Detroit Pistons Offseason Addition Shares Motivation for Next Season

Detroit Pistons center Paul Reed is eager to prove his doubters wrong.

Jan 8, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart (28) is defended by Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul Reed (44) in the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

These days, Detroit Pistons veteran Paul Reed might be feeling slighted.

Last summer, the young center inked the biggest contract of his NBA career after an impressive showing as a backup center during the 2023 NBA Playoffs.

This time around, Reed was waived by the Philadelphia 76ers.

Fortunately for Reed, he didn’t lose hold of the contract he garnered last year. After receiving a three-year offer sheet from the Utah Jazz worth over $20 million, Reed saw the Sixers match it. However, the deal was only partially guaranteed.

If the Sixers found a way to defeat the New York Knicks during the 2024 NBA Playoffs, Reed’s salary beyond the first season on the contract would’ve been guaranteed. Since the Sixers came up short, they had an opportunity to part ways without hurting them financially.

Since the Sixers reunited with the former Pistons All-Star Andre Drummond in free agency, they decided to move on from Reed. Liking what they’ve seen out of Reed in the past, the Pistons took advantage of his availability on the waiver wire and put in a claim.

Going into year one in Detroit, Reed is motivated to prove his doubters wrong.

Imma prove em wrong

— Paul Reed (@Bball_paul) September 10, 2024

Since entering the NBA out of DePaul in 2020, Reed has had a chip on his shoulder. Following his three-year run in college, Reed entered the NBA Draft. A double-double average at DePaul didn’t get Reed on any team’s radar for the first round.

Instead, the veteran frontcourt player dropped to the 58th overall pick. When the Sixers selected Reed, they locked him in with a two-way deal. After a strong showing in the G League, Reed earned himself a standard NBA contract.

At this point, Reed has 215 games under his belt. Last season, he was the primary to Joel Embiid on the Sixers. The young veteran averaged seven points and six rebounds while seeing the court for an average of 19 minutes per game.

It’s unclear what the Pistons have in store for Reed, but the 25-year-old is clearly motivated to get in the rotation and help make an impact in Detroit.