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Pistons Notes: Ivey, Cunningham, Thompson, LeVert, Roster

October 2nd, 2025 at 6:13pm CST by Rory Maher

Pistons guard Jaden Ivey is fully healthy after being limited to 30 games last season due to a fractured left fibula, according to Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscriber link). Ivey described his rehab as an arduous process.

“The journey has been definitely a grind to get back, to get healed, to get stronger,” Ivey said. “It’s definitely been a grind. I’m definitely thankful to be in this position right now, be able to be back healthy and to do what I’ve been working for my whole life, to be able to play this game. I’m healed now and looking forward to this next season.”

Head of basketball operations Trajan Langdon says the team is glad to have Ivey back, though he acknowledged there might be some rough periods as the former Purdue star gets accustomed to playing again. Ivey will be eligible for a rookie scale extension through October 20.

“There’s no restrictions on him,” Langdon said. “He’s looking really good, obviously. It will take him some time, he hasn’t played five-on-five NBA basketball in 10 months. By the time he gets going with that I think there’s going to be a rhythm component and even a game conditioning component that he’ll have to get up to speed. We look forward to having him back and he’s going to be a huge part of this team.”

Here’s more on the Pistons:

All-Star guard Cade Cunningham has high expectations for the Pistons after they made the playoffs last season, per Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. “We all want a championship out of this, you know? (Last season) was a great stepping stone for that,” Cunningham said. “We have no chance of going to get a championship without a year like last year. But there are more steps to be taken after that. I think our minds are just onto the next step, honestly. We’re not into celebrating last year anymore.”
Several players mentioned Ausar Thompson as a player who made noteworthy strides this offseason, Patterson adds. Thompson, who missed the start of last season with a blood clot issue, was fully healthy over the summer appears to have bulked up. “Being healthy for him was huge,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Being able to work on his skill set, work on his craft, play more basketball over the summer, more one-on-one and those types of things were huge for him. … Coming into camp in just better shape will allow him to let his talents run. Conditioning is the ultimate cheat code. If you can play at your highest level longer than your opponent can, it’s going to give you an advantage. If Ausar can play at his highest level with his freak-of-nature abilities that come along with him, just imagine what he will be capable of.”
Bickerstaff was happy to reunite with veteran wing Caris LeVert, Sankofa writes in another subscriber-only story. Bickerstaff coached LeVert, who signed a two-year deal with Detroit in free agency, while the two were members of the Cavaliers. “His versatility is going to be key,” Bickerstaff said. “There’s so many different things you can do with him. … He can initiate offense and he’s really good as a second-side attacker. We’re going to use his versatility, but he can do so many different things and not just for himself. Having spent so much time with him, he’s a really good play-maker and passer. So he can help his teammates, also.”
As Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes, Detroit lost some volume three-point shooters from last season’s roster, which ranked just 22nd in the league in three-point attempts. Bickerstaff is fine with shooting fewer threes if it means the team is benefiting in other areas. He also praised the group’s positional versatility. “We don’t need to have guys that are just one position,” Bickerstaff said. “We feel we have a bunch of guys that can play position-less basketball and it helps their skill set out. So what we’ll do is we’ll put the combinations that we see that work best for us. We’re not worried about having a backup one or a backup two. We’re trying to get talent on the floor.”

Caris LeVert Poised To Play Big Role For Pistons

July 31st, 2025 at 10:12pm CST by Earnest Marshall

New Pistons guard Caris LeVert credited former Cavaliers and current Detroit head coach J.B. Bickerstaff for his growth on the defensive end as a player and expressed excitement about returning to form under him, Hunter Patterson of The Athletic writes.

“J.B. brought out a different part of my game, and I’ve always said that. Once I went to Cleveland, I was asked to play defense,” LeVert said. “Before then, I wasn’t really asked to play defense, and I think that’s one of the stronger parts of my game now. Those things really helped me take my game to the next level.

“Before I went to Cleveland and played under J.B., I was a different player, and I think he challenged me to be the more well-rounded player I am today, so I’m definitely looking forward to this time around.”

LeVert, a Michigan product, will also reunite with former Wolverine Duncan Robinson on the Pistons. Detroit will lean heavily on LeVert after losing Tim Hardaway Jr. to free agency and with Malik Beasley‘s NBA future up in the air.

“I’m a big fan of the culture here,” LeVert said. “I played for J.B. for three years. I’m a big fan of a lot of the guys on the team. [I’m] a fan of how they work, how they play, how competitive they are. I think they’ve got a lot of high-character guys in the organization. … I’m super excited to be playing back here in the state of Michigan and playing for this team.”

Hardaway was another teammate of LeVert’s during their time at Michigan. Within a story by The Detroit Free Press’s Omari Sankofa II, LeVert explained that the now-Nuggets wing was crucial to him signing with Detroit.

“I talked to Tim probably the morning before I signed,” LeVert said. “We talked on FaceTime for a while. He was just telling me how great everybody was here, just reassuring me, letting me know that it’s a great organization, great people, obviously great players. He was definitely someone who I leaned on for this decision.“

Eastern Notes: Robinson, Richardson, Embiid, Dadiet

July 14th, 2025 at 7:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons defeated the Heat three times last season in hotly contested games and that made a strong impression on Duncan Robinson, who was acquired from Miami by Detroit in a sign-and-trade.

“Heat versus Pistons, it feels like every single one had some sort of crazy finish,” he told Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. “The thing that sticks out about this group is the physicality, the toughness and how hard they play. And honestly how they share the ball. That’s the type of system you want to play in, those are the types of guys you want to be around.”

Robinson will be joining forces with Caris LeVert, who was signed to a two-year deal as a free agent. They were teammates at the University of Michigan.

“Caris and I were really good friends in college and we’ve kept up that way pretty much across our entire careers,” Robinson said. “He’s an incredible player obviously. One of the best people I’ve ever been around in terms of a teammate. I’m excited to be back with him. Outside of competing against him I didn’t really know any of these guys too well and they’ve been super welcoming. It is nice to have somebody joining me who also will be new who I do know really well. So that’ll be good.”

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Jase Richardson is making his presence felt in Summer League competition. The Magic rookie guard has averaged 16.5 points, 2.5 assists and 1.5 rebounds in two games. Richardson slipped to the No. 25 pick after some believed he might go in the lottery. “I can do a lot of things in that [position],” Richardson said about driving downhill, per Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. “I can score for myself, I can get my teammates involved and a lot of different ways I can get a bucket for the team.”
The Sixers‘ roster is being built with the notion that the team will have to overcome inevitable absences of superstar center Joel Embiid, Tony Jones of The Athletic writes. That includes the drafting of VJ Edgecombe in the lottery, the addition of free agent power forward Trendon Watford and the injury return of Jared McCain. Those additions should provide additional offensive versatility to complement star guard Tyrese Maxey.
Knicks 2024 first-rounder Pacome Dadiet had an injury scare in Summer League. The 19-year-old wing departed a contest with left foot soreness. It turned out to be a big toe issue but there was no structural damage, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post tweets.

Central Notes: Pistons, Ivey, Nance, Nesmith, Mathurin

July 8th, 2025 at 7:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking on Tuesday to reporters, including Keith Langlois of Pistons.com, Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon spoke about the size and shooting that Duncan Robinson will bring to the team and lauded Caris LeVert for his defensive versatility, ball-handling, and “unselfish brand of basketball.” He also pointed out that both newcomers have plenty of postseason experience.

However, Langdon also made it clear that the additions of Robinson and LeVert aren’t the only reasons why he’s enthusiastic about his team’s potential in 2025/26.

“I think the one thing that does get lost in all of this, to be honest with you, is (Jaden Ivey‘s) return,” Langdon said. “A lot of people are saying, who are you filling with these guys that are exiting. I say, well, we have a pretty good free agent pickup in J.I., so I think he’s going to fill a lot of those point guard roles and play-making roles.”

In addition to getting Ivey back, the Pistons also expect young cornerstones like Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren to continue improving.

“We have a chance to compete next year,” Langdon said. “The main thing for us is continuing to let these young guys develop and they’re in the gym working their butt off. Like I said from initially in the summer, if they get better, we’re going to be better. So it was finding pieces to complement our young players and their growth and ability to reach their potential. I think with our two additions, we got bigger and we want to continue to put them around guys who can play-make. That’s going to continue to help Cade grow and develop.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

After the Pistons generated a $14.1MM traded player exception in their sign-and-trade deal sending Dennis Schröder to Sacramento, Hunter Patterson of The Athletic considers what sort of players it might make sense to target using that TPE. Herb Jones, Goga Bitadze, and Brandon Clarke are among the names he suggests.
A member of the Cavaliers from 2018-21, Larry Nance Jr. has remained close with the organization since then and spent his summers in Cleveland in the years, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). That’s one reason why it came as no surprise that the Ohio native signed a deal to return to the Cavs this offseason. “It just made too much sense, you know? I knew I would (be back one day). I didn’t know when,” Nance said. “… This is a team that’s really got a chance to win it all. And that’s the goal. That’s why I came back, and that’s what we’re going to do this year.”
Aaron Nesmith and Bennedict Mathurin will be extension-eligible ahead of the start of the 2025/26 regular season and the Pacers plan to discuss new deals for them, but president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard is preaching patience, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. “Can I just have like 24 hours please?” Pritchard said when asked on Monday about potential Mathurin and Nesmith extensions. “Literally, guys, we went straight from the Finals to the draft to free agency to Summer League. … We’ll look at all those kinds of things. But I think that’s a little premature. We have all summer and up until next year to do those.” Dopirak views Nesmith (who will be extension-eligible starting in October) as a no-brainer candidate for a new contract but acknowledges that Mathurin’s situation is a little more complicated.

Pistons Add Caris LeVert On Two-Year Contract

June 30th, 2025 at 6:41pm CST by Rory Maher

July 8: LeVert has officially signed with the Pistons, according to a press release from the team (Twitter link).

June 30: The Pistons are signing free agent wing Caris LeVert to a two-year, $29MM contract, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (via Twitter).

It’s a straight two-year deal with no player or team option for the 2026/27 season, tweets Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press.

The signing could be completed using either the full mid-level exception or cap room, depending on whether the Pistons operate over or under the salary cap.

A nine-year veteran, LeVert split last season between Cleveland and Atlanta after the Cavaliers traded him to the Hawks in February as part of the De’Andre Hunter deal. He made 64 combined appearances in 2024/25, averaging 12.1 points, 3.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds on .467/.373/.710 shooting in 24.9 minutes per game.

LeVert, who played four years of college ball in Michigan with the Wolverines, will be 31 years old in late August.

In addition to his familiarity with Michigan, LeVert also played under Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff for two-plus seasons while they were members of the Cavs.

Grant Afseth first reported that Detroit was viewed as the frontrunner to land LeVert, with The Stein Line later confirming the rumor. The Hawks are reportedly targeting Nickeil Alexander-Walker as their primary free agent addition, though it might take a sign-and-trade to land him.

LeVert will bring versatile offense and play-making to the Pistons and will likely come off the bench behind Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. He could also slot in as a small forward in certain lineups.

The Pistons pivoted to signing LeVert in the wake of the Malik Beasley gambling allegations.

Hawks Considered Favorites For Nickeil Alexander-Walker

June 30th, 2025 at 7:56am CST by Arthur Hill

Heading into the start of free agency, rival teams view the Hawks as the favorites to land Nickeil Alexander-Walker, likely in a sign-and-trade with the Timberwolves, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). This echoes a report on Sunday from Grant Afseth of RG.

Atlanta would be able to absorb Alexander-Walker’s new salary into the $25.3MM traded player exception it created in last summer’s Dejounte Murray deal.

Alexander-Walker is a strong two-way contributor who would bring a valuable element to an emerging Hawks team. The 26-year-old shooting guard is among the league’s top three-and-D players and connected at 38.1% from beyond the arc this season.

His expected move to Atlanta will have ripple effects on at least two other teams, Stein and Fischer add. The Pistons, who have also been considered contenders for Alexander-Walker, will turn their attention to signing Hawks free agent forward Caris LeVert, who had a productive half season off the bench after being acquired from Cleveland in February. Afseth also mentioned Detroit as a potential favorite for in LeVert in the wake of gambling allegations against Malik Beasley.

As Stein and Fischer have reported before, the Kings are working on a deal with Dennis Schröder to take over as their starting point guard. They cite projections that his new contract could approach $30MM over two years, which likely means he would receive the team’s non-taxpayer midlevel exception, which totals up to about $28.9MM over two seasons. Sources tell Stein and Fischer that Sacramento is also in the market for a second point guard to back up Schröder, possibly Russell Westbrook or Malcolm Brogdon.

The Pistons’ pursuit of a shooter to replace Beasley could involve Duncan Robinson, who opted out of his contract with the Heat on Sunday. Sources tell Stein and Fischer that Robinson made his decision with the expectation that he’ll get a longer deal with Miami or that the team will work with him on a sign-and-trade.

Pistons Eyeing LeVert, Alexander-Walker Amid Beasley Gambling Allegations

June 29th, 2025 at 12:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Amid a probe by the U.S. District Attorney’s office into alleged gambling activities by Pistons free agent guard Malik Beasley, Detroit is mulling a different approach this offseason, Grant Afseth reports in an RG.org story.

Talks between the Pistons and Beasley have stalled, despite previous momentum on a multiyear deal, according to Afseth’s sources. Beasley, who was one of the league’s premier three-point shooters and reserves this past season, had been in “serious talks” on a three-year, $42MM contract to remain in Detroit, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Along with the gambling allegations, Beasley is also dealing with lawsuit by his former agent, Daniel Hazan, over a financial dispute tied to a marketing advance, according to Afseth.

The Pistons are gauging the trade market on Simone Fontecchio, who has an expiring $8.3MM contract, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. A Fontecchio trade could allow the Pistons to open up $24MM in cap space if they lose two of their other top free agents, Dennis Schröder and Tim Hardaway Jr.

Opening up that cap room would help the Pistons pursue two other free agents they like — the Timberwolves’ Nickeil Alexander-Walker and the Hawks’ Caris LeVert. However, the Hawks are also pursuing Alexander-Walker and exploring a possibility of retaining LeVert. Afseth hears that the Hawks are the favorite to land the Minnesota free agent, while the Pistons are trending toward being the favorite to land LeVert. Atlanta is also among the teams in the mix for Grizzlies guard Luke Kennard.

Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon has a history with LeVert, Afseth notes (Twitter link). Langdon served as assistant GM for the Nets in 2016 when they drafted LeVert.

Hawks Hoping To Re-Sign Caris LeVert, Larry Nance Jr.

June 16th, 2025 at 6:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Hawks are interested in retaining two of their unrestricted free agents, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who reported that Atlanta is looking to keep Caris LeVert and Larry Nance Jr., though the price tag on LeVert apparently rose during his strong late-season performances.

After getting traded from the Cavaliers, LeVert was a valuable member of Atlanta’s second unit. In 26 games, he averaged 14.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per night. He also impressed the Hawks with his locker room presence.

LeVert, 30, is expected to receive offers from rival teams at the non-taxpayer mid-level exception of approximately $14.1MM. As we explained in late March, Atlanta holds LeVert’s Bird rights. That will allow the Hawks to exceed the salary cap to re-sign him. Scott anticipates a starting salary similar to the $16.62MM that LeVert made this season would help separate Atlanta from the competition.

Nance is another player valued for his off-court leadership. He was limited to 24 games this season due to a knee injury, averaging 8.5 points on 51.6 percent shooting from the field and 44.7 percent beyond the arc in 19.3 minutes per contest. However, Scotto also notes that Nance will have some suitors in the open market. Nance, 32, has bounced around the league, as Atlanta was the fifth uniform he’s worn since entering the NBA in 2015.

Not surprisingly, Clint Capela is considered a candidate to join another team in free agency. Capela lost his starting center job during the second half of the season to Onyeka Okongwu.

An even bigger issue looming over the front office, headed by new general manager Onsi Saleh, is how to navigate contract extension talks with four-time All-Star guard Trae Young. Their star guard has one guaranteed year remaining on his contract at $46MM, along with a nearly $49MM player option for 2026/27. His name has popped up frequently in trade rumors and the Hawks could explore that option as well.

Hawks Rumors: Draft, TPE, Turner, LeVert, Front Office

June 12th, 2025 at 8:59am CST by Luke Adams

Although the Hawks hold a pair of first-round picks at Nos. 13 and 22, there hasn’t been much chatter among league sources about Atlanta exploring the idea of packaging those selections to move up in the draft, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

By contrast, Fischer writes, a few other teams with multiple first-rounders, including Brooklyn (Nos. 8, 19, 26, and 27), Oklahoma City (Nos. 15 and 24), and Orlando (Nos. 16 and 25), are viewed as trade-up candidates.

Still, there’s significant “league-wide curiosity” about the Hawks’ offseason plans for their roster, given that they’re operating well below the luxury tax line and possess multiple sizable traded player exceptions, Fischer writes. According to Fischer, Atlanta is “known to be conducting due diligence” about possible targets that would fit into the $25.3MM exception created in last summer’s Dejounte Murray deal.

That TPE, which would expire if it remains unused through July 7, could be used in a traditional trade or by acquiring a player via sign-and-trade. If it’s used, it would hard-cap Atlanta at the first tax apron for the 2025/26 league year.

Here’s more on the Hawks:

Fischer confirms that Atlanta has had interest in Pacers center Myles Turner, as reported earlier this week. The Hawks had viewed Turner as a player who might make sense as a sign-and-trade target using that $25.3MM trade exception, Fischer explains, though his price might increase beyond that based on his performance during Indiana’s run to the NBA Finals. There has also been no indication that the Pacers, who want to re-sign Turner, would be eager to accommodate a sign-and-trade.
Sources tell Fischer that the Hawks have exhibited a “keen” interest in re-signing Caris LeVert, whom the team acquired from Cleveland in February’s De’Andre Hunter trade. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported that retaining LeVert is expected to be a priority for the team. The 30-year-old guard finished the season strong in Atlanta, averaging 14.9 points per game on 48.2% shooting in 26 appearances off the bench.
While the Hawks say their search for a president of basketball operations hasn’t ended, it’s very possible that their front office additions of Bryson Graham as senior VP of basketball operations and Peter Dinwiddie as senior VP of strategy and analytics will end up being their more significant hires, says Fischer. Even before those additions, the club had a large group of front office executives involved in personnel decisions, according to Fischer, who reiterates that bringing in a senior advisor to complement general manager Onsi Saleh remains a possibility.
In case you missed it on Wednesday, Atlanta reportedly declined the Knicks’ request to speak to Hawks head coach Quin Snyder.

Southeast Notes: Sarr, Wizards, LeVert, Hornets

June 4th, 2025 at 8:30pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

In a new interview with Grant Afseth of RG.org, All-Rookie Wizards big man Alex Sarr indicated that his growth during his debut NBA season extended beyond his stat line.

“I feel like kind of everything,” Sarr said. “Defensively, I think physicality. Offensively, trying to get to the rim more, more drives. So I think that’s how I developed the most, for sure.”

Across 67 contests, the 6’10” forward/center logged averages of 13.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game for Washington. He had a fairly inefficient start as a shooter, Afseth notes, as he connected on just 39.4% of his field goal attempts and 30.8% of his three-point tries.

“They’re holding everybody accountable,” Sarr told Afseth regarding the approach of head coach Brian Keefe and his staff. “Trying to build something here and everybody’s bought into building our identity.”

After an encouraging debut 2024/25 season, Sarr is now gearing up to represent his native France in this summer’s EuroBasket competition.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

In a new Wizards offseason preview, Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) breaks down routes for Washington to add to its $18.4MM in cap space; takes stock of the trade markets for veterans like Khris Middleton, Marcus Smart, and Jordan Poole; and proposes methods for the team to move up in this year’s draft.
Bringing back free agent Hawks guard Caris LeVert is expected to be a primary goal for Atlanta this summer, reports Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (subscriber link). LeVert proved critical as a bench scorer, and helped stabilize Atlanta’s minutes when All-Star guard Trae Young sat. After being acquired in a February trade, LeVert posted averages of 14.9 PPG, 3.7 RPG and 2.9 APG while Atlanta finished the season after the deadline on a 17-14 run. The 30-year-old is wrapping up a two-year, $32MM deal. Williams notes that Atlanta possesses LeVert’s Bird rights, meaning the team could re-sign him to a big deal without requiring cap room.
With the Hornets currently in the midst of the longest active playoff drought in the NBA, Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer (subscriber link) examines Charlotte’s roster and considers which players will and will not return. Despite a couple play-in tournament appearances, the Hornets have not played a postseason series since 2016.