Detroit Pistons Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Cade Cunningham Out At Least Four Games With Left Shin Issue

November 12th, 2022 at 4:23pm CST by Arthur Hill

Cade Cunningham will miss the next four games due to soreness in his left shin, the Pistons announced in a press release. Cunningham’s condition will be reevaluated in a week.

The second-year guard won’t play in tonight’s game against Boston, Monday’s contest against Toronto, or the first two games of Detroit’s upcoming road trip against the Clippers and Lakers. If the pain subsides, he could be activated for a November 20 game at Sacramento.

The pain in his shin also forced Cunningham to sit out Friday’s loss to the Knicks as the Pistons fell to 3-10, putting them in a tie for the worst record in the Eastern Conference.

Cory Joseph took Cunningham’s place in the starting lineup against New York, but he got into early foul trouble and played just six total minutes. Killian Hayes and Alec Burks may also see more playing time while Cunningham is sidelined.

Coach Dwane Casey said Cunningham started experiencing the soreness in training camp, tweets James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.

“The medical team is working with it and treating it,” Casey said. “They felt those days off would take away the pain, soreness.”

After finishing third in the Rookie of the Year voting last season, Cunningham’s numbers have improved across the board. Through 12 games, he is averaging 19.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists per night.

Injury Updates: Beal, Bucks, Suns, Banchero, Lakers, More

November 11th, 2022 at 9:06pm CST by Rory Maher

Wizards guard Bradley Beal has cleared the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the team announced. However, Beal will still miss Saturday’s game against Utah due to “return to competition reconditioning,” with further updates to be provided as he continues to inch closer to a return.

Beal has missed three games while in the protocols, with the Wizards going 2-1 without their star shooting guard. Through nine games, he’s averaging 21.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.7 assists on .517/.325/.917 shooting in 35.1 minutes per night.

Here are several more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

Bucks stars Giannis Antetokounmpo (left knee soreness) and Jrue Holiday (right ankle sprain) were both ruled out for Friday’s loss to the Spurs, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Both players missed their second consecutive game for the league-leading Bucks, holders of a 10-2 record in the early going.
Similarly, Suns guard Chris Paul was ruled out for the second straight game Friday, in what turned out to be a loss to the Magic, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Fellow guard Landry Shamet (concussion symptoms) was also sidelined after scoring a season-high 16 points in Wednesday’s win over Minnesota. “We didn’t see anything. Just kind of jumped up on him last night. It just speaks to how complicated those things are. Can go for a while and not even know something is going on and then it just jumps up on you,” head coach Monty Williams said of Shamet (Twitter link via Rankin). For Orlando, No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero missed his second straight contest with a left ankle sprain.
The Lakers provided an update today on center Thomas Bryant and guard Dennis Schröder, both of whom are recovering from thumb surgery. They were evaluated this week and are said to be progressing well, and both players will be reevaluated next Thursday, as Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times relays (via Twitter).
Shaedon Sharpe, the No. 7 overall pick, has suffered a volar avulsion fracture to his right fifth finger, the Trail Blazers announced in a press release. He’s considered day-to-day going forward and is officially listed as questionable for Saturday’s contest at Dallas.
Nuggets guard Bones Hyland has entered the league’s health and safety protocols and was ruled out for Friday’s loss at Boston, Denver announced (via Twitter). Hyland is a key reserve for Denver, with averages of 14.0 points and 3.7 assists through nine games (20.7 minutes). He’ll need to pass some testing requirements before returning to action. The Nuggets play Sunday, Wednesday and Friday next week.
Last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, was downgraded from questionable to out on Friday with left shin soreness, tweets Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. On a positive note, wing Alec Burks made his 2022/23 season debut following foot surgery, scoring 17 points in 25 minutes during Detroit’s loss at New York.

Fischer’s Latest: Bogdanovic, Lakers, Crowder, G. Allen

November 11th, 2022 at 10:49am CST by Luke Adams

When the Pistons unexpectedly beat out rival suitors to acquire Bojan Bogdanovic in September, some executives around the NBA viewed it as a signal that Detroit was accelerating its timeline and making a push for the play-in tournament, writes Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. However, it’s unclear if the Pistons are ready to take that step forward, having gotten off to a 3-9 start this season.

If the Pistons continue to struggle and Bogdanovic (19.3 PPG on .487/.457/.917 shooting) keeps playing anywhere near the level that he has in the early going, it could put the team in a good position to flip the veteran forward for value at this season’s trade deadline, Fischer notes.

The Pistons did sign Bogdanovic to a two-year, $39MM extension last month, but that contract shouldn’t hurt his trade value and might even improve it for some suitors, especially since the second year of the extension is only lightly guaranteed, Fischer writes. And even if the Pistons hang onto Bogdanovic through this season, he’ll now be movable in the 2023 offseason and beyond.

“What it really does is it gives them contract control so it’s easier to trade him in July, when a team that needs him is far more likely to have cap space and wiggle room,” an assistant general manager told Yahoo Sports.

Here’s more from Fischer:

The Lakers inquired on Bogdanovic when he was a member of the Jazz and could still have interest if the Pistons were to make him available, according to Fischer, who points out that a package of Bogdanovic, Alec Burks, and Nerlens Noel would be enough to match Russell Westbrook‘s expiring deal. If the Lakers are hesitant to make an all-in move, a package like that could hold some appeal, since it shouldn’t cost them both of their tradable first-round picks, says Fischer.
The Suns were another team with interest in Bogdanovic before he was traded out of Utah and could still put together a package built around Jae Crowder‘s expiring contract, Fischer writes, adding that there’s no indication that Crowder and the Suns will reunite even after starting forward Cameron Johnson went down with a knee injury.
It’s unclear whether the Bucks have interest in Bogdanovic, but they’re among Crowder’s potential suitors and could hypothetically offer Grayson Allen for him, according to Fischer, who hears from sources that Milwaukee has been calling teams to gauge Allen’s trade value.
While Allen looks like the kind of rotation piece the Suns are known to be seeking in exchange for Crowder, Fischer wonders if Phoenix might become more inclined to wait until closer to the trade deadline to see if any higher-impact players shake loose — Crowder’s expiring contract could be an important piece in any offer for a player of that caliber.

Burks Listed As Questionable For Celtics Matchup

November 8th, 2022 at 10:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Alec Burks, who has yet to make his Pistons debut, is listed as questionable to play against Boston on Wednesday, Mike Curtis of the Detroit News tweets. The veteran shooting guard was acquired from the Knicks in a draft-night deal. He has been sidelined while recovering from a fractured left navicular bone.

Pistons big man Marvin Bagley III, who has been out since the third preseason game due to a right knee sprain, has been upgraded to doubtful.

Community Shootaround: Lottery Teams

November 7th, 2022 at 6:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Powerball lottery jackpot grew to a world record $1.9 billion on Monday. Coincidentally, four of the five NBA teams with the top picks in the June draft faced each other.

The Magic and top pick Paolo Banchero were matched up against the Rockets and No. 3 pick Jabari Smith. The Thunder, who won’t have No. 2 pick Chet Holmgren available until next season, played against the Pistons and No. 5 pick Jaden Ivey.

The Kings, who drafted Keegan Murray at No. 4, had a much different test facing the defending champion but struggling Warriors.

A few of those teams have habitually participated in the lottery. Orlando has finished 11th or worse in the Eastern Conference in eight of the past 10 seasons. Detroit hasn’t won a playoff game since 2008. Sacramento, of course, has gone 16 seasons without a postseason visit.

Oklahoma City got eliminated in the first round four straight years before going into a full rebuild. The Thunder have seemingly have stockpiled more draft picks than wins since the 2020/21 season. Houston has taken a similar approach.

How have these teams looked so far this season? Let’s break it down:

Magic — Banchero has lived up to his status, averaging 22.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists. It hasn’t translated into victories, as Orlando headed into Monday’s game with a 2-8 record.
Rockets — Last year’s No. 2 pick, Jalen Green, is averaging 19.5 points while Smith has posted averages of 10.8 points and 6.1 rebounds. They had only one win in their first 10 outings.
Thunder — With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander playing at an All-Star level (30.5 points, 5.9 assists), they headed into Detroit with a 4-5 record. Last year’s lottery selection, Josh Giddey, ranks second on the club in scoring (13.5).
Kings — Murray is averaging 13.9 points but, not surprisingly, De’Aaron Fox leads the team in scoring (26.3) and assists (4.6). Sacramento lost its first four games but has rebounded to win three of its last four outings.
Pistons — Ivey has scored in double digits in all but one game while averaging 15 points. Last year’s top pick, Cade Cunningham, is averaging 21.4 points and 6.3 assists. Yet wins have been scarce, as they entered the week with a 2-8 record.

That brings us to today’s question: Among the five teams with the highest lottery picks in the June draft — the Magic, Thunder, Rockets, Kings and Pistons — which franchise has the brightest future and is closest to becoming a perennial playoff team?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Central Notes: Bogdanovic, Okoro, Middleton, Connaughton

November 5th, 2022 at 3:32pm CST by Rory Maher

Forward Bojan Bogdanovic has been on playoff teams in seven of his eight NBA seasons, so he wasn’t sure what to think at first when he was traded to the rebuilding Pistons. However, a discussion with Detroit’s management made it clear that the two sides have the same goal going forward, which is why he signed a two-year, $39.1MM extension last week (the final year is partially guaranteed for $2MM).

“Just talking to (general manager) Troy (Weaver) and (Pistons owner Tom Gores), they assured me that the team is going to go in the right direction,” Bogdanovic told Mike Curtis of The Detroit News (subscriber link). “We got a good salary cap (situation) for the summer that we’re going to try to bring someone in … We’ve been rebuilding, so they’re trying to win, so that’s the first thing that I asked them, and that was the main reason (to extend), honestly.”

As Curtis notes, the Pistons project to have roughly $48MM in cap space next summer, which is theoretically enough to sign a maximum-salary free agent. However, the list of 2023 free agents isn’t the greatest, so it seems unlikely they’ll use all of it on one player.

Though the Pistons are just 2-8 to start the 2022/23 season, Bogdanovic has excelled, averaging 20.2 points on a career-best shooting line of .500/.486/.946 (.679 true shooting percentage). Head coach Dwane Casey recently raved about Bogdanovic, per Curtis.

“He’s one of the pieces that we are building with and want to go forward with,” Casey said. “We’re still in rebuilding mode, but one thing that he’s shown is his leadership, and that’s what you gotta have on a young team. You gotta have some veteran pieces mixed in there when they’re going against grizzled veterans.

“He’s that piece. He fits in. He’s patient. He’s sharing his knowledge with the players, things that he’s seen over his career and his ability speaks for himself.”

Here are a few more notes from the around the Central:

Prior to Friday’s victory over Detroit, Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff told Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter link) that he has spoken to third-year wing Isaac Okoro multiple times about his rough start to the season. According to Fedor, Bickerstaff said he blames himself for Okoro’s struggles, noting that the former No. 5 overall pick has been in-and-out of the starting lineup — and rotation — multiple times during the team’s 7-1 start. Okoro is averaging just 2.4 PPG and 1.5 RPG through eight games (16.0 MPG), and is 0-for-11 from three-point range.
On Wednesday, head coach Mike Budenholzer provided an update on injured wing Khris Middleton, who has yet to make his regular season debut for the 8-0 Bucks after offseason wrist surgery. According to Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link), Budenholzer said Middleton’s practice with the team’s G League affiliate went well, calling it an important step in his rehabilitation process. Budenholzer anticipates Middleton will need another practice with the Wisconsin Herd to build up his conditioning. A previous report indicated that Middleton could return at some point this month.
Budenholzer also gave an update on Pat Connaughton, who was expected to miss about three weeks with a right calf strain, but it sounds like he’ll be out longer than that, since Sunday is three weeks since the Bucks announced his injury. As Owczarski tweets, Budenholzer said Connaughton has yet to get 5-on-5 work in and he’ll need to pass that milestone before returning to action. The head coach wasn’t sure about the veteran wing’s timetable for return at this point.
In case you missed it, Pacers wing Chris Duarte is expected to miss four-to-six weeks after suffering a Grade 2 left ankle sprain. You can find our story on his injury right here.

And-Ones: Henderson, 2023 Cap Room, Fredette, Hammon

November 4th, 2022 at 11:08am CST by Luke Adams

After giving fans the opportunity to see more of top prospect Victor Wembanyama by announcing that all of this season’s Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 games will be available to watch for free on the NBA app, the league is taking a similar path with consensus No. 2 prospect Scoot Henderson.

According to the NBA, a series of G League Ignite games will be available to stream for free on the NBA App this season. The league announced that Henderson and the Ignite will be featured on the app eight times in November and December during the NBAGL’s Showcase Cup, starting on Friday — the Ignite will host the Oklahoma City Blue – the Thunder’s affiliate – tonight in the season opener.

Neither Wembanyama nor Henderson is taking the traditional U.S. college route that most top picks have in the past, opening the door for the NBA to take unique steps to market two players who have the potential to become perennial All-Stars in the league within the next few years.

Here are several more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Danny Leroux of The Athletic takes an early look at which teams do and don’t project to have cap room during the summer of 2023, identifying the Rockets, Pistons, Spurs, Magic, and Pacers as some of the teams with the most flexibility.
Former NBA lottery pick Jimmer Fredette, who didn’t have much NBA success but became a star in China, now hopes to be part of Team USA’s 3×3 basketball team for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Veteran broadcaster and analyst Fran Fraschilla is coaching the U.S. team and recruited Fredette for the qualifying process, including this week’s AmeriCup, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. “I think Jimmer, unfortunately, was never in the right places in the NBA that valued what he can do,” Fraschilla said. “He can give us six to 10 weeks a year and he’ll have a great shot at being part of our Olympic team if we qualify.”
Las Vegas Aces head coach and former Spurs assistant Becky Hammon is joining ESPN as an NBA studio analyst for the 2022/23 season, as Richard Deitsch of The Athletic details.
Sam Yip of HoopsHype takes a look at the NBA players who took the biggest year-to-year pay cuts in league history, starting with Celtics big man Blake Griffin.

Sankofa Lauds Pistons' New Deal With Bogdanovic

November 1st, 2022 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Given how much projected 2023 cap room they had, the Pistons essentially did some offseason shopping early by extending Bojan Bogdanovic, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). Sankofa likes the decision to lock up Bogdanovic, noting that he’s exactly the type of player Detroit’s roster needed.

Pistons Notes: Ivey, Cunningham, Bogdanovic, Duren, Lineups

October 31st, 2022 at 10:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons have lost six of their last seven games but the last two outings have been encouraging. They snapped a five-game losing streak by defeating defending champion Golden State on Sunday and lost on the road to Milwaukee by two points on Monday.

Jaden Ivey, the fifth pick in the draft, has scored in double digits in every game he’s played, including a combined 34 points the last two nights. Backcourt partner Cade Cunningham notched a total of 50 points, 16 rebounds and 16 assists in those two games.

“It’s a confidence builder for a young group, for a kid like Ivey and we keep forgetting Cade’s in year two, for those guys to understand what it takes to beat great teams like we’ve played the last couple nights,” coach Dwane Casey said during Monday’s postgame press conference.

We have more on the Pistons:

When Bojan Bogdanovic was acquired from Utah just before training camp, many people speculated he’d be flipped this season for assets. That could still happen but it seems less likely after he signed a two-year extension, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes. Having a veteran like Bogdanovic has been a boon to an otherwise green starting group, and his deal looks quite reasonable compared to recent extensions given to other veterans around the league with the salary cap expected to significantly rise.
Rookie center Jalen Duren is grateful 21-year-old Isaiah Stewart has taken him under his wing, he told Sam Yip of HoopsHype. “It means a lot, because I came in kind of with the same mentality, just team success,” he said. “However we can do that I’m all for. So, for me coming in, of course, playing the same position as Isaiah and him already being there, you know, just welcoming me with open arms was huge.” Duren missed Monday’s game with a left ankle sprain but could rejoin the team for its next game at Milwaukee on Wednesday, Mike Curtis of Detroit News tweets.
Nerlens Noel made his Pistons debut on Monday, though Marvin Bagley III is still sidelined by a knee injury. When all of Detroit’s frontcourt pieces are healthy, Casey may utilize bigger lineups, according to Curtis. Casey has been hesitant to play Duren and Stewart together because he didn’t want either of them to get into foul trouble.

Injury Updates: Davis, Ayton, Leonard, Noel

October 31st, 2022 at 11:58am CST by Arthur Hill

One downside to the Lakers‘ first win Sunday night was continuing back pain for Anthony Davis, writes Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times. Davis, who had been listed as questionable for the game, was grimacing and limping around the court, Hernandez observed. Afterward, he admitted being in a “pretty good amount of pain.”

Davis sat out Friday’s game due to lower back tightness, and his health is a constant concern after playing a combined 76 games over the past two seasons. On Sunday, he told reporters that he doesn’t know what to expect regarding his back from day to day, adding, “It kind of just comes and goes.”

An eight-time All-Star, Davis is crucial to any success the Lakers hope to have this season. He’s averaging 23.8 points and 10.6 rebounds through five games, along with 2.4 steals and 2.0 blocks.

“AD’s impact is not only huge defensively, but also very efficient offensively, giving us possessions at the rim, knocking down the jumper, just all around very efficient tonight,” LeBron James said.

There’s more injury news to pass along:

The Suns are grateful that Deandre Ayton‘s sprained left ankle wasn’t more serious, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Ayton got hurt Friday when he landed on the foot of Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas after taking a jump shot. “When you look at the play, just one of those plays that should’ve been called a foul,” Phoenix coach Monty Williams said. “Just kind of go from there, but for me, I’m just grateful it wasn’t worse. We will look at it in another week to make sure he’s ready to go.”
Injury management continues for Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, according to Law Murray of The Athletic. Leonard sat out Sunday’s loss to the Pelicans to protect his surgically repaired right knee and won’t play tonight against the Rockets. He has only played twice this season, coming off the bench both times, and is averaging 12.5 minutes per game.
There’s a chance Nerlens Noel could make his debut with the Pistons tonight, tweets James L. Edwards of The Athletic. Jalen Duren didn’t travel with the team to Milwaukee after rolling his ankle in Sunday’s game, and Marvin Bagley III remains out with an MCL sprain. Coach Dwane Casey has said Noel, who is reconditioning after plantar fasciitis, might be available to play in an emergency.