The Detroit Pistons are not moving on from Duncan Robinson, at least not yet.
Despite speculation that Robinson could become a cap casualty during NBA free agency, veteran NBA insider Chris Haynes reported on X on July 1 that the Pistons “will not be waiving” the veteran sharpshooter. The decision keeps one of Detroit’s most reliable floor-spacers in place while the franchise continues navigating a much larger offseason question involving restricted free agent center Jalen Duren.
Robinson is not the Pistons’ biggest name. He is not the flashiest piece of their offseason. But Detroit’s decision on him matters because his contract made him one of the easier players to discuss when projecting how the Pistons could create flexibility.
That is what makes the report notable. Detroit had a clean way to move off Robinson if it wanted to chase more room or reshape the roster more aggressively. Instead, the Pistons appear prepared to keep the $47 million shooter in the picture as their free agency plan develops.
Duncan Robinson Contract
Robinson signed a three-year, $47.98 million contract with the Pistons, according to Spotrac. The deal includes $18.83 million guaranteed, with Robinson carrying a $16.83 million cap hit for the 2025-26 season. His 2026-27 salary is listed at $15.99 million, but only $2 million of that season is guaranteed, while the 2027-28 season is non-guaranteed.
That structure is the reason Robinson’s name surfaced in speculation.
For teams trying to maneuver in free agency, partially guaranteed money can become useful. A player on that type of deal can be waived to create savings, traded as part of a larger salary construction, or retained if the team values the player more than the flexibility.
Detroit’s decision, as reported by Haynes, suggests the Pistons still value what Robinson gives them on the floor.
That part should not be overlooked. Robinson is not just a contract. He is a movement shooter who changes spacing simply by being guarded beyond the arc. For a team built around Cade Cunningham, that skill has real value. Cunningham is at his best when the floor is open, help defenders are punished for loading up, and Detroit has enough shooting to keep driving lanes alive.
The Pistons also reportedly agreed to a three-year, $51 million deal with John Collins, per ESPN. Collins is expected to start at power forward after shooting a career-high 40.6% from 3-point range last season with the Los Angeles Clippers.
That move adds another layer to the Robinson decision. Detroit is not simply hoarding shooters; it is trying to build a more functional offensive environment around Cunningham. Collins gives the Pistons athleticism, frontcourt scoring and a pick-and-roll option. Robinson gives them gravity. Those are different tools, but they serve the same larger purpose: making Detroit harder to load up against.
Pistons Still Awaiting Jalen Duren
The Pistons’ Robinson decision also arrives while Duren’s future remains unsettled.
Duren is a restricted free agent, which means Detroit has matching rights if he signs an offer sheet elsewhere. But the market around young centers has become one of the biggest stories of NBA free agency, and that matters directly to the Pistons.
Sam Amick of The Athletic reported Duren had a “productive” meeting with the Los Angeles Lakers and was scheduled for a second meeting with the team on Wednesday. The report also said the Lakers told Duren they view him as a maximum-salary level player, while the Pistons have not viewed his market the same way.
That is the real pressure point for Detroit.
Duren is younger, bigger and more central to the Pistons’ long-term roster questions than Robinson. But the center market is moving quickly. Walker Kessler, another young restricted free agent big man, reportedly landed with the Lakers in a massive move that included a four-year, $130 million deal and a major draft-pick package going to the Utah Jazz.
That move satisifies the Lakers’ need at center, and could finalize Duren’s return to the Pistons.
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