While the teams with the most cap space generate the most buzz during any given off-season, 2019 brings a unique collection of teams in all ranges of contention that could potentially occupy a dangerously grey zone: the area between the salary cap and the luxury tax.
Some teams have high-profile free agents, but no clear-cut way to replace them. Others will bring intrigue as they wheel and deal their way around the tax by taking on or dumping contracts, further helping to shape the free agent pool.
The Detroit Pistons find themselves in a similar situation. The accumulation of bad contracts for under-performing players as well as money owed to players no longer with the team (you know who I’m talking about) have strapped the franchise for years to come.