Isaiah Livers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pistons’ Bogdanovic, Morris To Miss Multiple Weeks

October 24th, 2023 at 11:10am CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons will be missing multiple rotation players to start the season, announcing today in a press release (Twitter link) that forward Bojan Bogdanovic, guard Monte Morris, and forward Isaiah Livers will all remain sidelined for at least the next few weeks.

According to the team, Bogdanovic will be reevaluated in four weeks due to a right calf strain, while Morris will be reevaluated in three weeks after straining his right quad during a recent rehab session (he had been recovering from lower back soreness).

It’s an unfortunate turn of events for a Pistons team that enters this season with aspirations of moving up the Eastern Conference standings after winning no more than 23 games in each of the past four seasons. Cade Cunningham is back in action this fall after a leg injury limited him to 12 appearances a year ago, lottery pick Ausar Thompson appears poised to play a significant role, and new head coach Monty Williams has a track record of turning lottery teams into playoff contenders.

Bogdanovic’s and Morris’ injuries won’t necessarily derail the Pistons’ year – they could both be back in action before the end of November – but the two veterans had been projected to play key roles for the team to open the season.

Bogdanovic led the Pistons in 2022/23 with 21.6 points per game, posting an impressive shooting line of .488/.411/.884 in 59 games (32.1 MPG). Morris, acquired from Washington in an offseason trade, averaged 10.3 PPG and 5.3 APG on .480/.382/.831 shooting in 62 games (27.3 MPG) and brought some additional veteran stability to Detroit’s backcourt.

As for Livers, his diagnosis – a Grade III left ankle sprain – isn’t new. Detroit announced at the start of training camp that he would miss at least six-to-eight weeks as a result of the injury. The club’s announcement today indicates that Livers will be reevaluated in four weeks, at the same time as Bogdanovic.

Pistons Notes: Thompson, Hayes, Bagley, Livers

October 9th, 2023 at 9:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Pistons rookie Ausar Thompson looked worthy of being a starter in his first preseason game, writes James L. Edwards of The Athletic. The 20-year-old small forward replaced Jaden Ivey in the starting lineup for Sunday’s overtime loss to Phoenix and posted 12 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in 39 minutes. He also drew a tough defensive assignment, guarding Devin Booker for most of the afternoon.

Coach Monty Williams was impressed by what he saw from Thompson, but pointed out areas where he needs to improve.

“He’s got to play with force all game,” Williams said. “I thought there were times when he thought he was in position, and I got to show him on the film that if he sprinted to the spot and used his athletic ability to shift out as opposed to walking to the backside of the defense … he’s going to be much better.”

Ivey had an efficient game off the bench, scoring 15 points while shooting 5-of-8 from the field and 3-for-6 beyond the arc. Williams told reporters not to read too much into Sunday’s lineup decision, but Edwards observes that Thompson and Ivey will likely compete for the final starting spot once Bojan Bogdanovic returns from a right calf strain that kept him out Sunday.

There’s more from Detroit:

Killian Hayes followed up a strong camp with an impressive performance in the preseason opener, Edwards adds. The fourth-year guard, who will be competing for minutes in a crowded backcourt, registered 13 points, seven assists and five steals in 21 minutes. Monte Morris didn’t play Sunday due to injury, and Hayes took advantage of the chance to show Williams that he’s deserving of a spot in the rotation.
Sunday’s game didn’t do anything to clear up the rotation in the frontcourt, notes Keith Langlois of NBA.com. Before starting center Jalen Duren sprained his right ankle in the first half, James Wiseman was the only big man to come off the bench. After the intermission, Marvin Bagley III scored 25 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 22 minutes. “He just came in and played with a great deal of force,” Williams said of Bagley. “His dives were productive. He wasn’t putting the ball down in traffic. Defensively, I thought he did a much better job calling out screening actions which helped our guards out. For him to sit over there and come in and have an effect says a lot about his mindset and discipline to stay locked in.”
Isaiah Livers is likely to see regular minutes when he returns from his sprained ankle, Edwards states in a mailbag column. He notes that Lively can handle either forward spot, and Williams seemed impressed with him before the injury.

Pistons Notes: Stewart, Bagley, Wiseman, Livers, Thompson

October 5th, 2023 at 11:27am CST by Arthur Hill

It didn’t take long for new Pistons coach Monty Williams to identify Isaiah Stewart as one of his team leaders, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. Stewart appears to be locked in as Detroit’s starting power forward heading into his fourth season. He is one of the team’s top defenders, and Williams believes his teammates respond to his approach to the game.

“It’s his character, it’s his toughness, but more importantly he works, and guys respect work,” Williams said. “In this culture, when you walk into this gym and you’re not working, you stand out. And he leads it. He and Jalen (Duren) have led the charge. Those guys are on the floor every day together getting sweat equity in, and it sends a message to the team.”

Stewart will see time at center as well as power forward this season, and he’s working to improve his jump shot so he can help to space the floor. The front office showed its belief in Stewart this summer by giving him a rookie scale extension worth up to $64MM, and Sankofa notes that he’s the only one of the team’s three first-round picks from 2020 to be extended.

“It made sense for us,” general manager Troy Weaver said of the new contract. “You always want to have a player or players on the team who are symbols for what you want to be about, and he’s that on and off the floor. Who he is as a person and what he brings to practice, what he brings as a teammate.”

There’s more from Detroit:

With Stewart and Duren projected as starters, Marvin Bagley III and James Wiseman are competing for one rotation role in the frontcourt, Sankofa adds in a separate story. Both are former No. 2 overall picks who weren’t able to find success with their original teams, and the Pistons were willing to give them a second chance when they became available. Williams called it a “tough spot” for Bagley and Wiseman because they both have the talent to succeed. “Bags has a body of work. Wise is still young and learning,” Williams said. “They both have enough ability to command that spot. We’re just going to wait and see who steps up and takes it.”
Isaiah Livers was in the competition for power forward minutes before suffering a sprained ankle that will cause him to miss six to eight weeks, according to James L. Edwards of The Athletic. The rotation that Williams uses to start the season will likely be adjusted when Livers returns.
Williams’ emphasis on defense gives rookie Ausar Thompson a chance to earn a starting spot, adds Edwards, who observes that Thompson may already be the team’s top defender. Bojan Bogdanovic and Jaden Ivey are at the greatest risk of being replaced, but Edwards notes that moving either to the bench would take scoring punch away from the starting lineup.

Isaiah Livers Out 6-To-8 Weeks With Sprained Ankle

October 2nd, 2023 at 9:52am CST by Arthur Hill

Isaiah Livers will miss six to eight weeks with a Grade III left ankle sprain, the Pistons announced (via Twitter). The third-year forward suffered the injury during a recent workout.

Livers was already facing a battle for playing time in Detroit’s frontcourt, and this latest setback won’t help his position on the depth chart. With the team’s opener set for October 25, Livers could miss a month or more of the regular season.

After being limited to 19 games as a rookie because of a stress fracture in his foot, the 25-year-old became a regular part of the Pistons’ rotation last season, playing 23.1 minutes per night in 52 games and making 22 starts. He averaged 6.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per night while shooting 41.7% from the field and 36.5% from three-point range.

A second-round pick in 2021, Livers is making $1.8MM in the final season of his three-year contract. He will be eligible for restricted free agency next summer.

Central Notes: Bulls, Giannis, Ivey, Pistons

September 24th, 2023 at 3:55pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

After making only minor roster moves for a second straight summer, the middling Bulls might be best served by fully embracing a tank, opines Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

Cowley writes that team president Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley need to concede that their momentous roster reconstruction in 2021 ultimately did not succeed, and the club must now pivot to offloading big veterans in exchange for future draft equity. Cowley believes Chicago’s top priority should be finding a young point guard it can build around.

With star wings DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine leading the charge, the Bulls have gone a cumulative 86-78 over the past two regular seasons, with just a single playoff game win to their credit.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

Though Bucks All-NBA power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is now eligible to ink a three-year, $169MM contract extension, he has indicated he intends to wait until next summer to make a decision. At that point, he could agree to a four-year deal worth a projected $234MM (or potentially more, depending on where the NBA’s salary cap lands). He has a $51.9MM player option for the 2025/26 season. Should Antetokounmpo eventually ask for a trade, he would entice the entire league, Adrian Wojnarowski said on Friday on ESPN’s NBA Today (YouTube video link). “Listen, the possibility of a player like Giannis Antetokounmpo becoming available, it creates a frenzy around the league behind closed doors,” Woj said.
Second-year Pistons shooting guard Jaden Ivey is hoping to take a step up defensively in 2023/24, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. The 6’4″ guard showed improvement as a shooter and passer throughout his rookie season last year, and is now looking to develop on the other side of the ball. “Being able to just play better defense, I think that’s what I tried to lock into more [over the summer],” Sankofa opines. “Using my speed to get through ball screens and not giving up on ball screen reads. Always staying on the play, always staying involved defensively. I feel like I got better in that aspect.”
In a new reader mailbag, Sankofa addresses a variety of Pistons topics, including whether he thinks Detroit could try to trade for Pacers sharpshooter Buddy Hield, whether or not combo forward Isaiah Livers will earn rotation minutes amidst a deeper frontcourt, and more.

Pistons Notes: Bogdanovic, Morris, Livers, Duren

September 16th, 2023 at 8:26pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bojan Bogdanovic‘s high trade value makes him the Pistons player most likely to be dealt this season, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic writes in a mailbag column. Detroit considered several offers for the veteran swingman last season before opting to hold onto him. The Pistons are hoping to contend for a play-in spot, and they view Bogdanovic as an important part of that effort.

Part of Bogdanovic’s appeal is his team-friendly contract, which pays him $20MM for the upcoming season and carries just a $2MM guarantee on his $19MM salary for 2024/25. The deal won’t become fully guaranteed until late June of next year.

Second on Edwards’ list is Monte Morris, who was acquired from the Wizards during the offseason. Morris has a $9.8MM expiring contract, and he’ll be competing for playing time with young guards Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey and Marcus Sasser, who are all expected to be part of Detroit’s long-term future.

Rounding out the list, in order, are Alec Burks, Joe Harris and Marvin Bagley, but Edwards cautions that things could change if the Pistons are still in contention for a postseason spot around the trade deadline.

There’s more from Detroit:

Isaiah Livers will head into training camp with the widest range of outcomes, having a chance to be the starting power forward or out of the rotation entirely, Edwards adds. He says Livers has the skills to be a 3-and-D forward, but his playing time will depend on how reliable he becomes from beyond the arc. He connected on 36.5% of his three-point attempts last season.
Coming off a strong rookie season, Jalen Duren is the pre-camp favorite to win the starting center job, according to Keith Langlois of NBA.com. Duren was the NBA’s youngest player last season, but he managed to lead all rookies in total rebounds, offensive rebounds and dunks. He continued to impress at Summer League and as a member of the Select Team that scrimmaged against Team USA in Las Vegas. “I just feel good. Coming in last year, trying to figure everything out, trying to get to know the new game, the new league, it was a lot,” he said. “Now, going through my first offseason, coming back into my second year in the NBA, a lot more confidence, a lot more understanding of how it works.”
Former Pistons great Richard Hamilton, who’s now a CBS Sports analyst, likes the young roster that general manager Troy Weaver has put together, per Tony Paul of The Detroit News.“It’s gonna take time, you know, I don’t want to rush it, but I just feel as thought we got a great core of young guys,” Hamilton said. “And we’re starting to build around young guys. And the young guys are eventually gonna become veterans.”

Pistons Notes: Duren, Stewart, Hayes, Thompson

August 9th, 2023 at 8:14pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart appear to be the favorites to start at center and power forward for the Pistons heading into training camp, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes in a mailbag column. Langlois sees them as having a clear edge over James Wiseman and Marvin Bagley III. He cites Duren’s impressive showing at Summer League, which he followed up with a strong performance as part of the Select Team that scrimmaged against Team USA’s World Cup squad.

The bigger concern for Wiseman and Bagley, according to Langlois, is whether new head coach Monty Williams is willing to give regular playing time to four big men. They could be battling for one rotation role, not only in camp but throughout the season.

Langlois also raises the possibility that Williams won’t want to start two traditional big men. That could lead to Bojan Bogdanovic getting the starting nod as a stretch four, with Isaiah Livers possibly claiming the other forward spot.

There’s more on the Pistons:

Killian Hayes needs to establish himself as an NBA player as he enters the final year of his rookie contract, but his path to playing time appears to be blocked, Langlois adds. Cade Cunningham‘s return will consume a lot of the backcourt minutes, and Hayes will have to compete with Jaden Ivey, Alec Burks, newcomer Monte Morris and rookie Marcus Sasser as well. Langlois suggests that Hayes might be included in a multi-player trade at some point to help balance salaries.
Overtime Elite trainer Luke Cooper believes Ausar Thompson has the drive to become a star, per James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Cooper said Thompson’s obsession to excel at every part of the game led to some late-night phone calls during their two years of working together. “I’ll get a text or call saying, ‘I mastered it,’ and I’d have no idea what he was talking about,” Cooper said. “It would be some little move that we worked on earlier that day that bothered him so much because he didn’t feel comfortable with it, so he went to his room and worked on it, in his room, until he felt comfortable with it.”
In a separate story, Edwards examines potential lineup combinations for the upcoming season, looking at which five-man units might work best in different situations.

Eastern Notes: Livers, Bridges, C. Johnson, Brunson, Celtics

August 6th, 2023 at 10:06pm CST by Rory Maher

After being limited to 19 games in 2021/22 — his rookie season — due to a right foot stress fracture he sustained in college, Pistons forward Isaiah Livers now realizes he may have done more harm than good with his strenuous workout regimen last offseason. He appeared in just 52 games during his sophomore campaign in ’22/23, having dealt with multiple injuries.

As Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press writes, Livers has taken a different, more measured approach this summer in an effort to prepare his body for an 82-game schedule.

“I’ve built a new friendship with the weight room,” Livers told Sankofa. “I feel a lot more explosive, bouncier, and I feel more in control of my body. It’s no secret, the No. 1 thing about me is just avoiding injuries. It’s been some small injuries. I tweaked my workout plan to the point where I won’t have those wear-and-tears, those nagging injuries. I’ve been put on a smart plan where I’m not overworking myself. This is the season. I’m excited and we have big things to look forward to.”

A relentless worker, Livers admits it hasn’t been easy to take a step back, but he knows ’23/24 will be a key season for his future. As Sankofa notes, the former second-round pick will be headed to restricted free agency next summer after Detroit exercised its team option on his contract at the end of June.

Livers also spoke to Sankofa about the return of Cade Cunningham and new head coach Monty Williams, among other topics. It’s an interesting, thoughtful interview and worth checking out for Pistons fans.

Here’s more from the East:

Both Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson are thrilled to be able to represent Team USA in international competition, and the Nets are fully supportive of their choices, Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes in a subscriber-only piece. “It seems so much fun,” Johnson said. “You know, I’ve talked to people that have played, I’ve talked to people that have been a part of it. They said it’s such a valuable experience for your career, and you can learn a lot from it. And then you just get the experience to see high level basketball across the world in a different type of environment. So I’m really looking forward to it.”
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson believes playing for Team USA in the World Cup this summer will be beneficial for him entering the 2023/24 season, according to Ethan Sears of The New York Post. “I think it’s another way to get ready for training camp,” Brunson said. “You gotta look at it and see the positives that come out of this, going towards the NBA season. I know I’ll be ready for that. I think for me, my mindset is focused on this and not really worrying about what’s going on ahead right now.”
Brian Robb of MassLive.com covers a number of Celtics topics in a mailbag article. Most of the questions are centered around how the team should fill out the end of the roster. Robb would take a patient approach and thinks free agent big man Christian Wood is an unlikely target for a variety of reasons.

Pistons Exercise Isaiah Livers’ Team Option

June 27th, 2023 at 10:45am CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons have exercised their 2023/24 team option on Isaiah Livers‘ contract, reports James L. Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link). The move will lock in Livers’ $1,836,096 salary for next season and put him on track to reach restricted free agency in 2024 if he doesn’t sign an extension before then.

The decision comes as no surprise, given that the option is worth the veteran’s minimum and Livers is a player the Pistons want to continue developing.

After appearing in just 19 games as a rookie in 2021/22 for health reasons, Livers emerged as a regular rotation piece last season, averaging 6.7 PPG and 2.8 RPG in 52 contests (23.1 MPG). The 6’7″ forward has knocked down 37.8% of 3.8 three-point attempts per game since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2021.

Livers is one of three Pistons players whose contracts include team options for the 2023/24 season. Alec Burks ($10.49MM) is expected to have his option picked up too, while the decision on Eugene Omoruyi‘s ($1.93MM) remains up in the air.

The Pistons entered the offseason with eight players on guaranteed contracts for ’23/24. Livers figures to join Burks and first-rounder draftees Ausar Thompson and Marcus Sasser to increase that count to 12 as the team prepares for free agency this weekend.

Pistons Notes: Barnes, Burks, Livers, McGruder, Hayes, Sasser, Thompson

June 26th, 2023 at 10:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

There’s been plenty of speculation about the Pistons making offers to restricted free agent Cameron Johnson and unrestricted free agent Jerami Grant. The Athletic’s James Edwards III believes another forward might make a nice fit in the short-term — Kings unrestricted free agent Harrison Barnes.

Edwards doesn’t think a big one- or two-year offer to Barnes is out of the question, noting that the veeteran could provide a stabilizing force to the team’s young core.

We have more on the Pistons:

In the same piece, Edwards said the Pistons are likely to bring back several veteran reserves. It’s expected they’ll exercise their teams options on Alec Burks ($10,489,600) and Isaiah Livers ($1,836,096). Unrestricted free agent Rodney McGruder could also return, presumably on a veteran’s minimum deal, for a fourth consecutive season.
It’s not only unlikely the Pistons will pursue a rookie scale extension with Killian Hayes, the 2020 lottery pick may have to scrounge for playing time, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press opines. With the addition of Marcus Sasser in the draft, Hayes will have to fight for minutes off the bench with the rookie and Burks behind starters Jaden Ivey and Cade Cunningham. The Pistons will also have plenty of options at the wing, including rookie Ausar Thompson and Bojan Bogdanovic, so the Pistons may use fewer three-guard lineups.
GM Troy Weaver has placed a premium on high character, low-maintenance players since he joined the franchise. Thompson and Sasser fit that mold, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes. “These two young men represent what we want to be about here in Detroit,” Weaver said. “We doubled down hard with these two. These two young men are about the right things.”