CapmathThe NBA Cap Ledger
Vol. XI · 2026-27 · Computed live
Vol. XI · 2026-27 · Computed live
Detroit Pistons · Salary cap report
Pistons are $3.8M under the cap on payroll.
Detroit Pistons payroll for the 2026-27 season is $161.1M against a $165.0M salary cap.
Payroll, the money committed to the roster, is signed salaries, dead money, and drafted-rookie holds: $161.1M. Counting cap holds for their own free agents, the Pistons' cap number rises to $167.7M, which is why there is no usable cap space until those holds come off the books. Renouncing every free-agent hold would open +$3.8M of room and give up Bird rights. Drafted-rookie holds count against the cap, not the luxury tax.
Run Pistons' offseason yourself→Under the tax on payroll
What the numbers mean
Payroll$161.1M
The salaries actually committed to players right now.
Counts against the cap$167.7M
What the league counts: payroll plus free-agent hold placeholders.
Luxury tax lineUNDERby $39.3M
Cross it and the team pays a penalty on every dollar over.
First apron lineUNDERby $47.9M
A stricter line. Over it, the bigger roster tools freeze.
Where the Pistons land · payroll against the cap lines
Cap$165.0MTax$200.4MApron 1$209.0MApron 2$221.7M
The solid bar is real payroll. The hatched extension is a free-agent hold crossing the cap line. Renounce it and the room clears.
The books
2026-27 focused
| Player | Pos | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Signed contracts | ||||
| Cade Cunningham | G | $50.1M | $53.8M | $57.5M |
| John Collins | F | $17.0M | $17.0M | $17.0M |
| Duncan Robinson | F | $16.0M | $15.2M | – |
| Isaiah Joe | G | $11.3M | TO$11.3M | – |
| Ausar Thompson | G | TO$11.1M | – | – |
| Kevin Huerter | G | $9.5M | $8.7M | $8.7M |
| Ronald Holland II | F | TO$9.1M | TO$11.5M | – |
| Paul Reed | F | $5.6M | – | – |
| Ebuka Okorie | G | $4.5M | $4.7M | $4.9M |
| Daniss Jenkins | G | TO$4.0M | – | – |
| Javonte Green | G | $3.9M | – | – |
| Taurean Prince | F | PO$3.8M | – | – |
| Gary Harris | G | PO$3.8M | – | – |
| Tolu Smith | F | TO$2.4M | – | – |
| Bobi Klintman | F | $2.3M | $2.5M | – |
| Chaz Lanier | G | $2.2M | $2.5M | TO$2.7M |
| Signed subtotal | $156.6M | $127.2M | $90.9M | |
| Draft picks · on roster, rookie-scale hold | ||||
| Ebuka Okorie · No. 17ROOKIE | – | $4.5M | – | – |
| Payroll | $161.1M | $127.2M | $90.9M | |
| Cap holds · placeholders, not paid | ||||
| Wendell Moore Jr.MIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Elijah HarklessMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Ugonna OnyensoMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Paul ReedEARLY BIRD | F | – | $7.3M | – |
| Bobi KlintmanBIRD 300% | F | – | – | $7.5M |
| Ausar ThompsonBIRD 300% | G | – | $33.4M | – |
| Ronald Holland IIBIRD 300% | F | – | – | $34.5M |
| Daniss JenkinsNON-BIRD | G | – | $5.4M | – |
| Tolu SmithNON-BIRD | F | – | $3.3M | – |
| Chaz LanierBIRD 300% | G | – | – | – |
| Kevin HuerterBIRD 190% | G | – | – | – |
| Duncan RobinsonBIRD 190% | F | – | – | $28.8M |
| Javonte GreenNON-BIRD | G | – | $4.7M | – |
| John CollinsBIRD 150% | F | – | – | – |
| Gary HarrisEARLY BIRD | G | – | $5.0M | – |
| Taurean PrinceEARLY BIRD | F | – | $5.0M | – |
| Isaiah JoeBIRD 190% | G | – | – | $21.5M |
| Counts against the cap | $167.7M | $191.2M | $187.7M | |
What they can add
Non-Taxpayer MLEup to $15.0M
The full mid-level signing slot for adding an outside free agent. Using it locks their spending at the first apron for the rest of the season.
Bi-Annual Exceptionup to $5.4M
A smaller signing slot, usable every other year. Using it also locks their spending at the first apron.
Bird rightsLets them re-sign their own free agents for more than other teams can offer, up to the max.
Trade exceptions
Trade exception · from the Isaiah Stewart tradeup to $15.0M
Absorbs one incoming contract up to this amount with no salary matching. Expires Jul 6, 2027.
A trade exception is a credit from an earlier trade, not money on the books, so it does not count toward the cap, tax, or apron. On file as of Sep 15, 2026; may not be complete.
Decisions ahead
Option calls before 2027-28
Ronald Holland II $11.5M team option, Isaiah Joe $11.3M team option.
Expiring after 2026-27
Ausar Thompson $11.1M, Paul Reed $5.6M, Daniss Jenkins $4.0M, Javonte Green $3.9M, Taurean Prince $3.8M, Gary Harris $3.8M, Tolu Smith $2.4M come off the books.
Front office
Run the Pistons offseason
Take these exact books into the GM Machine and re-sign, sign, waive, stretch, and draft, with every cap rule checked and explained as you go.
Draft picks through 2033
The Pistons control 8 first-round and 13 second-round picks, 1 carrying swap rights.
2026
2026 1st (via PHI) · No. 17
Philadelphia's own first conveyed to Oklahoma City (2020 Al Horford trade, top-4 protected, landed at pick 17 outside the top 4). Oklahoma City traded it on 2026 draft night to Detroit (via Memphis), which selected Ebuka Okorie.
Their own 1st, owed to BKN · No. 28
Detroit's own first lands at pick 28. Minnesota controlled it through the Mike Conley pick-swap chain, then sent it to Brooklyn in the June 2026 Julius Randle trade.
Their own 2nd, owed to NOP · No. 58
Detroit's own second conveyed to New Orleans at pick 58, routed via New York, Brooklyn, Phoenix, Orlando, and the Clippers. Tied to the February 2026 Jose Alvarado trade.
2027
2027 1st (own)
Their own 2nd, owed to MIL · Projected
Sent from DET to MIL in a reported trade on 2026-07-13, pending the ledger update.
2028
2028 1st (own)
2028 2nd (via CHA)
Detroit receives the less favorable of the Charlotte and Clippers 2028 seconds; Charlotte keeps the more favorable. Charlotte's own slot is the one projected less favorable and goes to Detroit.
2028 2nd (via MIA)
Owed to Detroit, unprotected, from the 2023 Dewayne Dedmon salary dump.
2028 2nd (via NYK)
Unprotected second owed to Detroit from the February 2024 Bogdanovic/Burks trade.
Their own 2nd, owed to UTA
Detroit's own second carries two obligations, neither a swap: it is owed to Philadelphia if it lands 56-60, and it is a candidate in a least-favorable-of-four basket Utah receives (Detroit's own, the less favorable of Charlotte and the Clippers, Miami, and New York). From the February 2025 KJ Martin five-team trade.
2029
2029 1st (own)
2029 2nd (own)
2029 2nd (via MIL)
Detroit takes the two most favorable of the Detroit, New York, and Milwaukee 2029 seconds and Chicago the least favorable; Milwaukee's second conveys to Detroit unless it is the least favorable of the three. From the July 2026 six-team trade.
2029 2nd (via NYK)
Detroit takes the two most favorable of the Detroit, Milwaukee, and New York 2029 seconds and Chicago the least favorable; New York's slot conveys to Detroit unless it is the least favorable of the three. From the February 2024 Bogdanovic and Burks trade and the July 2026 six-team trade.
2029 2nd (via POR) · Projected
Sent from MEM to DET in a reported trade on 2026-07-13, pending the ledger update. Previously: Unprotected second owed to Memphis.
2030
2030 1st (own)
Their own 2nd, owed to LAC
Detroit's own second owed to the Clippers, top-55 protected, from the July 2026 six-team trade that sign-and-traded John Collins to Detroit.
2031
2031 1st (own)
2031 2nd (via DAL)
Owed to Detroit, unprotected; routed to Philadelphia in the July 2024 Buddy Hield six-team trade then to Detroit in the February 2025 KJ Martin trade.
2031 2nd (via GSW)
Chicago takes the more favorable of the Minnesota and Golden State 2031 seconds and Detroit the less favorable. Golden State's slot is the one projected less favorable and goes to Detroit.
2031 2nd (via MEM, swap rights attached) · Projected
Sent from MEM to DET in a reported trade on 2026-07-13, pending the ledger update. Previously: Memphis's own second sits in the Indiana, Miami, Memphis 2031 pool: Washington takes the more favorable of the Indiana and Miami seconds, Memphis the more favorable of its own or the less favorable of that pair, and Indiana the least of the three. Memphis holds a swap right and retains its slot pending resolution.
Their own 2nd, owed to OKC
Detroit's own second owed to Oklahoma City in the July 2026 Isaiah Joe trade.
2032
2032 1st (own)
2032 2nd (own)
2032 2nd (via MEM) · Projected
Sent from MEM to DET in a reported trade on 2026-07-13, pending the ledger update.
2033
2033 1st (own)
2033 2nd (own)
Protections and swap conditions in plain English. Full story on the Pistons draft picks page.
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