Tobias Harris

Pistons Notes: Trade Deadline, Ball-Handler, Cunningham

January 19th, 2025 at 12:04pm CST by Rory Maher

The Pistons have been one of the most surprising teams of the 2024/25 season. After finishing last season with the worst record in franchise history (14-68), the Pistons are currently 21-21, on pace to nearly triple that abysmal 14-win total, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press.

Detroit also has plenty of financial flexibility ahead of the February 6 deadline, as the Pistons are the only team operating with cap room ($14MM). They also have the $8MM room exception at their disposal to potentially make multiple deals.

Their strong play over the past few weeks reportedly has the front office thinking about making in-season upgrades rather than serving as a salary dumping ground, though a recent report indicated that a major roster shakeup was unlikely.

While Detroit could pursue a number of different trade opportunities over the next two-plus weeks, Sankofa cautions that the Pistons ultimately might decide to be judicious with their flexibility, giving the team more time to evaluate the roster entering the offseason.

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Saturday’s four-point loss to Phoenix highlighted the Pistons’ need for a secondary ball-handler and play-maker to complement former No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham, according to Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. Jaden Ivey had served in that role, but he might miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a broken fibula in his left leg. “It’s just got to be ball movement,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after the game. “We keep talking about the diversity in our offense and just doing the next right thing. That’s one of the things, again, we’re continuing to work on. We don’t want to be a one-dimensional, ball-dominant team or dribble-dominant team.” Cunningham finished the game with 11 assists, half of the team’s total, but no other Piston had more than two, Patterson notes.
Cunningham’s teammates believe he should be an All-Star for the first time in ’24/25, per Sankofa of The Detroit Free Press. “It’s an honor to play with him as a young, up-and-coming superstar in this league and I think he’s starting to get the recognition and the clout that he deserves,” Tobias Harris said. “Extremely hard worker, extremely humble human being and an amazing teammate and leader for this whole group. … He’s playing at an extremely high level leading this group, leading this team and coming to play night after night. And not for nothing. He’s a dynamic offensive player but he’s also a very good defensive player, and he brings it defensively for our group as well. He’s been spectacular for us all season long.”
In case you missed it, Tim Hardaway Jr. is embracing his role as a veteran leader for the younger Pistons.

Pistons Notes: Cunningham, Ivey, Holland, Beal

January 6th, 2025 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Cade Cunningham has accomplished a lot in his brief NBA career, but he’s never had the experience of playing for a winning team, writes Marc J. Spears of Andscape. The Pistons are moving in that direction and can reach the .500 mark with a victory over Portland on Monday. After overcoming a 1-5 start, Detroit is only one game out of the fifth spot in the East and may finally be a legitimate playoff contender.

“We are really trying to get through that breakthrough where now we are trying to be a real competitive team that is winning games more consistently,” Cunningham said. “[Recently], we had our first three-game win streak in years. We’ve been doing better this [season], but we still haven’t been able to put together wins. We’re still working to get that breakthrough.”

Cunningham admits he often blamed himself during a miserable 2023/24 season, which included a franchise record 28-game losing streak. He understood it would take a while to rebuild after being selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft, but he expected to be farther along by his third year in the NBA. Even with that frustration, Cunningham never hesitated to make a long-term commitment to the franchise, agreeing to a five-year, maximum-salary extension over the summer.

“I was committed the day I got here,” he said. “The losing streak made me commit even more. I was embraced so well by the city. The way they embraced me and my family was huge for me. Being part of Detroit sports and the culture and understanding everything that comes with Detroit, I do really feel like it is really Detroit versus everybody, and I’ve embraced that. I just want to be a part of Detroit winning. I want to have my own chapter in history.”

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The team hasn’t given up hope that Jaden Ivey can return from his broken left fibula before the end of the season, per Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Ivey just underwent surgery on Thursday so no timetable has been set for his recovery process, but Langlois notes that the fibula tends to heal more quickly than other leg bones. “His spirit has been good. He’s been positive about the outcome and how he’s going to use this to become even better, even stronger,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “It’s tough. It’s not going to be an easy road. Just as a human, as a teammate, the things you feel you miss out on. But his guys love him a lot and will help him along the way. Knowing J.I., no one’s going to work harder to get back and be better.”
Rookie forward Ron Holland is working closely with shooting coach Fred Vinson to improve his jumper, tweets Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. Holland is shooting 48.1% from the field, but he’s gone just 14-of-63 (22.2%) from three-point range. “It’s amazing. I’ve never really had a shooting coach before,” Holland said. “… He sees the potential of where I can be as a shooter. Just going day by day with it. I’m really trusting him.”
The Pistons might be willing to facilitate a Jimmy Butler trade to Phoenix by taking back Bradley Beal from the Suns, suggests Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). His hypothetical deal would have Tobias Harris and Tim Hardaway Jr. headed to the Heat, with Phoenix possibly sending some of its remaining draft assets to both Detroit and Miami. O’Connor’s trade idea was inspired by a Substack article from Tom Haberstroh, who suggested the Pistons as a third-team facilitator due to their cap room, as well as the various connections between the franchises in Detroit and Phoenix. Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein used to work for the Pistons, while the Suns recently hired Matt Tellem, the son of Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem.

Central Notes: Bryant, LaVine, Ball, Vucevic, Harris

December 15th, 2024 at 9:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pacers didn’t waste any time getting Thomas Bryant on the court. After officially being acquired on Sunday, Bryant had seven points and two rebounds in 11 minutes against the Pelicans.

“It was a little hectic but everybody accepted me and they helped me through the whole time. It felt great being out there with the guys,” Bryant said via a video posted by the Indianapolis Star’s Dustin Dopirak.

Bryant provides depth at the center spot, a position where Indiana has suffered two season-ending injuries. He appeared in only 10 games with Miami this season.

“I know there’s a big need to have another ‘five’ here. Just trying to fill that role here with the guys and talking with them as well, just trying to see what I can bring, what I can do with them. … They just want me to play my game,” Bryant said.

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Bulls wing Zach LaVine is questionable to play against Toronto on Monday due to lower back spasms, K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network tweets. LaVine is averaging 21.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game this season.
The Bulls continue to aggressively shop Lonzo Ball, Nikola Vucevic and LaVine, among other players, as they look to stay in the loaded 2025 draft lottery, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Chicago owes San Antonio a first-rounder but it’s top-10 protected for 2025. Moving LaVine’s contract this season is more of a pipe dream than a reality, the source told Cowley, unless there’s a major injury or another unexpected development.
The Pistons won’t have starting forward Tobias Harris against Miami on Monday. He’s dealing with a right thumb sprain, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press tweets.

Atlantic Notes: Nets Veterans, Wilson, Brunson, Embiid, Sixers, Barnes, More

November 21st, 2024 at 11:04pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Multiple Nets veterans have been the subjects of trade speculation since their arrival to the team. Cameron Johnson, Bojan Bogdanovic, Ben Simmons, Dennis Schröder and Dorian Finney-Smith are among the players who have been involved in trade rumors for some time, with fourth-year guard Cam Thomas joining them this week.

A few of those players are off to career-best starts for a team that’s been surprisingly competitive at 6-9. Johnson exploded for 34 points on Tuesday, as Net Income at NetsDaily writes.

“All three of us have been traded before. It’s not something that we’re worried about,” Johnson said in explaining why he, Finney-Smith and Schröder are playing well. “There’s a lot of speculation about a lot of things, all of our whole careers, my whole career, speculation about this, speculation about that. You hear a lot of outside noise. There’s no sense in letting it bother you. There’s no sense in letting it get to you. Let the future be the future. Control what you can control now.

“The other thing is, we enjoy our group, playing together. I think we are a group that gets along well with each other, and that’s important. So as long as we’re together, we’re gonna fight for wins, and we’re gonna enjoy representing Brooklyn. And whatever the future holds, it holds.”

Johnson’s been happy with how the organization has handled him during his time there, according to Net Income. While the plan is still to select a cornerstone in the upcoming draft and Johnson seems more likely than not be traded, he’s making an impact alongside the other vets.

“Honestly, he’s just been hooping,” teammate Trendon Watford. “I’m not surprised by it. Cam’s a great player, so I’m not surprised by it at all. Last year was last year. He obviously heard all the noise and took it with a grain of salt and came back. And now he’s doing what we know CJ can do.”

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With Thomas missing Tuesday’s game against the Hornets due to a minor injury, second-year forward Jalen Wilson stepped up, according to Andrew Crane of the New York Post. Wilson scored a team-high 17 points in the Nets win while making a career-high five three-pointers. The Nets hold a team option for next season on Wilson, who could see his role increase if some of Brooklyn’s veterans are moved ahead of the trade deadline.
Jalen Brunson didn’t want to specifically address the rumors that the NBA is looking into his father’s promotion to lead assistant on the Knicks‘ coaching staff. However, according to the New York Post’s Stefan Bondy, he had a message for anyone questioning Rick Brunson‘s coaching credentials. “He’s more than qualified for that position,” Jalen said. “He’s a person who has been around the NBA for a long time, who has been around [Tom Thibodeau] for longer than he’s been around the NBA. I think he understands the business, I think he understands the game, I think he understands the head coach. So he’s more than qualified. Look at the way he’s taught me and raised me and how I’ve seen him impact others in all different levels of basketball — high school, college, pros.“
Following a report Thursday morning indicated Joel Embiid wasn’t happy that a Sixers team-only meeting was leaked, Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer writes on Marc Stein’s Substack that one source told him on Tuesday that Embiid would be “furious” about the leak and would try to find the culprit. Fischer adds that Tyrese Maxey getting involved and holding Embiid accountable is a silver lining to the situation. Tobias Harris used to serve as a veteran voice and leader for the Sixers, so it was crucial that someone else step up now that Harris is in Detroit.
Fischer also confirmed that Embiid has preferred to hold some level of control over what the Sixers‘ injury report lists him as and how it’s reported.
Raptors star Scottie Barnes played on Thursday for the first time in nearly a month. Following reporting that he would be on a minutes restriction, Barnes ended the night with 17 points in 27 minutes of action. The Raptors did not start a traditional point guard, opting for Barnes over Davion Mitchell, who moved to the bench. Mitchell being moved to the second unit meant Ochai Agbaji maintained his starting role, TSN’s Josh Lewenberg notes (Twitter link). Barnes hadn’t played since Oct. 28, missing 11 games during that time.
Ja’Kobe Walter, who missed the last six games for the Raptors, was available to play on Thursday, Sportsnet.ca’s Blake Murphy tweets. The 2024 19th overall pick also missed some time at the beginning of the season due to injury.

Central Notes: Rivers, Middleton, LaVine, Harris, Reed

October 30th, 2024 at 11:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers may have missed out on a chance to lead the Celtics to more championships, but he told Steve Bulpett of Heavy that he doesn’t regret his decision to accept an offer from the Clippers in 2013. According to Bulpett, the team was “fairly pleading” for Rivers to stay and oversee a rebuilding project after trading Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Brooklyn, but Rivers was attracted by the money and the chance to coach a team filled with stars in Los Angeles.

“I thought about it that first year with the Clippers, like, ‘Uh, I may have made a mistake,’” Rivers said. “But after that, I didn’t really think about it at all. … One thing I’ve never done is I never look back. I just don’t. I’ve never done that.”

Rivers said he was confident that Boston would rebuild quickly, which it did, largely from the draft picks the team received in the deal with the Nets. Rivers wasn’t able to get the Clippers past the second round of the playoffs before his time with the organization ended in 2020. He spent three years coaching in Philadelphia, then took the Milwaukee job midway through last season. Although he hasn’t come close to winning a title since leaving the Celtics, Rivers takes pride in what he’s accomplished.

“Everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve won,” he said. “I got fired in Philly, and we were .653 in the three years I was there, you know what I mean? So, like, I’m fine with my legacy. I’m eighth in (career) wins, fourth in playoff wins, so I’ve got a great legacy. But I want more. That’s why I’m still doing it.”

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There’s still no timeline for Khris Middleton to return, but Rivers was encouraged by what he saw at today’s practice, per Jim Owczarski of The Journal-Sentinel. “He did a lot today,” Rivers said as the Bucks held their first full practice session since the season began. “A whole lot. Stayed out on the floor with our guys. So, he’s getting close.” Middleton still hasn’t been cleared to practice in a five-on-five setting, which likely needs to happen before he can return to action.
X-rays were negative on Bulls guard Zach LaVine‘s left shoulder after a collision in tonight’s game, according to K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link). LaVine said he got treatment on the shoulder during the game, and he hopes to be ready for Friday’s contest at Brooklyn. He called it a “subluxation,” and Johnson expects him to be listed on the team’s injury report with a shoulder sprain.
Tonight marked a homecoming for a pair of former Sixers who joined the Pistons this summer. Tobias Harris, who signed as a free agent after five-and-a-half years in Philadelphia, wasn’t surprised to get a mixed reaction from the crowd, relays Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). “I think the fans here get a bad rep as far as their passion,” he said. “I’ve played in different cities and this is one of the cities where you can get booed by fans, but you’ll be out at a restaurant and they’ll put a baby in your hands for a photo.” Paul Reed, who got claimed by Detroit after the Sixers waived him in July, was happy to be back in Philadelphia for a night, per Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). “The city gave me a lot, I ain’t gonna lie,” he said. “A lot of trust. A lot of love. A lot of passion. So I really love Philly. I definitely felt some type of way when I left. But it is what it is. That’s the business.”

Pistons Notes: Cunningham, 2024/25 Outlook, Harris, Rotation, More

October 17th, 2024 at 9:39pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Pistons are dedicated to making sure the 2024/25 campaign goes far better than last season did. From the coaching staff to the front office to the roster, Detroit has been hellbent on enacting sweeping culture changes, according to The Athletic’s Joe Vardon. Those changes range from a new coach ( J.B. Bickerstaff) to a new rule prohibiting players from putting their hoods up when practicing.

The hiring of Bickerstaff is one of the biggest changes for the Pistons after their franchise-worst season. They also committed long-term to Cade Cunningham with a maximum-salary extension, traded for and signed a handful veterans with floor-spacing capabilities, and made Trajan Langdon their new head of basketball operations. Cunningham’s efficiency is maximized with floor spacers around him, so that was a concentrated effort by the front office.

“When we sat down when we were done playing [in a recent preseason game] and the younger guys were playing, he was like, ‘Beaz, I didn’t even realize how much the floor is open,’” new teammate Malik Beasley — a career 38.5% three-point shooter — recalled Cunningham saying to him. “I’m like, ‘Yeah, so use me to your advantage.'”

The franchise fully believes Cunningham can be a star and is ready to lean into him as their centerpiece.

“The conversations that I’ve had with Cade, the way that I see how his teammates follow him and the way that he engages his teammates, he wants to be amongst the elites and understands that winning matters in order to be respected by your peers in that way,” Bickerstaff said.

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Despite the optimism surrounding the team, the Pistons are still a work in progress, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press writes. They’re taking a patient approach with all the new systems in place. “We will be a work in progress all season long, and that’s our mentality going into this year,” Bickerstaff said. “We will not be a finished product and we don’t expect to be. This is something where we’re looking at the big picture, but our aim is to continue to get better until we feel like we’re that complete team that can compete at the level that we’re all looking to. We’ve got our foundation in. I think our guys have a clear understanding of who we are, what our plan is, what we’re trying to do.“
Harris is one of the crucial veterans who will help the young players like Cunningham in their continued transition efforts into a winning team. The 13-year NBA veteran is already making an impression on his teammates. “He’s bringing a lot of leadership for us,” teammate Simone Fontecchio said, per Sankofa (Twitter link). “A vet, being in this league for a lot of years. He’s really helping us. Since we have a lot of young guys on the team he’s been able to teach them, lead them and that’s what we need from him.“
Rookie No. 5 overall pick Ron Holland may have played his way into a regular season rotation role, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes in a mailbag. Holland’s held a regular rotation spot in five preseason games, averaging 7.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per contest. However, it’ll be interesting to see how the team handles his minutes when Ausar Thompson returns to action. Neither is a floor spacer at this point in their careers, so the Pistons will likely have to stagger their minutes. Langlois notes that both players are working extensively with shooting coach Fred Vinson, who was so coveted he was hired before Bickerstaff.
In the same piece, Langlois asserts Cunningham, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey are all firmly in the starting five. Ivey cemented his place in the lineup with strong offseason and preseason play. Beyond those four, Langlois thinks Thompson will be the fifth starter when healthy, with Beasley, Isaiah Stewart, Fontecchio, Holland and Tim Hardaway Jr. coming off the bench. Paul Reed and Marcus Sasser would be next in line in the rotation.
Ivey, Cunningham and Harris stand out as the winners of the preseason after answering certain questions about their respective games, Sankofa writes in another piece. On the other hand, Hardaway and the rest of the veteran wings didn’t shoot well, while Thompson’s status as he recovers from a blood clot that ended his rookie season remains in question.

Central Notes: Mitchell, Cavs, Harris, Middleton, Pacers

October 13th, 2024 at 1:23pm CST by Rory Maher

The Cavaliers have won a combined 99 regular season games over the past two seasons, making the playoffs on each occasion. In 2023, they were eliminated in the first round by New York. Last season, they dispatched Orlando in a seven-game first-round series before losing to eventual champion Boston in round two.

After the season ended, there were rumors the Cavs might split up their core four of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Instead, they extended Mitchell, Mobley and Allen, and re-signed restricted free agent Isaac Okoro on a three-year deal. The only major change Cleveland made was replacing head coach J.B. Bickerstaff with Kenny Atkinson.

According to David Aldridge of The Athletic, Mitchell is confident the Cavs have room to grow internally.

“There’s always another level,” Mitchell said. “You feel that, and going against them, you definitely walk off the floor against Boston feeling like, all right, (Boston’s great). But I don’t think we’re far away.”

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Tobias Harris‘ preseason debut with the Pistons was delayed by a bout with COVID-19, which he said was “no joke” after practice last Thursday, per Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. While Harris was disappointed to temporarily be away from the Pistons, he was encouraged by what he saw in the team’s first two exhibition games, and he turned in a stellar performance in Friday’s victory over Phoenix, recording 23 points (on 8-of-13 shooting), five rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block in 27 minutes. The veteran forward signed a two-year, $52MM contract with Detroit in free agency, returning for a second stint in Motown.
Bucks head coach Doc Rivers is skeptical that Khris Middleton will suit up for Monday’s preseason contest vs. Chicago, but Thursday’s finale in Dallas remains a possibility, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “We’re still hopeful, probably not Chicago…So we’re hopeful in Dallas,” Rivers said. “And if not, we’re not that concerned by it.” Middleton, a three-time All-Star who was instrumental to Milwaukee’s championship run in 2021, is recovering from offseason surgeries on both ankles.
Third-year wing Bennedict Mathurin and second-year forward Jarace Walker were among the standouts in the Pacers‘ preseason victory over Cleveland last Thursday, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Both players were highly efficient offensively, with Mathurin scoring 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting in 19 minutes, while Walker had 12 points on just three field goal attempts in 18 minutes.

Central Notes: Pistons, Bucks, Cavs, Collet, Haliburton

October 9th, 2024 at 2:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Pistons owner Tom Gores is pleased with the way that new president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon identified three-point shooting and veteran leadership as priorities in his first summer on the job and made moves to address those areas, according to Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. Langdon and the Pistons’ front office signed Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley, and Paul Reed as free agents and traded for Tim Hardaway Jr.

“The core of the way we thought is we have this young group of players that need to be developed and also need to be complemented with the right players,” Gores said. “I feel really good about the veterans we’ve added. Tobias, who I’ve known for a long time, we have Beasley and Hardaway and Reed that’s come in. I feel very good about the offseason with the veterans.

“We knew these young men were good, they have a lot of potential. All of them. You see (Jaden) Ivey‘s really coming along well. But all of that said, we needed to complement them with the right thing so they could grow properly. I’m pretty excited. That’s how we approached it. We have a core that we believe in and we’ve got the veterans added in.”

The other major move that Gores signed off on during Langdon’s first offseason was the decision to part ways with Monty Williams even though the veteran head coach had five years left on the lucrative contract he signed with Detroit a year ago. Gores has no regrets about approving that coaching change after seeing the way J.B. Bickerstaff has handled the job so far.

“I think J.B.’s doing an incredible job communicating with the players and getting us organized,” Gores said. “I feel good. Everybody knows we have a lot of work to do, but we turned the page and we’re ready to go.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers shared some positive health updates on Tuesday, telling reporters – including Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – that Gary Trent Jr. will be “fine” after hyperextending his left elbow and may even play on Thursday and that Khris Middleton, who is recovering from surgeries on both ankles, could suit up for a game or two before the end of the preseason.
Bucks newcomer Taurean Prince spoke this week about the role he expects to play in Milwaukee, expressing that he believes his ability to play power forward “can serve the team very, very well.” Eric Nehm of The Athletic has the details.
Vincent Collet, the former head coach of the French men’s basketball national team, is reuniting with Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson, according to reporting from L’Equipe (hat tip to Eurohoops). After Atkinson worked under Collet as an assistant coach for the French team over the summer, Collet will reportedly serve as a consultant for Atkinson and the Cavs this season.
Speaking to James Boyd of The Athletic, Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton discussed what he learned from his summer experience with Team USA and explained why he’s so excited about the continuity Indiana has established heading into the 2024/25 season. “We have the same coaching staff, let alone the same group of guys,” Haliburton said. “So, this is really refreshing, really exciting, because it’s less about teaching and more of the detail work and complex stuff and getting to those (stages) quicker. That’s been so refreshing and so fun for me, and I think that’s gonna make us so good moving forward.”

Pistons Notes: Veteran Additions, Cunningham, Goals, Reed

October 1st, 2024 at 10:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

New Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon used the team’s cap space to acquire veterans such as Tobias Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley to provide more balance to the roster. Third-year center Jalen Duren believes that was the right approach for an otherwise young team.

“Their voices have been huge for us,” Duren said, per Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. “Those older vets, they’ve brought a sense of balance. Just hearing them talk, everybody wants to know what they have to say. Everybody cares about their opinions on things. I feel that’s been great for us.”

Fellow third-year lottery pick Jaden Ivey feels the same way.

“They’ve been amazing already,” Ivey said. “I’ve learned a lot already from Tobias, working with him, pick his brain from what he’s been through. Being in that playoff atmosphere for a long time, he knows what it’s like. … I’m looking forward to competing with those guys. They’re going to bring a lot to this team and, most importantly, that winning mindset is what we need and they’re going to bring it for us on this team.”

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While the veterans will lend their voices, Langdon expects Cade Cunningham to be the unquestioned leader of the group, according to Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. Cunningham signed a max five-year extension this offseason. “He wants to lead,” Langdon said. “I think that was a big thing for him and we’re fortunate he wants to be here as well. A young man of his caliber, both playing and as a young man who’s high-character, he embodies what we want to be as a franchise. The re-signing of him, we’re all very excited about. Seeing him progress every day in terms of his leadership and also his compete level, both sides of the floor. And then playing winning basketball and figuring out what that means night in and night out because hopefully we can stay in games.”
There are several rebuilding teams in the Eastern Conference — opening the door for a potential run for a play-in tournament slot — but Langdon isn’t focused on the team’s record this season, Sankofa adds. “I don’t think the goal for us is wins and losses,” he added. “Obviously we want to win as many games as possible but it’s putting a group together that establishes a Detroit Pistons identity. At some time of the season, we want to be able to say, and (head coach J.B. Bickerstaff) has reiterated to our guys, that this is Detroit Pistons basketball and when we walk into the arena, the other team knows exactly what we’re going to bring. And they better be ready for it because we’re going to come and compete every night.”
Don’t underestimate the addition of Paul Reed, Langlois writes. Reed was claimed off waivers from Philadelphia and could be a valuable backup big man. He’ll compete with Duren and Isaiah Stewart for playing time at center. “I know those guys are super strong, super physical, super athletic,” Reed said of Duren and Stewart. “I’ve got to match their energy. I feel they make my job a lot easier just because we have more bodies I can go bang with. It’s going to be super tough for the opposition. We know we have to protect the paint.” If Reed doesn’t claim a rotation spot, he may not last the season. His $7.7MM salary remains non-guaranteed until early January.

Pistons Notes: Holland, Cap Room, Potapenko, Roster Upgrades

July 28th, 2024 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Pistons have used a rookie in their opening-night starting lineup for the past four seasons, but Ron Holland isn’t likely to continue that tradition, Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press writes in a mailbag column. Holland was a high lottery pick — like Killian Hayes, Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey and Ausar Thompson — but he may not have an opportunity to contribute right away on an improved roster.

Tobias Harris will claim one starting forward spot after signing a two-year, $52MM deal in free agency. Holland will battle for minutes with Thompson, Simone Fontecchio, Tim Hardaway Jr. and possibly Isaiah Stewart if he’s not used exclusively as a center. Sankofa points out that Fontecchio and Hardaway are among the team’s most effective outside shooters, so at least one of them should be on the court most of the time.

Sankofa called Holland “electric” during the Las Vegas Summer League and states that his defensive prowess and play-making should give him a bright NBA future. However, there may not be a path to regular playing time until Hardaway’s contract expires next summer.

There’s more from Detroit:

The Pistons are still in position to take on an unwanted contract in exchange for draft assets, Sankofa adds in the same piece. New head of basketball operations Trajan Langdon expressed a willingness to get involved in those type of deals, but so far it’s only happened with the addition of Hardaway. Sankofa points out that Detroit still has about $11.5MM in remaining cap room, along with a $7.9MM room exception. He expects opportunities to arise before the February deadline to become the third team in a trade and help facilitate a deal.
Vitaly Potapenko will become an assistant to new head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The longtime NBA center transitioned to coaching in 2009 after his playing career ended, and he spent the past six years as an assistant in Memphis.
Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report lists the Pistons as one of the most improved teams during the offseason. In addition to adding Harris, Holland and Hardaway, Detroit also signed Malik Beasley in free agency and claimed Paul Reed off waivers.

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