Detroit Pistons Rumors | Hoops Rumors

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 12/13/16

December 13th, 2016 at 1:33pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Tuesday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

The Kings have recalled a pair of rookies, Malachi Richardson and Skal Labissiere, from the D-League, the team announced today (via Twitter). Richardson has been the leading scorer for the Reno Bighorns this year, averaging 21.0 PPG in 11 games, while Labissiere has contributed 14.3 PPG and 6.8 RPG for Sacramento’s D-League affiliate.
The Sixers have assigned first-rounder Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot to the Delaware 87ers, according to a press release from the club. He’ll suit up for Philadelphia’s NBADL squad tonight against the Oklahoma City Blue.
Henry Ellenson and Michael Gbinije will be heading back to the Grand Rapids Drive for the team’s games on Wednesday and Friday, Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy confirmed today (Twitter link via Keith Langlois of Pistons.com). Unlike last time, Stanley Johnson won’t be joining them on this assignment.

Pistons Felt Like 'Missing Family Member'

December 13th, 2016 at 12:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Pistons owner Tom Gores considered his team “the missing family member” in Detroit sports, relays Harvey Araton of The New York Times. The franchise announced last month that it will leave Auburn Hills and return to downtown Detroit for the 2017/18 season.

Pistons Have Resisted Overtures For Stanley Johnson

December 12th, 2016 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

After a promising rookie season in 2015/16, Stanley Johnson has taken a step back this season, having been sent to the D-League on Saturday for the first time this year. With Johnson’s place in Detroit’s long-term plan no longer certain, Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com expects rival executives to become more aggressive in trying to pry him away in a trade. However, sources tell Goodwill that the Pistons have “resisted overtures” for Johnson so far.

As Goodwill notes, even before assigning him to the Grand Rapids Drive for a game over the weekend, Stan Van Gundy had called Johnson out publicly and has suspended him for violating a team rule. It’s certainly possible – likely, in fact – that the Pistons will be patient with 2015’s eighth overall pick, but he does seem to have fallen out of favor a little this season in Detroit.

After averaging 8.1 PPG and 4.2 RPG in 73 games last season, the 20-year-old has averaged only 3.5 PPG and 2.2 RPG so far this season, with his minutes per game dipping from 23.1 to just 13.4. With Reggie Bullock having been sidelined due to injuries for most of the season, there was a rotation role available on the wing, but 2015 second-rounder Darrun Hilliard – rather than Johnson – has been getting most of those minutes lately.

Still, Johnson did get a chance to play 26 minutes against the Sixers on Sunday, albeit in a that game was a blowout early — Philadelphia jumping out to a 32-12 lead in the first quarter. Johnson picked up an impressive five steals in that contest after having looked good for Grand Rapids on Saturday, so perhaps the former Arizona Wildcat is starting to turn a corner. In any case, it doesn’t look like he’s on the trade block in Detroit for now.

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 12/11/16

December 11th, 2016 at 10:45pm CST by Will Joseph

Here are Sunday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

Jazz forward Joel Bolomboy was assigned to the Salt Lake City Stars, the Jazz’s D-League affilitate, the team announced via its website. This marks the fourth assignment this season for Bolomboy.
The Pistons recalled forwards Stanley Johnson and Henry Ellenson and guard Michael Gbinije from the team’s D-League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive, Detroit announced in a press release. That was Johnson’s first D-League stint and it lasted one day.
The Bulls announced via press release that guard R.J. Hunter was recalled from the Windy City Bulls.
The Lakers recalled Ivica Zubac from their D-League affiliate, Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News tweets.

Pistons Notes: Johnson, D-League, Van Gundy

December 11th, 2016 at 2:15pm CST by Will Joseph

After falling out of the rotation partially because of some inconsistency on the offensive end, Stanley Johnson thrived Saturday night in a game for the Pistons’ D-League affiliate, Aaron McMann of MLive writes. Johnson, whom the Pistons picked up a 2017/18 option on, rediscovered his scoring ability with 26 points, as McMann relays. This was the first time Johnson was assigned to the D-League and it will be interesting to see when he can regain a spot in the rotation after McMann writes that he seemingly fell out of favor with the coaching staff.

Here’s more out of Detroit:

Johnson’s stint in the D-League may act as a wake-up call as he was expected back with the Pistons on Sunday, Rod Beard of The Detroit News writes. Johnson, who appeared to be a solid piece of the Pistons’ long-term plans after averaging 8.1 points as a rookie last season, took a positive step forward and must use that as a building block, Beard adds.
Unprompted, coach Stan Van Gundy squashed trade rumors involving the Pistons during a pregame presser and there has been no indication that the Pistons would be willing to surrender a talented haul in exchange for an all-star, Beard writes in a separate story.

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 12/10/16

December 10th, 2016 at 10:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Saturday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

10:59pm:

The Magic have recalled center Stephen Zimmerman from their Erie affiliate, the team posted on its website. Zimmerman spent four games with Erie, averaging 21.8 points and 15.5 rebounds per game. He has appeared in two games with Orlando.

3:05pm:

The Pistons have assigned Stanley Johnson, Henry Ellenson, and Michael Gbinije to the D-League, the team announced today in a press release. Ellenson and Gbinije have already spent some time in Grand Rapids this season, but it’ll be Johnson’s first D-League stint of the season. According to Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter link), the 2015 eighth overall pick discussed the move with Stan Van Gundy, and will return to the Pistons after playing tonight with the Drive.
Jerian Grant and Paul Zipser have been recalled from the D-League by the Bulls, the club announced in a press release. Both players contributed to the Windy City Bulls’ victory over Canton on Friday night, with Grant making the game-winning shot. R.J. Hunter remains on assignment with the club.
The Hawks don’t have their own D-League affiliate, but they’ve assigned DeAndre’ Bembry back to the Salt Lake City Stars, per Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution. In a one-game stint with the Stars earlier this season, Bembry poured in 16 of 22 shots and racked up 35 points.
A day after being assigned to the D-League to practice with the Salt Lake City Stars, Joel Bolomboy has been recalled by the Jazz, according to a team release.
The Lakers have sent rookie big man Ivica Zubac back to the D-League, tweets Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News. Zubac will suit up tonight for the Los Angeles D-Fenders in their game against Austin.

Aldrich Was On Team's Radar

December 9th, 2016 at 9:48pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Pistons signed Aron Baynes in the summer of 2015, but had they not been able to reach an agreement with the big man, they would have targeted Cole Aldrich for their back-up center spot, Keith Langlois of NBA.com reports. Baynes has been an effective player for Detroit, averaging 4.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 16.5 minutes per outing this season.

Pistons Notes: Jackson, Bullock, Smith, Johnson

December 4th, 2016 at 11:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Point guard Reggie Jackson will make his season debut tonight, tweets Rod Beard of The Detroit News. Coach Stan Van Gundy confirmed that Jackson will play on a limited basis against Orlando, with the plan being to start him and use him for a few minutes each quarter (Twitter link). Jackson has been sidelined since receiving plasma injection therapy to treat tendinitis on his left knee October 10th. He told Van Gundy on Friday that he didn’t expect to be ready to play, but changed his mind Saturday night (Twitter link). “This is about far along as I’m going to be and the rest is going to be playing through kinks,” Jackson said (Twitter link).

There’s more news out of Detroit:

Small forward Reggie Bullock had meniscus surgery Saturday and will be out four to six weeks, Beard tweeted. Van Gundy relayed the recovery timetable, which is shorter than originally expected.
Ish Smith has been helping the team stay competitive in Jackson’s absence, Beard writes in a separate piece. Smith, who came to Detroit on a three-year, $18MM contract this summer, has averaged 15.5 points and 5.3 assists over his last four games. “It’s a comfort level,” Smith said. “You come to a new team and you don’t want to step on any toes. You don’t want to extend out but you want to play your game.”
It’s way too early for the Pistons to think about trading Stanley Johnson, argues Vince Ellis of USA Today. Johnson, who was expected to be Detroit’s sixth man when the season started, has seen his playing time drop dramatically. Van Gundy has questioned his work ethic, and Darrun Hilliard has taken his minutes as the backup shooting guard. However, Ellis points out that the Pistons can afford to be patient because Johnson is only 20, has the athleticism to guard several positions and is making about $3MM per season on his rookie contract. “He’s definitely a part of our long-term plan,” Van Gundy said. “I think the guy has a chance to be really, really good. We need him to become a really good player. We have to do everything we can to get him there because he’s a huge part of any type of long-term success that we’re gonna have.”

Central Notes: Jones, Cavs, Johnson, Bulls

December 3rd, 2016 at 9:19am CST by Dana Gauruder

Cavaliers swingman James Jones plans to retire after the 2017/18 season, Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal reports. Jones, 36, becomes a free agent after this season but would likely remain with Cleveland, given LeBron James‘ affinity for Jones as a teammate, Lloyd adds. “I know playing 15 years is a number where I can look back and I can be like, ‘I accomplished something,’ ” Jones told Lloyd. “Fourteen vs. 15 may not be much, but to be able to say I played 15 years, that’s enough for me to hang ’em up.”

In other news around the Central Division:

The Cavaliers are in the market for a backup point guard and could fulfill that need later this month, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. That potential acquisition will likely come after December 15th, when free agents who signed contracts over the summer can be traded, Vardon adds. Cleveland doesn’t have a true point guard to back up Kyrie Irving other than rookie Kay Felder, who has played sparingly.
Stanley Johnson needs to improve his work habits in order to reclaim his rotation spot, Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy told Aaron McMann of MLive and other beat reporters. Johnson, a 2015 lottery pick, was benched in two games the last two weeks and also served a one-game team suspension after showing up late for the morning shootaround, McMann continues. Johnson only played four garbage-time minutes against the Hawks on Friday. “He’s got to be a better practice guy,” Van Gundy told McMann. “He’s got to be a better workout guy. He’s got to be better with all that stuff. Really working to get better. Once he’s out there competing, you don’t have a problem with that. He’ll play as hard as anybody, but he’s got to understand that’s not the whole thing. It’s preparing to play.”
Bulls forward Doug McDermott could return sometime next week from a concussion that has sidelined him the last eight games, Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com writes. McDermott has suffered two concussions this season and the might practice with the team’s D-League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, as well as the NBA team before he returns, Goodwill adds. “It’s gonna take him at least a couple days to have full practices,” Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg told Goodwill and other reporters.

Bullock To Undergo Surgery

December 2nd, 2016 at 8:24pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Staying on the injury front, Pistons executive/coach Stan Van Gundy confirmed that swingman Reggie Bullock will go under the knife on Saturday to repair his torn left meniscus, Rod Beard of The Detroit News relays (via Twitter). Bullock is expected to be sidelined for two to four months following the procedure, per a report by Shams Charania of The Vertical, but Van Gundy did not give an official estimate on when the player may return to action in his statement today, Beard adds.