As had been previously rumored, the Pistons are adding a pair of former NBA players to their coaching staff, announcing today that Keith Bogans and Rashard Lewis are coming aboard as player development assistants, writes Mike Curtis of The Detroit News.
The Pistons have also hired former Celtics assistant Brandon Bailey as a player development assistant and Brittni Donaldson – formerly of the Raptors – as an assistant coach and director of coaching analytics. The team announced a series of other promotions, including George David to associate general manager and Rob Murphy, Josh Bartelstein, and Tony Leotti to assistant GM.
Here’s more from around the Central:
- As we previously relayed, the Pistons sent the Jazz some cash as part of the Bojan Bogdanovic trade. The exact amount, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link), was $1,752,638, which is equal to the amount that Saben Lee is earning in 2022/23. That means, from a financial perspective, Utah essentially swapped Bogdanovic ($19.55MM) for Kelly Olynyk ($12.8MM this season, plus a $3MM partial guarantee in 2023/24) and will get a free look at Lee.
- Khris Middleton could become a free agent as soon as next summer if he turns down a $40MM+ player option for 2023/24. While he’s not sure how his contract situation will play out, the standout wing tells Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he wants to stay with the Bucks long-term. “I think everybody knows that. Even though I know you’re really not supposed to say it for all the reasons out there, but I think everybody knows deep down that I want to stay,” Middleton said. “But also, you know it’s a business. Things change, things happen. You just never know. For sure I would love to stay, if everything works out.”
- Eric Nehm of The Athletic poses a series of questions for Bucks players to answer this season, including whether Grayson Allen‘s playoff struggles vs. Boston were a fluke or a harbinger of things to come.
- The Bulls will miss Lonzo Ball, one of their best two-way players, as he recovers from another knee procedure to open the season, but they have enough depth at point guard and don’t need to make a trade to fortify the position, opines Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.
Many may disagree but it is very possible to be great in a Game7 or any game for that matter & still not win the game. Jordan did exactly that in Game7 of the 1990 ECF vs. the Pistons. Bulls (especially Jordan) didn’t do to much losing in the 90s after this game. C#1cago legends Isiah Thomas & Mark Aguirre were magnificent all game long as the Bad Boys continued their dominance of a very strong Eastern Conference.. link to m.youtube.com
A combined 5-35 from the field for BJ, Scottie & Horace in this 1. Classic case of experience over youth
ESPN players ranking
Middleton 31
Wiggins 32
Draymond 43
D-Lo 93
Poole 55
Herro 61
RJ Barrett 63
Khris Middleton if he’s healthy and playing at a high level he will opt out. Khris Middleton has been solid.
He’s already earning $40M. Not everyone has to max out their contracts. He could extend his contract? I suppose he could opt out and get $50M? He did just come off a big injury that kept him out of their playoff run.
Maybe there’ll be a situation similar to PatC. He’ll pick up his player option and get a 2 or 3 extension for a little under market price. He is getting up there in age a bit so a long long term deal probably isn’t likely anyway.
Hurray for cash! Too bad they couldn’t send an open roster spot they could borrow this year instead. Lol
Trade still makes no sense for Utah. If you say that they are all worth a 1st and you get a journeyman center and a soon to be cut player…?