With the number one pick in the draft and a promising, newly re-made young core, this is a pivotal offseason for the Pistons, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic in a mailbag.
Within the piece, Edwards discusses the likelihood of the Pistons selecting Cade Cunningham (very likely), the fit between Cunningham and last year’s top selection (French point guard Killian Hayes), 2021 free agency plans, what the Pistons are likely to do with restricted free agent Hamidou Diallo, Isaiah Stewart‘s status as a starting center, Jerami Grant, and much more.
We have more from the Central Division:
- David Aldridge of The Athletic profiles Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s dramatic return from injury and resumption of his regular season dominance. He talks to two-time NBA champion Isiah Thomas, among others, about what Antetokounmpo has done in the three games since his return. “He’s been the most inspiring player during these playoffs, while (Chris) Paul has been the sentimental player we all root for and want his career to end with a ring,” Thomas said in a text to Aldridge.
- Tim MacMahon and Tim Bontemps of ESPN examine the journey Bucks forward P.J. Tucker has taken from the Ukrainian SuperLeague to the NBA Finals. One of the keys to Tucker’s resilience and fortitude, write MacMahon and Bontemps, was his ability to form connections in the locker room. “We had a team with an old Serbian guy who didn’t speak particularly good English, and P.J. made a connection with him and had a great friendship with him,” said former coach Chris Fleming. “The U.S. players, the young German players, he had an ability to reach everybody.”
- The Bulls worked out Terry Taylor on Monday, tweets Hoops Rumors’ JD Shaw. The 6’5″ guard averaged over 20 PPG and 11 RPG over his final two seasons at Austin Peay State University.
Idk I think Jalen Green is perfect fit for Pistons
If they can swap with Rockets
Get atleast Tate 23 and 24 +
A+ scenario
Would take Green Tate picks over Cunningham in a heart beat
I think the Rockets are much too fond of Tate to give him up. They have plenty of first round picks to offer, not just this year but in 2022 and 2023 plus 2024 and beyond as well.
How do you really know how fond the Rockets are of Tate though? You thought they were fond of Harden and Westbrook too.
I don’t understand the hype on his Tate guy. He was all rookie first team but in a couple mo the time he’s going to be 26. At 6’5 and listed as SF/PF he’s undersized, he doesn’t shoot the three ball amazing, he isn’t good from the FT line. I don’t get it.
I’d really like the Rockets to get Cade cause I think he’s going to be great and I find the Pistons so irrelevant and boring. Think Cade would also be great with Kevin Porter Jr too
Not that it means much but the Rockets also have the 23rd and 24th picks in the draft.
Would the Pistons take the 2nd, 23rd, Tate and 2 future seconds for the first??
I am afraid no… the point is not the right value, is all ’bout buying the will for DET to sell, they don’t have to or probably wanna… so you just have to make them an offer that they realize they would look real stupid by not taking it… so the offer is gonna be brutal my Aussie friend!
So you’d rather keep the Pistons irrelevant and boring? Do you work in the NBA head office? Seems like the stupidest possible takeaway here, they would probably offer you a job lol
Wiseman, Wiggins, 7, 14 and 2022 first > that package
It’s more the fact I don’t care for them in the slightest. Not a Rockets fan either but I was a fan of Yao Ming, absolutely loved Tracey McGrady, and then more recently James Harden obviously become a top 5 player at Houston and they tried to build teams around him. Whereas I never cared for the bad boys Pistons or anything.
As for that package GSW wouldn’t give that up. Firstly salary cap wise it wouldn’t work cause Detroit would be accepting like 40 mil onto their books.
I will be floored if Cunningham isn’t a Piston. That said, there is merit to trying to out think the room, so far it’s worked for the Hawks. Still, I fully expect it to be Cunningham to the Pistons!
I’m floored that pure social media hype has made people think Cade isnt far and away the best player and obvious #1 in this draft. He’s the best overall prospect the NBA has seen since Zion.
2 years ago wow
No
Think the pistons are in a great spot. I’d demand a ransom to move back. If HOU wants to move up 1 spot, tell em it costs an unprotected first. Same with CLE or if OKC wants to move up to 1 tell em it’ll cost a few.
If the teams say no than just stay and take your guy, if someone gets desperate maybe they meet your price.
Is Wiseman, Wiggins, 7, 14 and 2022 first for #1 a fair package? People seem torn on it depending on whether or not you believe a 20 year old Wiseman will make the next step to superstardom and leap over LaMelo next year. Not sure he will get the minutes on GSW, but he’d be perfect on a rebuilding team of all youngsters to come up together.
I think it’s a reasonable offer. Doubt pistons want wigs tho, already paying Blake 30 mil this year. My guess is the offer they’d request would be Wiseman, 7 and an unprotected first in like 2025/26 when the warriors core will be old.
Probably depends how much they value Wiseman, they do have Stewart who flashed this year so they may not be as high on Wiseman as others.
It’s a lot to offer for Cade who I’m high on, but still has yet to play an NBA game so you can’t be sure he truly pans out.
Whatever you do, do NOT give CP3 a FMVP. Giannis clearly deserves it more than anyone in this series.
As of today, Giannis does deserve it but the series isn’t over… so hold them horses up a bit.
Cunningham belongs in OKC
They should be all over that. With all the picks they have. They can put a package together with Shai.
Shai, #6, and a future #1. If you can get that. I do it.
Pistons 2021 offseason: Pivotal?? That’s your word for it, James L. Williams III? Last year, decent word for it.
In all fairness to Williams, he had a great story on Ohio’s Jason Preston, a projected second-round PG. The Athletic; paywall.
He graduated HS in Florida 6-0, skinny, 2ppg but planned to write/blog on the NBA and was knowledgable. Reminded me of Sankara, or Chris Paul, in different ways. He followed Williams. He played AAU. Now he’s going to be in the NBA.
Pistons have a lot of PGs and may have one more (CC), so he may want to be drafted elsewhere.
link to theathletic.com