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Pistons Notes: Front Office Candidates, Weaver, Buzelis

June 1st, 2024 at 7:23pm CST by Arthur Hill

Michael Blackstone, an executive who worked with new Pistons head of basketball operations Trajan Langdon in New Orleans, is considered the favorite to become Langdon’s second-in-command in Detroit, sources tell James L. Edwards and Shams Charania of The Athletic. Blackstone, the Pelicans‘ vice president of basketball administration, was an assistant general manager in Atlanta before coming to New Orleans in 2020.

Other prominent names to watch, according to the authors’ sources, are Matt Lloyd, senior vice president of basketball operations with the Timberwolves; Travis Schlenk, the Wizards‘ vice president of player personnel and former team president in Atlanta; Brock Aller, the Knicks‘ vice president of basketball and strategic planning; and Tayshaun Prince, vice president of basketball affairs with the Grizzlies. The authors note that Prince is a sentimental favorite among fans because he was a starter on Detroit’s last championship team in 2004.

There’s an opening in the front office after the Pistons parted ways with general manager Troy Weaver in what the team described as a mutual decision. Weaver, who served as GM for the past four years, lost decision-making authority with the addition of Langdon.

There’s more from Detroit:

Poor draft decisions marked the biggest mistake Weaver made during his time running the organization, contends Andrew Birkle of The Detroit Free Press. Birkle acknowledges that seven of Weaver’s eight first-round picks look like they’ll have a future in the NBA, but he views them as a mismatched collection of talent that doesn’t fit together. He also questions whether the team has any potential stars other than Cade Cunningham, adding that it’s too early to fully evaluate the No. 1 overall pick in 2021 because he’s missed so much time due to injuries.
Shooting and rim protection are the most important assets in the NBA, and Weaver failed to provide the Pistons with either of those things, observes Shawn Windsor of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). Windsor adds that everyone should be considered expendable after a 68-loss season, starting with head coach Monty Williams, who will be Langdon’s next major decision before addressing the roster.
Keith Langlois of NBA.com examines Matas Buzelis as a potential pick for the Pistons at No. 5 in this year’s draft. Although the G League Ignite had a disastrous season, Buzelis showed promise with 14.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. Langlois notes that his 6’10” size, floor-spacing and play-making ability, and his versatility on defense make Buzelis a good fit with the rest of the roster.

Pistons Notes: Langdon, Weaver, Draft, Fontecchio

May 25th, 2024 at 9:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

To succeed as the Pistons‘ new head of basketball operations, Trajan Langdon will have to be given total freedom to remake the organization as he sees fit, contends Shawn Windsor of The Detroit Free Press. Windsor notes that Langdon impressed team owner Tom Gores by building one of the league’s best young rosters with the Pelicans. He’ll have a head start on that process with a Detroit team that’s about to pick in the top five for the fourth straight season.

Windsor expects Langdon to part with general manager Troy Weaver, whose roster moves haven’t produced any on-court success during his four years on the job. A decision will also have to be made about head coach Monty Williams, who is still owed $67.5MM in guaranteed money from the record-setting contract last summer. Williams failed to develop the team’s young talent, according to Windsor, and often gave the impression that he only took the job because of the money.

Langdon’s greatest challenge will be trying to forge a competent roster from a group that only had 14 wins this season. Windsor observes that the Pistons won’t really know how good Cade Cunningham can be until they surround him with teammates who complement his skills. He adds that Langdon built a reputation as an effective talent evaluator in New Orleans, so management should trust his judgment as a new rebuilding process begins.

There’s more from Detroit:

Finding or developing a rim protector should be an offseason priority, Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press writes in a mailbag column. Sankofa says Jalen Duren is physically able to handle the job, but he needs to improve in terms of timing and consistent effort. Isaiah Stewart is undersized for a center, which makes him less of a deterrent under the basket. Sankofa lists ball control and shooting as other areas of concern, as the Pistons were 28th in turnovers per game and assist-to-turnover ratio and 26th in three-point shooting percentage.
Trading out of the draft may help spark the rebuild quicker than adding another young player, Sankofa adds in part two of his mailbag. He notes that the Pistons’ roster already includes six first-round picks made by Weaver. Stewart has signed an extension and Cunningham is expected to this summer, while Ivey and Duren become extension-eligible in 2025. Sankofa points out that decisions are already being made about which young players are going to form the team’s foundation, and another lottery pick might complicate the process.
Simone Fontecchio, who recently underwent left foot surgery, won’t be able to play for Italy this summer in an Olympic qualifying tournament, according to a Sportando report.

Central Notes: Bucks, Middleton, Cavaliers, Donovan, Pistons

April 8th, 2024 at 11:08am CST by Arthur Hill

Bucks coach Doc Rivers responded to the team’s late-season swoon by holding a film session on Saturday, according to Eric Nehm and Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The meeting involved the team’s nine veteran rotation players — Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, Malik Beasley, Bobby Portis, Patrick Beverley, Pat Connaughton and Jae Crowder — and each of them was given the opportunity to share his perspective on the team’s recent slide and offer suggestions on how to address it.

“It’s only the start of these tough and necessary conversations,” a source told Nehm and Charania.

While the session may have cleared the air, it didn’t help Milwaukee end its slump as the Bucks fell to New York on Sunday while getting outscored 72-48 in the second half. Although they remain in second place in the Eastern Conference, the Bucks are now just one game ahead of the Magic and Knicks and a game-and-half up on the Cavaliers, as home court advantage in the first round is no longer a guarantee.

There’s more from the Central Division:

Middleton’s bad luck with injuries continued Sunday as he had to leave the game after being accidentally struck in the face by Donte DiVincenzo, Nehm and Charania add. Rivers said Middleton had to make an emergency trip to the dentist, which is why he didn’t return to the game. “You just feel bad for him. The guy can’t catch a break,” the Bucks‘ head coach said. “I mean, what are the odds you go into a game, ‘OK, tonight, it will be my tooth gets knocked out.’ He’s having one of those seasons right now, but that’s OK because it can all turn for him. I thought he came with great spirit tonight, too, so just tough luck.”
The Cavaliers had a disastrous end to their five-game Western swing as they let a 26-point lead slip away in Sunday’s loss to the Clippers, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Cleveland went 1-4 on the trip and returns home in fifth place in the East. “Just a very disappointing loss,” said Isaac Okoro, who was able to return after missing four games with pain in his big toe. “Think we all know right now we need wins. Wanted this one bad.”
Head coach Billy Donovan admits that the Bulls aren’t having the type of season he expected, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago is just a game ahead of Atlanta for ninth place in the battle to host next week’s play-in game between the two teams. “I certainly didn’t come here [when I was hired in 2020] to say, ‘Hey, listen, let’s be a play-in team,’” Donovan said. “When I sat down first with [executive vice president of basketball operations] Arturas [Karnisovas] and [general manager] Marc [Eversley] about this, it was to try and build something. I still feel like we’re building something, but I don’t think anyone is happy with where we’re at.’’
James L. Edwards of The Athletic ranks the Pistons‘ best assets heading into the offseason. Not surprisingly, Cade Cunningham tops the list, with this year’s first-round pick coming in second, followed by Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey.

Eastern Notes: Wagner, Carter, Cunningham, Middleton

April 7th, 2024 at 8:27pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Magic have a major injury concern as the playoffs approach. Franz Wagner, who is averaging 19.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists, suffered a sprained right ankle during the third quarter tonight against Chicago, the team’s PR department tweets.

Initial X-rays were negative, but Wagner didn’t return to the contest. The Magic are battling for home court advantage in the opening round.

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

The Bulls signed Jevon Carter to a three-year, $19.5MM contract last summer to fortify their backcourt. Carter hasn’t played nearly much as he anticipated, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times notes, and hopes to get a better idea this offseason what the organization plans to do with him next season. “I just want to hear something that makes sense. That’s all,” Carter said. “That’s all I’m looking for, just clarity.” Carter played in 81 games for Milwaukee last season and averaged 22.4 minutes per night. He has appeared in 68 games this season, averaging 13.6 minutes.
Pistons star Cade Cunningham missed his third consecutive game on Saturday against Brooklyn due to knee soreness. However, he hasn’t been ruled out for the season, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press tweets. “We do expect him back (this season). He’s working his tail off to get back on the floor,” coach Monty Williams said.
Bucks wing Khris Middleton departed early from his team’s game against the Knicks on Sunday. Middleton had a tooth knocked out, Newsday’s Steve Popper tweets. Donte DiVincenzo inadvertently hit him in the face and Isaiah Hartenstein fell on top of him on the play. Middleton has appeared in just 51 games this season, including a 16-game absence due to a right ankle sprain.

Central Notes: Lillard, Giannis, Craig, Cade, Flynn, Mitchell

April 5th, 2024 at 3:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Damian Lillard will be back in action for the Bucks on Friday vs. Toronto after missing the last three games due to personal reasons and an adductor strain, tweets Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT. Lillard will be looking to help Milwaukee get back on track after a pair of ugly losses this week to lottery-bound teams (the Wizards and Grizzlies).

As Eric Nehm of The Athletic writes, during Wednesday’s loss to the Grizzlies, Giannis Antetokounmpo was dealing with what the Bucks are calling left hamstring tendinopathy and didn’t look like his usual explosive self en route to 21 points on 10-of-23 shooting. He’s listed as doubtful to play in Friday’s game.

Here’s more from around the Central:

One reason why the Bulls signed Javonte Green for the rest of the season is a belief that Torrey Craig‘s knee still isn’t 100%, even though the veteran wing hasn’t missed a game in nearly a month. “I’m not a doctor, but I do know he has stiffness,” head coach Billy Donovan said of Craig, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “To me, he’s just not himself. That doesn’t mean he isn’t cleared to play. He is, and he wants to play, as well. Going back to the plantar fasciitis [from earlier in the season] and then the knee injury over All-Star break, he’s not moving the way he was before those things. He’s just not.”
Pistons guard Cade Cunningham hasn’t gotten any real buzz for this season’s Most Improved Player award, but does he have a case for consideration? James L. Edwards III of The Athletic explores that topic, laying out the argument for Cunningham as MIP.
Although it came in a loss, Malachi Flynn‘s 50-point outburst on Wednesday was a feel-good moment for a Pistons team that hasn’t had many of them and for a player who has had a tough season, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). A former first-round pick, Flynn has played for three teams in his contract year and has struggled to carve out consistent minutes for any of those clubs. “We’re all super happy for him because we all know what he’s had to go through,” Evan Fournier said. “I don’t want to say we wouldn’t give a (expletive) if it was Cade, but it wouldn’t be the same. The fact that it’s Malachi adds more to the story, I think.”
Following a loss to Phoenix on Wednesday, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell spoke about the issues he’s having getting past a nagging knee ailment and his desire to have it get “1% better every day” in order to be ready to go for the playoffs. Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com has the story and the quotes from Mitchell.

And-Ones: House, Betting, Malauch, Rookie Extensions

March 31st, 2024 at 7:42pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Free agent swingman Danuel House has parted ways with agent Raymond Brothers and has replaced him with Tandem Sports’ Jim Tanner, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The 30-year-old out of Texas A&M began his season with the Sixers. He appeared in 34 contests off the bench, averaging 4.2 PPG, 1.7 APG, 1.2 RPG and 0.8 SPG across 15.0 MPG.

House was dealt to the Pistons at the trade deadline, but Detroit cut his expiring $4.3MM deal from its books before he could suit up for a game. The 6’6″ wing has yet to find a new NBA home even as the postseason looms.

There’s more from around the basketball world:

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault is concerned about the impact sports betting could have on the NBA game, per Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman (Twitter link). “[It’s] obviously growing the pie,” Daigneault said. “That’s the purpose of it, which everybody benefits from. I do think it’s worth asking what the cost is of that… It does have a bit of fox in the hen house feel to it, if I’m being honest.”
It took some seasoning with the NBA Academy in Senegal for possible top 2025 lottery pick Khaman Malauch, a 7’1″ Duke commit, to realize just how high his ceiling could be, writes Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. “I didn’t know whether I was good,” Malauch said. “I thought I was just a pick-up player. As soon as I arrived at the academy, that’s when I realized my full potential and what I can be, and then they turned me into who I am.’ “
The draft class of 2021 will soon be eligible for rookie scale contract extensions. In a thorough story, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report makes his predictions for which first-round picks will be extended and what it will cost their respective teams to do so, considering potential disparities between a player’s asking price and what his team may think he’s worth. Perhaps most intriguing is the question of what exactly No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham, who has battled injuries as a member of some underwhelming Pistons clubs, will fetch. Pincus expects the young point guard to seek a LaMelo Ball-esque maximum-salary extension and wonders if Detroit will be willing to commit to that sort of deal.

Central Notes: Morris, DeRozan, Terry, Cunningham, Duren

March 26th, 2024 at 8:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Cavaliers forward Marcus Morris, who is on a 10-day contract, was ejected from Monday’s win over the Hornets, according to ESPN News Services. Morris threw a high elbow that struck Charlotte center Nick Richards in the jaw.

Morris said he wanted to send a message to his new Cavaliers teammates: “There’s been a lot of grueling games and I was just wanted to toughen us up. Step in front of it like, listen this is what’s going to be expected moving forward, not just for today. Set the precedent going into the playoffs. We’re not about to have anybody coming in here and doing what they want to do. I wanted to play the game, I didn’t want to get thrown out, but I definitely wanted to put a little lick on him. I was happy the way we responded.”

We have more from the Central Division:

The Bulls lost by two points to Washington on Monday. DeMar DeRozan was angry that his team didn’t take advantage of a matchup against a depleted team playing out the string, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “All these games matter. You want to be playing good basketball towards this part of the season,” DeRozan said. “I’m pretty sure I’m going to be pissed off until we get back out on the court. We shouldn’t drop games like this right now. We’re resilient. But we can’t live on the edge every game. We gotta leave it out there these last 10 games. We can’t have no more excuses. We gotta play like your life depends on it.”
Bulls forward Dalen Terry has been working on his three-point shot since being drafted in the first round in 2022. However, it hasn’t shown on the court. He’s shooting 24.1% from deep this season. “I definitely believe it’s going to be a real big offseason for me, just taking care of my shot,” Terry told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times.
The Pistons are listing Cade Cunningham as questionable and Jalen Duren as probable for Wednesday’s game at Minnesota, James Edwards III of The Athletic tweets. Cunningham has missed the last two games due to knee soreness, while Duren has sat out three games due to back spasms.

Central Notes: Haliburton, Cunningham, Duren, Thompson, Bulls, Garland

March 24th, 2024 at 5:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Tyrese Haliburton‘s offensive numbers took a dive this month, in part because he was still working his way back after a hamstring injury. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle believes his star guard is rounding back into form, Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star tweets.

“He’s making constant progress,” Carlisle said. “It may not be huge leaps, but he is making progress. Big difference now between how he’s moving and how he was moving two, three weeks ago.”

It showed on Friday, as Haliburton had 26 points and 11 assists against Golden State.

We have more from the Central Division:

As if the Pistons didn’t have enough injury issues, Cade Cunningham sat out Sunday’s loss to New Orleans due to left knee injury management, James Edwards III of The Athletic tweets. “The medical team deemed he couldn’t play,” coach Monty Williams said. Center Jalen Duren missed his second straight contest due to back spasms, while starting forwards Ausar Thompson and Isaiah Stewart are already out for the season. Jaden Ivey was the only starter available.
With Pistons rookie Thompson out for the season due to a blood clot, Detroit Free Press beat writer Omari Sankofa II talks to medical experts about how the issue could impact the lottery pick’s career.
Defensive breakdowns have prevented the Bulls from moving up the standings, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. Head coach Billy Donovan points to two major issues. “The two things that have hurt us have been the rebounding and also the fouling,” Donovan said. “Our first-shot defense has not been bad. It’s been pretty good. It’s been the second chance opportunities that have hurt us. And then also, I think, some of the fouling, the ability to go vertical and not try to reach (and foul).”
In a subscriber-only story, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com details Darius Garland‘s recent offensive struggles. The Cavaliers’ guard has 20 or fewer points in each of the last four games.

Central Notes: Antetokounmpo, Bucks, Pistons, LeVert

March 20th, 2024 at 11:27am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bucks won’t have their best player in uniform for their showdown with Eastern Conference leader Boston tonight. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been ruled out due to a hamstring injury, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

Antetokounmpo also missed Sunday’s game against Phoenix. Bucks coach Doc Rivers stated earlier this week that his goal is to ensure his superstar is healthy for the postseason.

We have more from the Central Division:

The Bucks still hold the rights to their first-round pick in this year’s draft and also owns Portland’s second-rounder. With that in mind, The Athletic’s Eric Nehm breaks down potential prospects participating in the NCAA Tournament who could be available late in the first round and early in the second.
The Pistons’ young core of Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren have a fatal flaw that may force the front office to seriously consider whether they can succeed in the long run, James Edwards III of The Athletic opines: Detroit doesn’t have enough three-point threats within that group. Stewart has developed as a solid outside shooter but he lacks the upside of the other four building blocks. Cunningham has improved in that area but Ivey is subpar from deep and the other two aren’t three-point threats at all.
Caris LeVert is making a case for the Sixth Man of the Year award and Cavaliers teammate Tristan Thompson feels he needs to spread the word, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer tweets. “Gotta start the campaign,” Thompson said. “We don’t reward teams that are in seventh place. We don’t reward guys who start. Caris LeVert for Sixth Man. For real. Start pushing it.” LeVert is averaging 14 points, 4.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 56 games.

Central Notes: Cunningham, Weaver, Toppin, Walker

March 11th, 2024 at 6:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder

A lot of things have gone wrong for the Pistons this season but there’s at least one promising development: Cade Cunningham is playing like an All-Star, James Edwards III of The Athletic writes.

Cunningham, who is eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason, is averaging 25.8 points, 7.9 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game since the All-Star break while shooting 47.6% from 3-point attempts. The Pistons combo guard has become a legitimate three-level scorer, Edwards notes, and has particularly been on the mark as a pull-up 3-point shooter over his last nine games.

We have more from the Central Division:

Pistons general manager Troy Weaver had a verbal exchange with a heckler in the stands during Saturday’s loss to Dallas and Edwards reports that the fan had been pestering Weaver in the build-up to what was captured on video. Weaver ignored the fan’s comments when he approached Weaver the first time. The second time, Weaver said something along the lines of, “I don’t come to your work and harass you.” The heated exchange, which was partially captured on video by another fan, showed the fan’s third time at provoking Weaver, according to Edwards.
Obi Toppin, who is headed to restricted free agency this offseason, has continued to be productive coming off the bench after the Pacers acquired Pascal Siakam to take his starting spot, Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star writes. Toppin contributed 17 points in a win over Orlando on Sunday and has generally delivered offensively by finishing at the rim and making enough 3-pointers to keep opponents honest. “The guy gets out and runs better than anyone I’ve ever seen. He creates so much energy and disadvantages for the other team,” guard T.J. McConnell said.
With Bennedict Mathurin out for the season due to a torn labrum in his right shoulder, rookie Jarace Walker has a path to steady playing time, Dopirak notes. The Pacers have a need for another wing on the second unit. “Jarace can play 3 and 4,” coach Rick Carlisle said. Walker has appeared in 23 games, averaging 9.9 minutes in those outings.