks, and a pick swap — a package worth $51.2 million in outgoing salary, per ESPN.
That move pushed Miami past the NBA's "Second Apron" threshold. Under the 2023 CBA, crossing that line by more than $17.5 million above the luxury tax triggers a hard cap and kills the team's Mid-Level Exception. ESPN's Bobby Marks confirmed Miami can no longer offer Powell anywhere near market rate — only a veteran minimum. Two days later, Bleacher Report confirmed Powell would not return to Miami.
Detroit Could Offer Powell $28 Million in Room
The Pistons currently project $14.2 million in cap space. But if Langdon renounces Tobias Harris's rights, that adds $11.5 million. Waiving Duncan Robinson — whose contract is non-guaranteed — frees up another $2.3 million. Total potential offer: roughly $28 million, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks.
That math is aggressive. Marks calls renouncing Harris a "high-risk, high-reward" move. If Powell signs elsewhere, Detroit is left with no veteran fallback. Sources close to the team say Langdon is watching Robinson's waiver status closely. A move could come before the June 30 free agency moratorium.
Powell's 38% Shooting Could Unlock Cunningham
Cade Cunningham, 24, has long needed elite floor spacers around him. Powell's 38% three-point rate would force defenders to guard him away from the basket, opening driving lanes for Cunningham. According to Synergy Sports, that spacing pressure could reduce double-teams on Cunningham and push him into the MVP conversation.
Powell himself signaled he wants a "winning culture" and a team that values his growth, per a statement from his agency Klutch Sports. Detroit fits the financial side. Whether it fits Powell's championship ambitions is the bigger question. Pat Riley framed Miami's deal plainly: "To get a player of Giannis's caliber, you make the sacrifices necessary."
Detroit Weighs Powell Against a Long Wish List
Powell is not Detroit's only target. Reports name Coby White, Austin Reaves, Isaiah Joe, Trey Murphy III, and even Kyrie Irving as possible fits around the young core. The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor argues Detroit would be better served chasing younger restricted free agents like White or Reaves, whose peaks align more closely with Cunningham's timeline.
The Detroit Free Press notes local fans are split. Powell is an All-Star — but at 33, his prime may not fully overlap with a 24-year-old franchise player. Some columnists warn Detroit against repeating the Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva era of expensive veterans on the wrong side of their careers. Oklahoma City and San Antonio are also circling Powell, which could force Detroit's hand quickly.
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