With the start of NBA Free Agency only a month away we will take a look at several pending free agents that could be kick start an extended playoff run for Detroit. The first player we will examine is Sante Aldema formerly of the Memphis Grizzlies.

Aldema is a 6’10, floor spacing power forward who excels as a spot up shooter but is mobile enough to put the ball on the floor if need be. Aldema is only 24 years old , and has likely not yet hit his peak as a player. He has player comps to Lauri Markannen due to his fluid play style at his height. A Markannen ceiling is a lofty height, but anything close to that mark would be ideal. Aldama has experience playing off off of high gravity players and has been acquainted with the bright lights of the postseason. His age fits the timeline of the core of players Detroit currently ha and giiven his skills, Aldama is a great compliment to the budding star that is Cade Cunningham.

Here’s Santi Aldama scoring 22pts and 14reb on 6-12 shooting, 2-6 from 3, and 8-9 at the ft line in less than 30 mins🫡🇪🇸in a game of CONSEQUENCE👍🏾#BigMemphis https://t.co/uHEbaBHFwt pic.twitter.com/hVu34l3YpF

— Kobi🥷🏿 (@GrzzCmpnyMane) June 25, 2023

An Aldama acquisition inputs size and youth into the front court. The Pistons current power forward is 6’6 Tobias Harris, although for all intensive purposes defends his position quite well given his physical limitations. Aldama has the current talent to takeover that starting role at the 4, but if Tobias Harris is able to hold onto that position for another year Santi would be a nice scoring option off the bench, which is a role he is comfortable with. Aldama also provides defensive versatility. He can comfortably contend with offensive players from the 2 to the 5. Offensively, he does the majority of his damage on spot up opportunities and in transition, which is ideal for a team that likes to run and has two very ball-dominant players in Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. In the short term, the addition of Aldama would block minutes from young forwards Ron Holland and Bobi Klintman. With that being said, the upcoming expiring contracts of Harris and Fontecchio provides a good path of future opportunities for the both of them.

Projections suggest Aldama could command anywhere from a realistic $15 million AAV, to as high as $20 million from a bad team with cap space to spare. The Grizzlies would like to prioritize him this summer, and have the right to match any offer from an outside team, but with money tied up in Morant, Bane, and Jackson they would be hard pressed to compete with some of the numbers he could garner. The Pistons have only $19 million as of right now to work with, and with guys like Beasley and Shroeder being top priorities they would have to do some wheeling and dealing to incorporate Aldama into the fold. In a years time Detroit has evolved from the laughing stock of the league, to a much more appealing Free Agent destination. They no longer have to depend on overpaying players to coerce them into signing. In 65 games played last year Aldama averaged 12.5 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assist, on 48% shooting from the field and 37% from behind the arc.