3 things to watch in Detroit heading into the season
Photo Credit: Brian Sevald NBAE via Getty Images
Detroit, MI (PSF) The Detroit Pistons are about to head into another season of trying to lift this franchise out of the rebuild that it has seemingly been stuck in for a decade or so. On paper, Detroit appears to have compiled one of the better young cores around the NBA with names like Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and now adding number five overall pick Asuar Thompson to the mix as well. This season under new head coach Monty Williams, the Pistons will look to stop being the team that they talk about with potential nut finds themselves at the top of the draft lottery, and rather to begin to show that potential and take a leap forward and improve upon their seventeen win season that they had just a year ago. Here are three things to look forward to heading into the season.
Cade Cunningham is back after undergoing suffering season ending shin surgery last year : Last year while the Pistons got to see some good things from some young players, the season in total was seen mostly a waste as the face of the franchise and 2021 number one overall overall pick Cade Cunningham was sidelined after appearing in just twelve games in his sophomore season and seventy six total games over his first two seasons of his career. Cunningham is now healthy again heading into his third season, and was impressing this summer with his work with the team USA select team while working to build chemistry with his teammate Jalen Duren. The Pistons have desperately needed a pick a roll threat to go beside Cunningham since his arrival in Detroit, and Duren may be just the piece they’ve been looking for. If Cunningham is able to put forth a healthy third season, that in itself will be a success and the Pistons should see improvement in the win column as a result of their star staying healthy and being on the floor. There isn’t much doubt about Cunningham’s ability, and with him healthy it will now be about establishing himself as the focal point of the offense and figuring out how all of the other pieces that Detroit has acquired will fit in to work along side him in the offense this season and going forward.
Front court rotation: The Pistons have a plethora of big men on the roster, including Isaiah Stewart fresh off of a contract extension, 2022 draft lottery pick Jalen Duren, 2018 draft number two overall pick Marvin Bagley III, and James Wiseman second overall pick of the 2020 NBA draft. Stewart and Duren are the presumed starters leaving Wiseman and Bagley to battle in the preseason and training camp over the back up big spot. Last season we seen the Pistons experiment with some lineups that featured two big men, but mostly to failing results as the offense often times felt clunky with these lineups deployed. Detroit needs to sort out their front court rotation, and figure out who provides the best option to back up and compliment the starting front court of Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart. The performances of Bagley III and Wiseman will be something to watch over the next few weeks as well as if new coach Monty Williams will deploy any of those two big men lineups.
The role of Killian Hayes : The former #7 overall pick Killian Hayes has come to a very important year in his career in the NBA albeit still at the young age of 22 entering his fourth season in the NBA. Detroit has their franchise point guard in Cade Cunningham back from injury this season, and they also acquired veteran guard Monte Morris and drafted Marcus Sasser 25th overall out of the University of Houston. So this is now a crowded back court compared to what it has been during Hayes’ time in Detroit, and he is facing restricted free agency after this season. Hayes is one of the Pistons best perimeter defenders, and a solid play maker which could ultimately earn him minutes, and new head coach Monty Williams has already noted when asked about his potential role “there’s going to be a great deal of competition, everybody’s going to get a shot to show they deserve to play.”
