{"id":35086,"date":"2020-11-20T22:00:41","date_gmt":"2020-11-21T03:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=35086"},"modified":"2020-11-20T22:00:41","modified_gmt":"2020-11-21T03:00:41","slug":"detroit-pistons-ink-two-centers-on-day-one-free-agency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2020\/11\/20\/detroit-pistons-ink-two-centers-on-day-one-free-agency\/","title":{"rendered":"Detroit Pistons Ink Two Centers on Day One of Free Agency"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On Friday, the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/category\/pistons\/\" target=\"_self\">Detroit Pistons<\/a> kicked off day one of NBA free agency by signing a pair of centers in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/p\/plumlma01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mason Plumlee<\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/o\/okafoja01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jahlil Okafor<\/a><\/strong>. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ESPN\u2019s <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news via Twitter on Friday afternoon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plumlee\u2019s agent, Mark Bartelstein, revealed his deal is worth three years and more than $25 million. Wojnarowski also broke the news of Okafor\u2019s signing. According to sources, Okafor agreed to a two-year deal with the Pistons.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Free agent center Mason Plumlee has agreed to a three-year, $25M deal with the Detroit Pistons, his agent Mark Bartelstein of <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PrioritySports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@PrioritySports<\/a> tells ESPN.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/wojespn\/status\/1329933651757457408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">November 20, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Free agent center Jahlil Okafor has agreed to a two-year deal with the Detroit Pistons, sources tell ESPN.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/wojespn\/status\/1329938585043267584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">November 21, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s no doubt that signing a pair of centers raises questions. Detroit already possesses a roster loaded with big-men, including <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/griffbl01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Blake Griffin<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/woodch01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Christian Wood<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/makerth01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Thon Maker<\/a>,<\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/h\/hensojo01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">John Henson<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Detroit Pistons ink centers Mason Plumlee and Jahlil Okafor<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just hours into free agency, the Pistons have more than secured the center position on their depth chart. General Manager Troy Weaver got off to an aggressive start in free agency, inking contracts with both Plumlee and Okafor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Last year, both centers came off the bench for their respective teams. Plumlee, 30-years-old, played in 61 games for the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/category\/nuggets\/\" target=\"_self\">Denver Nuggets<\/a>, however earned only one start. In those 61 games, Plumlee averaged 17.3 minutes played and put up 7.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per contest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Okafor spent his two most recent seasons with the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/category\/pelicans\/\" target=\"_self\">New Orleans Pelicans<\/a>. Last year, Okafor saw action in 30 games, including nine starts. He averaged 15.6 minutes per game with 8.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 62.3 percent shooting from the field.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Notably, both Plumlee and Okafor played college ball at Duke University, under the legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Pistons Busy Since Draft Night<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It remains to be seen how third-year head coach Dwane Casey will utilize this myriad of bigs in Detroit. Nonetheless, Detroit has been busy since draft night. As part of a three-team trade with the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/category\/nets\/\" target=\"_self\">Brooklyn Nets<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/category\/clippers\/\" target=\"_self\">Los Angeles Clippers<\/a> on draft night, the Pistons acquired <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/musadz01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dzanan Musa<\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cbb\/players\/saddiq-bey-1.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Saddiq Bey<\/a><\/strong>, the 19th selection of the 2020 draft.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This meant parting ways with <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/brownbr01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bruce Brown<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/k\/kennalu01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Luke Kennard<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/p\/pattoju01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Justin Patton<\/a>,<\/strong> and four second-round picks. Certainly, Detroit continues its rebuild mode. While the pathway to turning around is unclear, it appears the front office is looking to acquire pieces, both young and old.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The young prospects, including Musa, Bey, and <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2020\/05\/18\/killian-hayes-2020-nba-draft-profile\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong>Killian Hayes<\/strong><\/a> (Detroit\u2019s 2020 first-round pick), are pieces for the future. And, at the same time, the acquisitions of Plumlee and Okafor may be used as trade-pieces next season or beyond.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Last year, Detroit finished 13th in the Eastern Conference with a 20-46 record.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Main Photo:<br \/>\n<a id=\"dwfn2AKXQqNaGc79fGodwg\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/911957616\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'dwfn2AKXQqNaGc79fGodwg',sig:'qJys_mNCLeJPM5LEY3bllarfIHkcPPtZr9B7_HAAQ1s=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'911957616',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On Friday, the Detroit Pistons kicked off day one of NBA free agency by signing a pair of centers in Mason Plumlee and Jahlil Okafor. ESPN\u2019s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news via Twitter on Friday afternoon.\u00a0 Plumlee\u2019s agent, Mark Bartelstein, revealed his deal is worth three years and more than $25 million. Wojnarowski also broke [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3508,"featured_media":35090,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10,1608,62],"tags":[340,272,421,297],"class_list":["post-35086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pistons","category-basketball","category-nba","tag-detroit-pistons","tag-jahlil-okafor","tag-mason-plumlee","tag-nba-free-agency"],"modified_by":"Chase Gage","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35086","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3508"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35086"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35086\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35090"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35086"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35086"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35086"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}