Pistons small forward Isaiah Livers, the No. 42 pick in 2021 out of Michigan, seems to be proving his mettle as an NBA-level talent during the 2022 Las Vegas Summer League, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Edwards praises Livers’s abilities as a long-range shooter, and projects him to potentially make Detroit’s rotation during the 2022/23 NBA season.
Edwards also singles out Livers’s newly refined defensive skillset. Livers saw limited action in his rookie season with Detroit during the 2021/22 season. In 19 games, the 23-year-old averaged 6.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 1.1 APG and 0.7 SPG across 20.2 MPG. He posted a tantalizing shooting line of .456/.422/.857.
There’s more out of Detroit:
- Former No. 2 overall pick Marvin Bagley III was pleased to remain with the Pistons on a new three-year, $37MM contract, he told Cassidy Hubbarth of ESPN (Twitter link courtesy of the Detroit News’ Mike Curtis). “I was super excited,” Bagley said. “I love Detroit. I love the fans. I love being in that environment and when it was official, I was excited.”
- After injuring his ankle during the first quarter of a Saturday Summer League contest against the Wizards, Pistons rookie shooting guard Jaden Ivey did not return to game action. However, concern seems low among Detroit’s brain trust about the injury, per Rod Beard of the Detroit News. Ivey, who was selected with the fifth pick out of Purdue in this year’s NBA draft, even weighed in himself on Sunday (via Twitter). “[Nothing] major.. I’m good,” he wrote.
- The Pistons are hopeful that a starting frontcourt tandem of Isaiah Stewart and rookie center Jalen Duren, the No. 13 pick out of Memphis, can prove effective. The early results in this year’s Las Vegas Summer League have certainly been encouraging, writes Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. The duo combined for 27 points on 10-of-17 shooting, 15 rebounds, six assists and three blocks in Detroit’s 105-99 victory over the Wizards on Saturday.
I liked Livers in summer league a year or 2 ago. He just has to be consistent, but it also depends on who is around him
I admittedly wasnt a fan of put Stewart and Duren together, and especially playing them at the same time, despite the fact Stewart has shown some ability to space the floor. It’s always been small sample size, and I also am not sure how that will necessarily work defending the perimeter
That being said, I am curious to see how they do, with lack of spacing on this roster, and weird fits the way they’ve used their rotations the last couple of years anyway, and them likely still trying to lose
Cade gives them a lot of options b/c of his versatility
This is Livers first summer league.
I’m pretty sure it isnt. If so, maybe it was preseason, or maybe it was q couple of g-leagye games I saw, but I’m pretty sure he saw minutes in summer league previously.
So what
I thought for sure Stewart would be the back up and Marvin Bagley would start at PF alongside Duren.
Bagley averaged almost twice as many points per game as Stewart and although ineffective, he atleast tries to shoot the three and space the floor. Physically, Bagley is taller and lighter and would have a much better chance when switched onto smaller players. Not to mention he’s super athletic.
I’m not surprised. Sounds like they want to start the better defensive player in Stewart. Bagley has never been, in my opinion, even a decent defender. Bagley can bring energy off the bench though.
So what Bagley at the 4 and Okynyk at the 5 off the bench?
They would get destroyed on defence.
To me it makes more sense to have Bagley and Duren and then Olynyk and Stewart.
Olynyk and Stewart actually sound good together. Kelly can space the floor and Stewart own the paint. Good mix of experience with the younger Stewart, Stewart’s lack of height is countered by Olynyk.
Destroyed by the other teams’ backups?— no, and you want get the most minutes to your best players. At least until the tanking starts.
Bagley is perfect for the tank— impresses some fans while losing the game. Duren will likely be learning the art also.