Pistons open to max deal for Drummond

Though they were swept out of the first round, the Detroit Pistons gave the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers four spirited, competitive games after making the postseason for the first time since 2009.

After what should qualify as a successful season, the Pistons will now shift their focus to keeping their promising young nucleus intact, beginning with All-Star center Andre Drummond.

The Pistons didn't sign Drummond to an extension when they had a chance last offseason, meaning he'll be a restricted free agent this summer. Coming off a season in which he averaged 16.2 points and a league-leading 14.8 rebounds, the 22-year-old is likely in line for a maximum contract, something the Pistons don't appear to have any reservations about putting on the table.

"No hesitation," team owner Tom Gores said after Sunday's Game 4 loss, according to ESPN's Nick Friedell. "Come on, look at all the big guys in the league. Come on."

As to Drummond's desire to sign such a deal and remain in Detroit long-term (his other option would be to take a one-year qualifying offer and enter unrestricted free agency in 2017), Gores was less certain, but still optimistic.

"You'd have to ask Andre, but I think we have a great relationship," Gores said. "I think he likes Detroit, but you'd have to ask him."

Drummond has improved in subtle but meaningful ways throughout his four NBA seasons, growing increasingly confident and intuitive as a defensive multi-tasker, while becoming a slightly more versatile scorer.

Still, his free-throw shooting woes, and inability to do anything with the ball when he's more than a few feet from the basket, remain problematic. After the Pistons lost Game 3 to the Cavs, an exasperated Stan Van Gundy bemoaned the fact that "you can't do anything" with Drummond late in games.

On the other hand, Drummond is still younger than some rookies, and has plenty of time to expand his game. Plus, the league's board of governors is expected to implement some sort of rule change this summer regarding the increasingly pervasive Hack-A-Player strategy, which intentionally and repeatedly puts guys like Drummond on the line.

Drummond, for his part, sounds encouraged about the Pistons' future.

"I've been here for four long years, and it's been a struggle," he said. "So for us to play the way we've played this season and come out and prove so many people wrong saying that we weren't going to be good enough, that we were such a young team. For us to overcome injuries, different things going on, and to be in the playoffs and play like that, you can't help but hold your head high."