Jaden Ivey

Pistons Notes: Beasley, Klintman, Point Guards

October 6th, 2024 at 1:47pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

New floor-spacing Pistons shooting guard Malik Beasley has been a critical addition to Detroit’s revamped three-point shooting attack, writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com.

Last year, Detroit ranked 29th in made three-pointers, 27th in attempts, and 26th in conversion rate. Beasley — along with fellow veterans Tobias Harris and Tim Hardaway Jr. — was brought in expressly to address that issue this year.

Across 79 contests as the Bucks’ (mostly) starting shooting guard last year, Beasley was an elite high-volume, long-range sniper. He averaged 11.3 points per game on .443/.413/.714 shooting splits, with 6.9 of his 9.1 nightly field goal attempts coming from the beyond the arc.

“We’re more talking about the type of [three-point] shots that we’re trying to create and how we’re going to create them,” new head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of how he plans to approach his fresh optionality from beyond the arc. “Right now, the emphasis is on we want to create as many feet-set, catch-and-shoot threes as we can and then what do we have to do before that to get to those shots. That’s where we’re at right now.”

There’s more out of Detroit:

Rookie Pistons combo forward Bobi Klintman missed a team practice late last week with a calf contusion, reports Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). Klintman will miss a few days as a precaution, Sankofa adds. Detroit selected Klintman out of Wake Forest with the No. 37 overall pick this summer.
Detroit is looking to share ball-handling duties when starting point guard Cade Cunningham is on the bench, Sankofa writes in a story for The Free Press. Without another traditional point guard currently on the team, Bickerstaff is looking to spread the wealth and build the confidence of his other players as passers and play-makers. “We may not have guys who are historically initiators, but we’ve got guys that can handle the ball and make plays and use their intelligence,” Bickerstaff said. “You’re going to see, from us, a ton of guys that have the ball in their hands and are making decisions. We may not have a primary ball-handler all the time, but we can split it up and make ourselves a little more difficult to guard.” Combo guards Jaden Ivey and Marcus Sasser are among the players who figure to see minutes in that role.
In case you missed it, the Pistons are looking to transition veteran big man Isaiah Stewart back to his preferred role of center for most of his minutes. Stewart had spent more time at power forward in recent years.

Pistons Notes: Gores, Ivey, Duren, Holland

September 29th, 2024 at 9:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons owner Tom Gores has agreed to become a part owner of the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers. He is purchasing a 27% stake in the franchise, Daniel Popper of The Athletic relays.

The agreement is subject to approval by NFL owners next month. If the deal goes through, the Spanos family would still control 69% of the Chargers. Gores purchased the Pistons franchise in 2011.

We have more on the Pistons:

As training camp begins this month, the Detroit Free Press’ Omari Sankofa II explores 10 questions for 10 different players for the upcoming season. Those questions include whether Jaden Ivey can become a more efficient play-maker, whether Jalen Duren can expand his offensive game, and whether lottery pick Ron Holland can make an impact in his rookie campaign.
Beyond Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris, who will be the team’s No. 3 scorer? Pistons.com’s Keith Langlois predicts Duren will finish in that spot, as he’s likely to play 30-plus minutes and get plenty of opportunities as a lob threat and offensive rebounder. Langlois also believes it’s unrealistic to expect the team to reach the postseason despite its offseason upgrades.
In case you missed it, the team signed forward Lamar Stevens to a training camp contract. Get the details here.

Pistons Notes: Duren, Ivey, Harris

September 17th, 2024 at 8:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

It’s a pivotal season for Pistons center Jalen Duren, who will be extension-eligible next offseason. Duren’s development is one of the major questions for the franchise as training camp approaches, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes.

Duren has not established himself as a defensive anchor despite the fact that he’s as athletic as any NBA center, Langlois notes, considering his 250-pound frame and 7-foot-5 wingspan. His end-to-end speed also stands out.

Duren is already an elite rebounder, as his pair of 20-20 games last season would suggest. If he can become a defensive force, the 20-year-old has All-Star potential, Langlois concludes.

We have more on the Pistons:

Like Duren, Jaden Ivey is also looking his make his mark during his third Pistons season, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press notes in a subscriber-only story. Ivey, who will likely have the ball in his hands during times when Cade Cunningham isn’t on the court, has displayed breathtaking speed and the ability to generate open shots but has been among the league’s most turnover-prone players, Sankofa points out. Whether Ivey starts or runs the second unit, he’ll need to improve as a play-maker and show more discipline on defense.
Melanie Harris has been named the Pistons’ president of business operations, according to a team press release. Harris, who previously worked for Nike, will be responsible for leading the organization’s business lines, expanding revenue opportunities and driving engagement with partners, sponsors, ticketholders and fans.
Our readers believe the Pistons will exceed their projected win total this season. Check out the results of that vote here.

Eastern Notes: Larsson, Johnson, McConnell, Ivey, Sasser, Long Island Nets

September 3rd, 2024 at 8:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Heat second-round pick Pelle Larsson and two-way rookie Keshad Johnson were teammates at Arizona. The Wildcats head coach believes they’ll fit right in with the Heat culture, he told Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.

“I think one of the things that makes them impressive prospects is they’re both wired and willing to be great role players,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. “You know, 100 percent of their focus is going to be contributing to the team’s overall success. These aren’t like shoot first, ask questions later type of guys. So they’re going to give you a well-rounded effort on both ends of the floor. On offense, they’re going to play their role and stay in their lane. Then defensively and in all the effort areas, they’re going to max that stuff out.”

Larsson looked like he could quickly contribute. During Summer League competition, he averaged 15.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He signed a three-year contract starting at the rookie minimum.

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

T.J. McConnell‘s four-year extension with the Pacers includes a partial guarantee in the third year of the contract and a team option in the final season, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). The four-year, $44.8MM extension breaks down like this — $10.2MM in 2025/26; $11MM in 2026/27; $11.8MM ($5MM partial guarantee) in 2027/28; and a $11.8MM team option in 2028/29.
Though Jaden Ivey and Marcus Sasser are not natural point guards, The Athletic’s James Edwards believes one of them will back up Cade Cunningham rather than the Pistons making another roster move. Adding a free agent point guard would take away some of their playing time and the Pistons already brought in Tim Hardaway Jr. via trade and Malik Beasley via free agency. That duo will likely soak up a lot of minutes at shooting guard.
The NBA G League’s Long Island Nets will play six home games at in Montreal, two each in January, February and March, NetsDaily.com relays. Most of the team’s games are held at Nassau Coliseum. It’s speculated that the club is looking to extend its brand internationally.

Pistons Notes: Fan Survey, Langdon, Hardaway Jr., Beasley

August 29th, 2024 at 6:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons fans made it known in an annual survey conducted by James Edwards III of The Athletic that this is somewhat of a make-or-break year for the franchise.

Only 35.8% of the more than 2,000 fans who cast their votes believe the team is headed in the right direction, while 38.7% said they were unsure. The remaining 25.4% believe the Pistons aren’t on the right path. Edwards notes that in previous surveys he’s conducted with the fans, they tended to be more optimistic.

Regarding the question of which player needs to take the biggest leap during the upcoming season, 69% chose either Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey. Both players had uneven second seasons under previous head coach Monty Williams and will be eligible for rookie scale extensions during the 2025 offseason. It shows that the fans believe this is a pivotal season for both lottery picks, Edwards notes.

As for this summer, the best move wasn’t a player acquisition, according to a majority of fans. Instead, the firing of former GM Troy Weaver received 62.7% of the votes.

We have more on the Pistons:

Trajan Langdon‘s personnel moves this summer showed that the new president of basketball operations is taking a long-range approach toward building the franchise, according to Pistons.com’s Keith Langlois. Langdon added a number of veterans on one- and two-year deals to improve the team’s short-term prospects but didn’t take any roll-of-the-dice gambles that might have hindered the long-term vision. Langlois notes that the next two draft classes are deeper with more projected franchise-altering prospects than 2024’s class featured.
Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley are two of the offseason acquisitions who might be flipped at the trade deadline, depending upon how the first 50 games shake out, according to Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press (subscription required). Hardaway, acquired in a salary dump from Dallas, and Beasley, who signed a one-year contract as a free agent, are proven gunners who could help a contender if their efficiency holds up.
Did you miss any of the Pistons’ offseason moves? You can find our Offseason Check-In right here.

Central Notes: Turner, Pistons Guards, Herd Arena

August 11th, 2024 at 9:08pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Myles Turner believes the Pacers need to be a better rebounding team to reach their ultimate goal, he said on a Club 520 podcast (hat tip to HoopsHype).

“I think one, we’ve gotta be a better rebounding team, we’re still kind of small,” he said. “We just got James Wiseman ,so that helps a bit you know I mean he’s like 7-1 but outside of me, Isaiah Jackson was 6-9, Jalen Smith at the time was 6-9, 6-10… So we just (need) to have more frontcourt presence, especially off the bench.”

Turner also mentioned that rebounding was cited as the main reason why he’s never won a Defensive Player of the Year award. Turner has twice led the league in blocks.

“What they always told me was like, ‘Well, you don’t rebound,’ and I was like ‘all right’ — you know, I’ll take that on the chin, cool,” he said (hat tip to HoopsHype). “But I feel like defense is more than being just a defensive rebounder, like I’m leading like a like a number two defense in the league, and know we have a decent record. But bro, we don’t play on TV, we didn’t get very far in the playoffs so no exposure, so it’s like they had to justify who they get this award to, and it became like a popularity contest.'”

We have more from the Central Division:

To varying degrees, Pistons guards Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey and Marcus Sasser have something to prove this upcoming season, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press writes. Cunningham received a max rookie scale extension and he’ll need to show his late-season surge is closer to his norm. Ivey has to be more efficient, coming off a disappointing sophomore campaign, and improve defensively. Sasser needs to show he’s worthy of being the main backup at the point.
The Wisconsin Herd, the Bucks’ NBA G League team, is close to an agreement that would keep the franchise in Oshkosh for the foreseeable future, Justin Marville of the Oshkosh Northwestern reports. The Herd’s future at the arena was uncertain because of claims that the arena’s management had violated the current lease. A judge granted a motion for a different venue management company to oversee the operations of Oshkosh Arena. The Herd had opt-out provisions that could have released the team from its lease agreement due to the arena’s financial difficulties.
The Cavaliers have numerous roster openings but aren’t in a rush to fill them. Get the details here.

Eastern Notes: Lee, Peterson, Hornets, Ivey, Duren, White, Pullin

August 7th, 2024 at 10:42am CST by Tristan Tucker

After speaking with more than 10 candidates, the Hornets decided on Charles Lee to be the franchise’s next head coach, having been won over by Lee’s basketball and business backgrounds, as well as his experience in player development and championship history, according to executive vice president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson, who spoke to The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov about Lee and the state of the Hornets.

“His tactical skills are great,” Peterson said of Charlotte’s new head coach. “He’s a champion. He’s won two championships. Which, obviously, there’s a premium on just being a winner, and he has that. And he’s just an amazing teacher and communicator. He’s going to do his best just to get everything he can out of each player. That’s a big reason why I went with him as well.”

This offseason, the Hornets continued supplementing their young core by adding Tidjane Salaun with the No. 6 overall pick in the draft. He joins young talent like LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, who were among the best players in their respective draft classes.

“[Salaun] loves being in the gym, loves to get better and loves the process,” Peterson said. “So, again, we can sleep at night knowing that he has those qualities, and then, not to mention, he has some skill to him, too. He can rebound and push. He can make his shot. So, we’re just really excited about, more than anything, his mindset and his approach to how we’re going to progress and build this thing out.”

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

The Pistons have never had three players in three consecutive seasons earn rookie scale contract extensions, but that could change next year when Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren become eligible. James L. Edwards III of The Athletic details the fascinating seasons ahead for the young duo, who are playing for a front office that didn’t draft them, a team looking to be active in trades and their third head coach in as many years. Their situation is particularly tricky because if they show significant growth, it would make sense for the organization to keep them. But if either or both players stagnate, their trade value will be hampered compared to what it is now, Edwards opines. How they’re used will be worth monitoring closely ahead of the February trade deadline.
Entering his sixth season in the NBA after a year in which he was a Most Improved Player finalist, Bulls guard Coby White is transitioning to a leadership role for a franchise that looks to be getting younger, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago writes. White cited DeMar DeRozan‘s leadership style as a model he wants to emulate. “DeMar always led by example,” White said. “He wasn’t always the loudest guy in the room or most talkative guy in the room. But if we had a meeting, he was early. If we had a bus time, he was one of the first ones there. He was never late to a meeting. He was always ready to go. When the game came, it was always about business. And the way he took me, [Ayo Dosunmu], [Dalen Terry], Pat [Williams] under his wing, it shed light on the things that I’m looking forward to when I get older. And that can start now for me.“
Zyon Pullin has had an unorthodox start to his NBA career after going undrafted out of Florida. He earned a two-way deal immediately from the Heat but was waived to make room for Josh Christopher. This week, he was re-signed to an Exhibit 10 deal, signaling Miami still wants him in the organization. Ira Winderman of South Florida Sun Sentinel thinks Pullin will have an opportunity to compete for a two-way deal this fall. As we detailed on Tuesday, that may be an uphill battle, as he’d have to beat out Isaiah Stevens, Dru Smith and possibly Alondes Williams for that final spot. Smith is currently under contract in that two-way slot, while Williams is an unrestricted free agent. Pullin and Stevens are both on Exhibit 10 deals.

And-Ones: Blatt, Patton, Trade Candidates, Wade

August 7th, 2024 at 9:22am CST by Tristan Tucker

Former Cavaliers coach David Blatt is continuing to live his basketball dream despite a multiple sclerosis diagnosis six years ago that took away his ability to walk. In an interview with Sam Amick of The Athletic, Blatt discussed his health and role with the Canadian Olympic team.

“That’s the way you’ve gotta be,” Blatt said of his resilience. “That’s the way you’ve gotta be. That’s what this sport and this business has taught me. If you ain’t working, you ain’t living. And if you’re not trying to improve, then you’re going backward. That’s the only thing you can do.”

Despite not coaching from the sidelines, he has been serving as a consultant for Canada. Blatt took part in all team activities and spent his time helping Canada head coach Jordi Fernandez determine what was and wasn’t working with the team’s rotations.

“I think the thing more than anything else is that you learn, when you’re faced with this kind of thing, is that you learn how to be as effective and fulfilled at the same time as you can, when you can,” Blatt said. “You can be as good as you want to be within the limitations that you’re faced with.”

We have more from around the basketball world:

Former NBA first-round pick Justin Patton signed with Greek club Peristeri BC, the team announced in a release. Patton was the 16th overall pick in 2017 and was part of the draft-night trade that sent Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves. He was also part of the deal that sent Butler to Philadelphia a year later. Patton played four seasons in the NBA with Minnesota, Philadelphia, Oklahoma City and Houston from 2017-21. In 22 career games (six starts), he averaged 3.9 points and 2.7 rebounds.
While it’s possible a few more trades will be made before the regular season begins, the next major flurry of movement will likely occur once more players become trade-eligible after Dec. 15 and Jan. 15. A total of 25 in-season trades occurred in 2023/24, with notable names like Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby and Immanuel Quickley on the move. We’ll likely see more big names dealt at this year’s deadline, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, whonames D’Angelo Russell, Brandon Ingram, Jerami Grant, Cameron Johnson, Kyle Kuzma, Zach LaVine, Bruce Brown, Collin Sexton and Trae Young as some of the players who could dominate trade rumors this coming season. Pincus also sees members of the 2021 draft class like Jonathan Kuminga, Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green and Corey Kispert as potential trade candidates if they can’t come to terms on extensions, much like Quickley last season.
In the same piece, Pincus notes that the Rockets holding onto Jeff Green, Jock Landale and Jae’Sean Tate‘s contracts is a sign they’re working on a bigger trade. Pincus’s sources also ponder whether Jaden Ivey or Miles Bridges could be on the move this season.
NBA legend Dwyane Wade made his debut as a color commentator at the 2024 Paris Olympics on NBC. NBC, alongside Amazon and ESPN, acquired the media rights to broadcast NBA games starting in 2025/26. However, Wade said it was too early to say whether his activities this offseason hint at a potential broadcasting future, according to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. “I’m just having fun with it as well, and I think it could be a future if everything lines up the way it needs to. But I’m not going to put any pressure on it either,” Wade said.

Eastern Notes: Valanciunas, Raptors, Pistons, Langdon

July 23rd, 2024 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran center Jonas Valanciunas signed a three-year contract with the Wizards worth in excess of $30MM earlier this month, but the hosts of ESPN’s Hoop Collective podcast aren’t expecting the big man to play out that entire deal in D.C. (YouTube link; hat tip to HoopsHype). In fact, Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps suggested they wouldn’t be surprised if Valanciunas is playing elsewhere before the 2024/25 season is over.

“Do we think Jonas Valanciunas will be on offer from the Wizards midway through the season?” Windhorst said. “I wouldn’t rule out Jonas Valanciunas eventually ending up a Laker this year, that’s all I’m going to say.”

“100%,” Bontemps replied. “Or somewhere else besides Washington.”

While Valanciunas figures to slot in as the Wizards’ starting center this fall, the team remains firmly in a rebuilding stage, so if it can get draft assets in exchange for the 32-year-old at next year’s trade deadline, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him on the move in early 2025.

As Windhorst alluded to, Valanciunas was one of the players who was reportedly on LeBron James‘ wish list of “impact” free agents this summer and will likely be more attainable on the trade market that some of the other names on that list (such as James Harden, Klay Thompson, or DeMar DeRozan). So if Valanciunas is available, the Lakers are certainly among the teams who might kick the tires.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca explains how the Raptors made good use of their leverage in their standoff with Sasha Vezenkov and details how their buyout agreement with Vezenkov creates newfound financial flexibility for the team. While Toronto now has about $11.3MM in wiggle room below the luxury tax line, the club may opt to maintain that flexibility in case trade opportunities arise in the fall or during the season, Murphy writes.
In a mailbag for The Athletic, James L. Edwards III considers whether the Pistons still have moves to make this offseason, suggesting that he wouldn’t be surprised if the team explores the idea of signing one of the notable guards or wings left on the free agent market, such as Tyus Jones, Markelle Fultz, or Reggie Bullock. Edwards also weighs the odds of a Jaden Ivey trade, noting that significant minutes could be harder than ever to come by for the former lottery pick if Detroit is committed to playing Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. regularly.
Keith Langlois of Pistons.com shares his early impressions of the Pistons‘ new president of basketball operations, exploring what Trajan Langdon‘s moves during his first two months on the job say about his roster-building approach. As Langlois writes, Langdon’s decisions have made it clear he’s not necessarily looking to get Detroit back to the playoffs as quickly as possible.

Central Notes: Bulls Workout, Pistons, Vinson, Djurisic

June 18th, 2024 at 8:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bulls held a pre-draft workout on Monday that included Ron Holland, Terrence Shannon Jr, Ryan Dunn, Kyle Filipowski, Adem Bona and Justin Moore, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic tweets.

The Bulls hold the No. 11 pick in the first round with Holland ranking as a potential selection with that lottery pick, Mayberry notes. Holland, who played for the G League Ignite, is rated No. 11 on ESPN’s Best Available list.

Shannon, a high-scoring guard out of Illinois, was recently found not guilty on felony charges of first-degree rape and sexual aggravated battery in Kansas. He’s moved up to No. 26 on ESPN’s list and could continue to climb, making him another possible option for the Bulls.

We have more from the Central Division:

Could the No. 5 overall pick help the Pistons acquire Kyle Kuzma, Jerami Grant or a future first-rounder? Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press explores three potential trade scenarios that could produce one of those outcomes.
The addition of Fred Vinson, a renowned shooting coach, to the Pistons’ staff could signal what new president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon plans to do this summer, according to James Edwards III of The Athletic. It’s logical that Vinson was brought in to help the young core with its shooting, rather than moving some of those players for veteran help. Edwards believes Detroit will use its ample cap space to bring in a few proven players via free agency to raise the team’s floor, while allowing young players like Ausar Thompson, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and its lottery pick to be rotation pieces.
Shooting guard Nikola Djurisic worked out for the Pacers on Tuesday but that wasn’t the first time he visited their practice facility, Zion Brown of the Indianapolis Star notes. Djurisic also worked out for Indiana last year before withdrawing from the draft. He’s currently ranked No. 48 by ESPN and could be a consideration with one of the Pacers’ three second-round picks. “Last year, I wasn’t mature,” Djurisic said. “This year, I’m still a kid in my head. I think I grew as a person and as a basketball player.”

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