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The Detroit Pistons are not likely to pursue upcoming restricted free agent Draymond Green, currently playing for the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, according to Pistons beat writer Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press:
A person with firsthand knowledge of the Pistons' off-season plans said signing Green is not realistic because they expect the Warriors, playing in the NBA Finals and working for a new arena, to match any offer sheet. The person, not publicly authorized to discuss the team's plans, said that the Pistons do not want to tie up salary cap space for 72 hours - the time allotted the Warriors to match any offer - when more easily obtainable free agents might be available.
The Pistons fan base's infatuation with Green, a Saginaw native and former Michigan State Spartan, goes back to the draft and has only intensified as Green has developed into a premier defender and versatile player capable of manning the 3-, 4- and 5-position on the court.
The speculation reached its height overnight when the Pistons announced they had hired high-profile sports agent Arn Tellem to help run business operations. One of Tellem's current clients is Green.
Detroit's reluctance to pursue Green is understandable, but it's unclear if this reticence to tie up money for 72 hours extends to every restricted free agency on the market. In restricted free agency, the player's original team has 72 hours to match a player's offer sheet.
Detroit has a gigantic, gaping hole at the small forward position and might be faced with replacing Greg Monroe as well. The team is armed with a mountain of cap space, but almost all the most logical fits are restricted free agents with teams likely to match any offer.
You don't know until you try, but from the sound of it, the Pistons don't want to even make an offer with little chance of succeeding and tying up upwards of $15 million in cap space for 72 hours.
Other prominent restricted free agents include the Pistons' own Reggie Jackson (the team would likely match any offer), Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler, Brandon Knight, Khris Middleton, Tobias Harris, Tristan Thompson and Jae Crowder.