Official Detroit Pistons thread

[Cody_Russell]

Thursday’s game is on at midnight for you East coast folks. Good luck!

Dang it. It is… no sympathy for East Coasters… Shout-out to the playoff games that ended between midnight and 1:30am too!

[The King]

I will be nice and toasted at 9 pm in SoCal.

[Futureshock]

https://nba.nbcsports.com/2022/07/02/who-remains-the-10-best-nba-free-agents-still-available/

Deandre Ayton

If Kevin Durant is headed to the Suns, then Ayton is almost certainly headed to Brooklyn on a sign-and-trade that will get the former No. 1 pick the money he wants (and the Nets can build around Ayton and Ben Simmons). However, if Durant ends up anywhere else, the max contract — or even near max — offers from outside Phoenix for Ayton may have dried up. If Durant is not headed to Phoenix, it may be time for the Suns and Ayton to patch up their differences and agree to a short-term deal that keeps Phoenix as contenders.

[Futureshock]

https://nba.nbcsports.com/2022/07/02/who-remains-the-10-best-nba-free-agents-still-available/

Frank made it to the top 10:

10)Frank Jackson

He gave the Pistons 10.6 points in 22 minutes a game when healthy last season, but with Detroit focusing on its higher-upside young guards Jackson is out with the Pistons. If a team can help him find his 3-point shot again — it was over 40% two seasons ago and dropped to 30.8% last season — there is value in him as a third guard who can play on or off the ball. He’s a good locker room guy, works hard on defense and has an NBA role to play.

[Futureshock]

Watch Chet Holmgren put up 23, block six shots in Summer League debut
No. 2 pick Chet Holmgren showed why the Thunder were so high on him as a prospect — 23 points, shooting 4-of-6 from 3 and adding in six blocked shots in his Summer League debut.

[Futureshock]

I have watched Keegan a couple of times and I must say we are lucky. The kid can hit an open jumper, but he struggles to create for himself or his teammates. He will be a double-digit scorer, but I think we will be happy with Ivey (over Murray).

BTW, all the deals will go through at noon EST and Duren (along with the other NY deal) will be a Piston. I'm looking forward to seeing the team tomorrow

[Futureshock]

https://www.nba.com/pistons/news/pis...-23-nba-season

Pistons Summer League checklist: Getting a jump on the 2022-23 NBA season

“This is, for me, far more important than the games,” Casey said of the practices and the getting-to-know-you function of team activity. “Because now we can work on stuff that we’re going to do next year, reiterate things we did last year. This is an opportunity for us to get some extra work in legally for the upcoming season.”

[Cody_Russell]

Watch Chet Holmgren put up 23, block six shots in Summer League debut
No. 2 pick Chet Holmgren showed why the Thunder were so high on him as a prospect — 23 points, shooting 4-of-6 from 3 and adding in six blocked shots in his Summer League debut.

Saw that… Stud. If Chet stays relatively healthy, he’s going to be a superstar IMO. Health is the question.

…

I read Twitter rumors that Cade won’t play summer league. Gabriele Procida is apparently in Vegas and could play too. I’m intrigued with Procida and would be entertained to see him play this summer.

[Futureshock]

https://www.nba.com/pistons/news/ivey-channels-his-speed

Ivey channels his speed to make an impact at both ends of Pistons court

“He made one play yesterday where he went over – first, he fell down – then he went and helped on one side of the floor,” said Dwane Casey, whose roots in basketball are sunk deep into the defensive end of the court, “and then he went to the other side of the floor and got a steal just with how quick he is.”

The overwhelming majority of speculation on Ivey’s impact with the Pistons focused on his offensive fit with Cade Cunningham – how his speed would be accentuated as a complement to Cunningham’s surgical pace, how the greater spacing of NBA offenses would open the floor for Ivey, whether the 10 percentage point spike in Ivey’s 3-point shooting from freshman to sophomore was a reliable guidepost for his future.

But Ivey’s size, speed, length and athleticism give him the toolkit to make an impact at both ends and perhaps most immediately on defense.

“He can pick up the quick guards, the beep-beep guards,” Casey said. “I anticipate us doing a lot of switching. He’s big enough, strong enough to be able to switch. He’s not a finished product with his body, either. He’ll grow into that in the weight room. He’s got a bright future with us.”

Ivey is ideally suited to defend point guards, which gives Casey tremendous lineup flexibility on units built around Cunningham as primary playmaker. He comes to the Pistons comfortable with a role as Cunningham’s sidekick and knows his ability to compete defensively at a level commensurate with his athletic ability is key to making the pairing work.

“Be an impact defender. That’s what I’m working on,” he said. “In practice, I feel like I’m being really aggressive – just that Pistons mindset, that Bad Boys mindset. You’ve got to go out there every day and impact on the defensive end and I feel like I’ve really improved in that aspect when I got here.”

[Futureshock]

Saw that… Stud. If Chet stays relatively healthy, he’s going to be a superstar IMO. Health is the question.

…

I read Twitter rumors that Cade won’t play summer league. Gabriele Procida is apparently in Vegas and could play too. I’m intrigued with Procida and would be entertained to see him play this summer.

Murray scored 24 pts in his debut too. But in his second game (California Classic) he looked lost and highly guardable.

What is really good for the kid is his defense. Who the heck blocks shots with both hands? This guy

[Da Geezer]

I have watched Keegan a couple of times and I must say we are lucky. The kid can hit an open jumper, but he struggles to create for himself or his teammates. He will be a double-digit scorer, but I think we will be happy with Ivey (over Murray).

BTW, all the deals will go through at noon EST and Duren (along with the other NY deal) will be a Piston. I'm looking forward to seeing the team tomorrow

We are going to watching early on Friday. Why can't they schedule west coast teams at midnight (9:00 pm PDT)?

[jaadam4]

I still can't believe Sacramento didn't take Ivey.

I actually wanted Detroit to fall to #4 so they'd have to take Ivey instead of the bigs. He's going to be really great with Cade.

[The King]

Chet is a true unicorn. No clue why he didn’t go #1. He has all-timer upside.

[The King]

I’ve stated here on Chet that he’s a guard on offense and eraser on defense. He’s not a center, he’s not a big. He’s just a basketball player.

Basketball is essentially position less right now. That’s why there’s the need for wings. The 6’8” 220 types like Murray. They can play all over.

[The King]

Btw, Murray has been awesome in SL. He moves well, has high IQ, is long, and has a textbook shot. Just a beautiful setup and release with no wasted motion. Idk that Ivey even fell to us. Murray is going to be really good.