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Central Notes: Hayes, Ball, Bucks, G League Trade

September 17th, 2022 at 9:36pm CST by Arthur Hill

Killian Hayes has to make progress as a scorer to show the Pistons he should be part of their long-term plans, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. After injuries limited him to 26 games as a rookie, Hayes bounced back to play in 66 last season, showing the defensive and passing skills that made him the No. 7 overall pick in 2020.

However, his scoring development remained stagnant as he averaged 6.9 PPG in 25 minutes per night while shooting 38.3% from the field and 26.3% from three-point range. Edwards believes Hayes needs to become more aggressive in getting to the basket, noting that he made 74% of his attempts at the rim last season, but that only accounted for 16% of his shots.

Edwards poses questions involving other Pistons players, asking whether Isaiah Stewart has become a legitimate three-point shooter, whether Saddiq Bey can balance his performance from his first two seasons and whether Saben Lee can find a way to stand out on a roster loaded with guards.

There’s more from the Central Division:

  • Lonzo Ball tops a list of Bulls players with the most to prove compiled by Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. Ball may be held out through the start of the regular season because of pain in his surgically repaired left knee. The Bulls insist the knee is structurally sound, but his availability will play a massive role in where the team finishes in the Eastern Conference. Mayberry adds that the team also needs a bounce-back performance from center Nikola Vucevic, who’s heading into a contract year.
  • Unlike most of their competitors in the East, the Bucks didn’t make major changes this offseason and can rely on continuity as they make a run at another NBA title, per Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype. Milwaukee still has the defensive foundation to contend for a championship, Gozlan adds, and Giannis Antetokounmpo remains one of the best players in the world. One financial concern that Gozlan points out is that the Bucks appear destined for the repeater tax next season, while Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez will both become unrestricted free agents in July if they don’t receive extensions.
  • In a press release, the Cleveland Charge – The Cavaliers‘ G League affiliate – announced the trade of Norvel Pelle and the Charge’s second-round pick to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (the Pacers‘ affiliate) in exchange for Nate Hinton.
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Pistons Notes: Breakout Players, Walker, Casey

September 1st, 2022 at 5:55pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Before the Pistons can take a leap in the win column and contend for the postseason, the team will need its young role players to improve in their development. Mike Curtis of The Detroit News identifies power forward Marvin Bagley III — the former No. 2 lottery pick in 2018 — athletic wing Hamidou Diallo, and center Isaiah Stewart as three such role players capable of growing their games in 2022/23.

Curtis thinks that Bagley could become a reliable option in the post if he can stay healthy next year. Curtis also opines that Diallo could see his standing in the Detroit hierarchy improve if he grows as a long-range shooter. Stewart’s three-point output has been limited in the last two seasons. He has connected on 33% of his 0.8 attempts thus far in his NBA career. Curtis writes that the 6’8″ big man showed off an increased willingness to let fly from outside during two Summer League contests with Detroit in Las Vegas this year. Overall, Stewart shot 5-of-9 from outside.

There’s more out of the Motor City:

  • The Pistons may still be holding out hope that they can use the expiring $9.2MM remaining on veteran point guard Kemba Walker‘s current contract in a trade. Keith Langlois of Pistons.com notes in a new mailbag that, if such a deal does not materialize in time for the start of NBA training camps later this month, Detroit could move to buy him out of his deal. Elsewhere in the mailbag, Langlois says he considers Isaiah Livers the most likely new addition to the Pistons’ starting lineup this season, and thinks star point guard Cade Cunningham, the top draft pick in 2021, could be in line for All-Star consideration this season if he continues to develop.
  • In an interview with Johnny Kane of Bally Sports Detroit (Twitter video link), Pistons head coach Dwane Casey expressed enthusiasm about the team’s ability to grow next season. Casey hailed Cade Cunningham and 2022 No. 5 overall pick Jaden Ivey as “stars to be.” Casey anticipates that the team will at the very least improve from its 23-59 record in 2021/22. “You expect growth,” Casey said (hat tip to Mike Curtis of The Detroit News for the transcription). “The internal growth is very important. One thing [GM] Troy Weaver has done is brought a bunch of young, hard-working, character guys in that have been working all summer. I can see the improvement. The game has slowed down for a guy like Saddiq Bey. You mentioned Cade Cunningham. You mention Isaiah Stewart — all those guys, the game has slowed down for them.”
  • The Pistons recently agreed to sign free agent big man Micah Potter to a training camp deal. Get the full details here.
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Central Notes: Walker, Stewart, Bulls, Bucks

August 17th, 2022 at 7:31pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pistons are likely holding onto Kemba Walker to see if he might have any value in a potential trade, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes in a mailbag column. There have been rumors since late June of a buyout agreement for Walker, who was acquired from the Knicks in a trade that was agreed upon on draft night but couldn’t be finalized until the moratorium lifted.

There’s little chance that Walker will play for Detroit, but with training camp almost six weeks away, there’s no urgency to complete a buyout. If the Pistons need to open a spot on their 20-man camp roster, a buyout deal can be done at any time, but for now the team is waiting to see if his $9.2MM contract could be a trade asset.

The Hornets have reportedly shown an interest in bringing back Walker, who was a star in Charlotte for eight seasons. He has been slowed by knee soreness and played just 37 games for New York last season.

There’s more from the Central Division:

  • Isaiah Stewart is a “heavy favorite” to be the Pistons‘ starting center again this season, Langlois adds in the same piece. Stewart was used mainly at power forward in Summer League, playing alongside rookie center Jalen Duren. Langlois notes that Duren will need playing time this season, but it may be hard to get at the NBA level with Stewart, Kelly Olynyk, Marvin Bagley III and Nerlens Noel in the same frontcourt. Langlois suggests that Duren may see some time in the G League while he develops his NBA skills.
  • The Bulls will only have 14 nationally televised games — seven on ESPN, three on TNT and four on NBA TV — which Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic sees as a disappointing number for a playoff team in a major market. Examining Chicago’s schedule, Mayberry notes that a lot of conference tests will come early, with 12 of the Bulls’ first 13 games against Eastern teams.
  • The Bucks will be on national TV 32 times, per Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, including their season opener October 20 at Philadelphia that will feature a matchup of perennial MVP candidates Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid.
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Central Notes: Pistons, Turner, Bitadze

August 15th, 2022 at 9:08pm CST by Dana Gauruder

There are many ways Pistons coach Dwane Casey could go with his rotation next season, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes. In Langlois’ view, Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart and Jaden Ivey are the only rotation locks, with Kelly Olynyk, Marvin Bagley III, Killian Hayes and Alec Burks “good bets” to join them. Beyond that, Casey has numerous choices between youth and experience.

We have more from the Central Division:

  • Pistons fans are brimming with optimism, though they’re realistic about next season’s prospects, The Athletic’s James Edwards III revealed in a fan poll. With nearly 2,000 subscribers weighing in, 98 percent professed confidence in the team’s direction and 64 percent said they were very confident in the front office. However, 72.5 percent voted that the team would only win between 26-35 games next season. Second-year forward Isaiah Livers received the most votes for “breakout” player.
  • Myles Turner‘s season could play out similar to the way Victor Oladipo departed from the Pacers organization in 2020, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files opines. Turner could get off to a good start and pump up his trade value. In the same mailbag piece, Agness speculates that Goga Bitadze won’t have a long-term role in the organization due to the team’s current playing style, along with the presence of Isaiah Jackson and Jalen Smith.
  • Earlier on Monday, Giannis Antetokounmpo stated he wouldn’t mind playing for the Bulls later in his career. Get the details here.
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Pistons Notes: Livers, Bagley, Ivey, Stewart, Duren

July 10th, 2022 at 1:51pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Pistons small forward Isaiah Livers, the No. 42 pick in 2021 out of Michigan, seems to be proving his mettle as an NBA-level talent during the 2022 Las Vegas Summer League, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Edwards praises Livers’s abilities as a long-range shooter, and projects him to potentially make Detroit’s rotation during the 2022/23 NBA season.

Edwards also singles out Livers’s newly refined defensive skillset. Livers saw limited action in his rookie season with Detroit during the 2021/22 season. In 19 games, the 23-year-old averaged 6.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 1.1 APG and 0.7 SPG across 20.2 MPG. He posted a tantalizing shooting line of .456/.422/.857.

There’s more out of Detroit:

  • Former No. 2 overall pick Marvin Bagley III was pleased to remain with the Pistons on a new three-year, $37MM contract, he told Cassidy Hubbarth of ESPN (Twitter link courtesy of the Detroit News’ Mike Curtis). “I was super excited,” Bagley said. “I love Detroit. I love the fans. I love being in that environment and when it was official, I was excited.”
  • After injuring his ankle during the first quarter of a Saturday Summer League contest against the Wizards, Pistons rookie shooting guard Jaden Ivey did not return to game action. However, concern seems low among Detroit’s brain trust about the injury, per Rod Beard of the Detroit News. Ivey, who was selected with the fifth pick out of Purdue in this year’s NBA draft, even weighed in himself on Sunday (via Twitter). “[Nothing] major.. I’m good,” he wrote.
  • The Pistons are hopeful that a starting frontcourt tandem of Isaiah Stewart and rookie center Jalen Duren, the No. 13 pick out of Memphis, can prove effective. The early results in this year’s Las Vegas Summer League have certainly been encouraging, writes Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. The duo combined for 27 points on 10-of-17 shooting, 15 rebounds, six assists and three blocks in Detroit’s 105-99 victory over the Wizards on Saturday.
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Central Notes: Cunningham, Duarte, Rubio, Osman

April 2nd, 2022 at 12:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons Rookie of the Year candidate Cade Cunningham played just eight minutes on Friday but he wasn’t injured. Head coach Dwane Casey gave Cunningham a chance to rest in the second game of a back-to-back, as Keith Langlois of Pistons.com notes. Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart also only made cameo appearances.

A handful of other rotation players missed the game due to rest or injuries.

“It gave us the opportunity to play the young guys and that’s what we wanted to do,” Casey said. “If we were competing for a playoff position, they could have definitely gone out and played. But we wanted to make sure we didn’t risk anything.”

We have more from the Central Division:

  • Pacers rookie guard Chris Duarte is unlikely to play the rest of the season, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files tweets. Duarte has been dealing with a sore left toe since February and last played on March 15.
  • Don’t rule out a possible reunion between the Cavaliers and Ricky Rubio, according to Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Rubio was a key part in their success before he tore his ACL and his expiring contract was traded, Fedor points out. Cleveland targeted Rubio last offseason but a reunion may depend on whether he’ll accept a one-year, prove-it deal after his latest knee injury.
  • Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman received two DNPs, then got a chance to reclaim a rotation spot. He responded with 21 points, six rebounds and four assists in 27 minutes on Thursday, Fedor notes. “Cedi’s a good basketball player and we need him to be his best, so we can be our best,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.
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Central Notes: Diallo, McGruder, Bagley, LeVert, Brown

March 10th, 2022 at 7:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons won in Boston just before the All-Star break but they’ll be shorthanded when they visit for the second time on Friday. The team has ruled out starting center Isaiah Stewart and key reserves Killian Hayes, Hamidou Diallo, Rodney McGruder and Frank Jackson due to an assortment of injuries, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press tweets. Diallo (finger sprain) and McGruder (hamstring strain) were injured during the loss to the Bulls on Wednesday.

We have more from the Central Division:

  • Marvin Bagley III‘s athleticism has given the Pistons a new dimension, Rod Beard of the Detroit News writes. Bagley, who will enter either restricted or unrestricted free agency this summer, provides a major lob threat that the team was sorely lacking. “We’re really happy with the way he’s playing, the way he’s fitting in, and he’s creating a lot of options offensively, and defensively, he’s giving us another rebounder,” coach Dwane Casey said.
  • Caris LeVert won’t play against Miami on Friday but he’s making some progress from the right foot sprain he suffered last month. He went through a portion of the Cavaliers’ practice in Miami on Thursday and took some shots on the court afterward, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer tweets.
  • Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff believes Moses Brown can help the team with his interior presence, Kelsey Russo of The Athletic tweets. Brown was signed to a 10-day contract on Thursday. “He’s long. He’s rangy. He has good athleticism,” Bickerstaff said. “He knows how to patrol the paint at both ends of the floor. Really good rim roller and lob threat, so he’s a similar build to what we have and what we value.”
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Isaiah Stewart Has Bone Bruise In Knee, Out At Least One Week

March 8th, 2022 at 2:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Pistons center Isaiah Stewart has been diagnosed with a bone bruise in his right knee, the team announced today (via Twitter). Stewart will begin undergoing treatment for the injury and will be reevaluated in one week, according to the announcement.

It’s relatively good news for Stewart and the Pistons, since the injury initially looked like it could have been more serious. Stewart went down during the second quarter of Monday’s win over Atlanta, when Hawks center Clint Capela fell awkwardly into his legs. The second-year big man appeared to be in a good deal of pain, unable to put weight on his right leg as he left the court.

With less than five weeks remaining before the Pistons’ schedule wraps up, a more serious injury would’ve almost certainly shut down Stewart for the season. Instead, it sounds like we could see him back in action in the coming weeks.

Stewart, 20, has been Detroit’s full-time starting center this season, averaging 8.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 57 games (25.8 MPG).

Stewart is under contract for $3.4MM next season. The Pistons will likely pick up his $5.3MM option for 2023/24 later this year, which would make him extension-eligible during the ’23 offseason.

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2021/22 Rising Stars Team Rosters

February 4th, 2022 at 6:27pm CST by Rory Maher

As we previously relayed, the NBA announced a new format for its Rising Stars event at All-Star weekend, which will take place on Friday, February 18. The event will feature four seven-player teams competing in a three-game tournament (two semifinals and a final).

The player pool is comprised of 12 NBA rookies, 12 sophomores, and four players from the G League Ignite, while the games will be played to a target score: 50 points in the semifinals and 25 points in the final, in honor of the league’s 75th anniversary season.

The rosters were announced on February 1, but now the four honorary coaches (75th anniversary team members Rick Barry, Isiah Thomas, Gary Payton and James Worthy) have selected their seven-man teams, per our JD Shaw (Twitter link). Here are the rosters:

Team Barry:

Team Isiah:

Team Payton:

Team Worthy:

James Ham of ESPN 1320 and The Kings Beat provides (via Twitter) the full draft results.

The top 10, in order, were: Edwards, Mobley, Ball, Anthony, Giddey, Barnes, Cunningham, Bey, Bane, and Wagner. It’s worth noting that Worthy and Anthony both went to the University of North Carolina, so Anthony’s selection at No. 4 is less surprising given that context.

What do you think of the teams? Who do you think will come out on top? Head to the comments section and let us know your thoughts!

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NBA Announces 2021/22 Rising Stars Rosters

February 1st, 2022 at 6:34pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The NBA has revealed the 28 players (12 rookies, 12 sophomores, and four G League Ignite players) who will suit up for the 2022 Clorox Rising Stars Game in Cleveland this year, per its official PR account (Twitter links). There are a few intriguing surprises among the first-year NBA players.

Here are the players who made the cut:

Rookies:

Sophomores:

Additionally, four players from the G League Ignite will participate in the Rising Stars Game based on voting from NBA G League head coaches. The NBAGL has announced (Twitter link) that MarJon Beauchamp, Dyson Daniels, Jaden Hardy and Scoot Henderson will partake in the action. Players will be separated into four teams, and each G League player will be drafted to join one of the teams later this week.

Among the rookie NBA players, the additions who would be most surprising ahead of the 2021/22 season would be Dosunmu and Jones, both of whom were second-round draft selections. 2021 lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga, Ziaire Williams, James Bouknight, Joshua Primo and Moses Moody were all omitted from inclusion this year.

Among the second-year players, Ball could be appearing on multiple nights during All-Star Weekend this season, as he appears to be a very possible first-time All-Star this year thanks to his outstanding work with the upstart Hornets.

The lottery-bound Magic, Pistons, and Rockets can boast having the most inclusions here, with three players apiece.

As we detailed last week, this year’s Rising Stars event will look a little different, with the four teams taking part in a mini-tournament and playing to a target score in each game: 50 points in the semifinals and 25 points in the final, in honor of the league’s 75th anniversary season.

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