Pistons Notes: Free Agents, Trades, Offseason Priorities, Thompson
Rival teams expect the Pistons to be players in the free agent market this summer, writes Jake Fischer for The Stein Line (Substack link). They have the ability to create around $17MM in cap space if they choose to operate below the salary cap, a decision which could help shed light on the team’s roster-construction plans moving forward.
Fischer writes that the Pistons are looking at different options, including renting out space as a third team in bigger deals in order to accumulate assets or continuing to add veteran talent, a path that helped the team achieve a good measure of success this season.
Fischer also confirms prior reporting that much of Detroit’s focus has revolved around shooting big men such as Myles Turner and Naz Reid — he also adds Grizzlies restricted free agent Santi Aldama to the list of possible Pistons targets. However, Fischer says teams around the league are expecting all three of those bigs to remain with their current clubs.
There’s also the question of Detroit’s own free agents. Tim Hardaway Jr., Dennis Schröder, and Malik Beasley are all unrestricted free agents this summer, and with Jaden Ivey set to return from injury, it’s unclear how many backcourt minutes will be available for all three. Fischer believes Hardaway is the least likely of those free agents to return. Beasley and the Pistons have expressed mutual interest in finding a new deal, and Schröder was a hugely valuable piece for Detroit, especially in the playoffs.
We have more Pistons notes:
- The Pistons have the pieces to go big-name hunting for the first time in many years, writes Omari Sankofa II for the Detroit Free Press (subscription required). They have up to four tradable first-round picks, 15 second-rounders, and a combination of young, promising players and established veterans. However, with many teams similarly stocked with trade assets, making a blockbuster trade would likely mean paying a significant price, Sankofa writes in a column breaking down three potential deals the Pistons could consider. The first name he considers is the Suns’ Devin Booker, suggesting that a package might consist of Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, and a massive combination of first- and second-round picks. He also looks at what it could take to land either Giannis Antetokounmpo or Jaren Jackson Jr. The question the Pistons have to decide is whether Cade Cunningham‘s ascendance requires an acceleration of the team-building timeline.
- In a mailbag, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com breaks down the team’s priorities this offseason. The level to which Detroit succeeds next year depends, for the most part, on internal development, he writes. That includes Thompson experiencing his first healthy NBA offseason, Iver getting back to 100%, and players like Ron Holland II and Jalen Duren further honing their skill sets. Langlois also points to Cunningham becoming a more consistent three-point shooter and finding ways to cut down the turnovers as key points of emphasis.
- In the same mailbag, Langlois discusses which area is more important for Thompson moving forward — shooting or play-making. While a reliable jump shot would put Thompson over the top, Langlois believes that play-making is an area in which the athletic forward can find a great deal of value as he continues trying to develop his individual scoring. He points to a supercharged Josh Hart as a blueprint for how Thompson could find success as a defender, passer, and rebounder, and adds that in terms of the two options, the Pistons guard has a stronger base as a secondary play-maker to build off than he does as a shooter.
Pistons Notes: Cunningham, Ivey, Duren, Celtics Trade Targets
Cade Cunningham earned a significant raise by landing a spot on the All-NBA team, but the extra money will limit the Pistons‘ options in building around him, writes Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. Cunningham’s salary for next season will now be worth 30% of the cap rather than 25%, pushing the value of his five-year extension to $269MM instead of $224MM.
As Patterson notes, Detroit is left with about $17MM in cap room to work with this offseason. Considering the non-taxpayer mid-level exception is projected at $14.1MM, it’s less likely that any cap space will be used to add or re-sign players, as the Pistons may simply operate as an over-the-cap team.
Patterson states that the Pistons are still in position to bring back free agents Malik Beasley, Dennis Schröder, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Paul Reed without exceeding the second apron. However, with Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren both eligible for rookie-scale extensions, the organization will have to consider its long-term financial obligations when deciding how to handle its free agents.
Cunningham finished seventh in the Most Valuable Player voting, Patterson adds, and owner Tom Gores believes he might be able to capture that award as the Pistons continue to improve.
“I am focused on MVP for him,” Gores said. “He has that. Everyone saw it this year that he is a superstar in the making. His ability. His poise. I’ve talked to Cade throughout the season to remind him that so much of the character of this team revolves around his ability to stay strong.”
There’s more from Detroit:
- Ivey’s return from a broken fibula might be the equivalent of a major free agent signing for next season’s team, observes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). The last medical update from the Pistons, issued April 26, said Ivey was engaged in shooting and skill work, along with strength and conditioning, in preparation for a return to five-on-five competition.
- It may be advantageous for Ivey and Duren to wait for restricted free agency in 2026 rather than negotiate extensions this summer, Sankofa states in a mailbag column. Ivey can improve his bargaining position by bouncing back strong from the injury, while Duren excelled during the playoffs and can become more valuable by playing an entire season at that level.
- The Celtics are expected to make several players available in trade as they try to reduce salary, but it’s too much of a risk for the Pistons to take on the contract of Jrue Holiday or Kristaps Porzingis, Sankofa adds in the same piece. He views Sam Hauser, who’s about to start a four-year, $45MM extension, as a more reasonable target.
Central Notes: Giddey, Bulls, Hardaway, Pistons
The Bulls have some major decisions to make about their talented — and perhaps too crowded — backcourt moving forward, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times (subscriber link).
Starting guard Josh Giddey enjoyed an impressive debut season in Chicago. As he heads to restricted free agency this offseason, however, Cowley wonders just how much will be too much for the Bulls when it comes to Giddey’s annual salary.
Following a rocky start, Giddey rounded into form down the season’s home stretch. After the league’s All-Star break — and after the Bulls traded away former All-Star guard Zach LaVine — Giddey logged averages of 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 9.3 assists per night, and connected on an impressive 45.7% of his three-point attempts.
“Coming into a new situation, I never want to come in here and step on any toes,” Giddey said. “I was trying too hard to fit in and please everybody, and [after the] All-Star break and [trade] deadline, I started to play freely and be me.”
Cowley is convinced that Giddey will remain in Chicago long-term, but notes that recently extended reserve guard Lonzo Ball and veterans Ayo Dosunmu, Kevin Huerter and Coby White could all be on the trade market next season. Among those four, only Ball is under contract beyond 2025/26.
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- Bulls front office decision makers had an opportunity at this week’s draft combine in Chicago to get an up-close look at some candidates for their No. 12 pick in June’s draft, writes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. As Poe writes, the Bulls interviewed prospects like Texas guard Tre Johnson, Georgetown center Thomas Sorber, Georgia forward Asa Newell, Connecticut forward Liam McNeeley, South Carolina forward Collin Murray-Boyles, and Michigan State guard Jase Richardson. Poe adds that Duke center Khaman Maluach and Maryland center Derik Queen could also be on Chicago’s radar.
- Upon being traded to Detroit from Dallas during the 2024 offseason, Pistons swingman Tim Hardaway Jr. emerged as exactly the kind of reliable, role-playing veteran the team needed en route to its first playoff appearance in six years, writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Hardaway is one of three heavily used Pistons vets who will hit free agency this summer, along with Sixth Man of the Year finalist Malik Beasley and guard Dennis Schröder. Langlois notes that there is a possibility that all three could be back on new deals, if the price is right.
- In case you missed it, nine-time Bucks All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is set to meet up with Milwaukee decision makers to discuss his future with the team next week.
Eastern Notes: Anunoby, Pistons, Raptors, Giannis
After the Knicks‘ swarming defense, led by wings OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, limited Boston to 90 points on 36.2% shooting in a Game 2 victory, veteran forward P.J. Tucker told reporters, including Stefan Bondy of The New York Post, that Anunoby was overlooked in a major way by Defensive Player of the Year voters this spring.
“OG’s been off the charts. I don’t know how he didn’t win Defensive Player of the Year,” Tucker said of his Knicks teammate. “I don’t think it’s even close. I think he’s the best two-way player in the league. He’s always played defense, but this year offensively he’s taken it up another notch. I don’t think we ran one play for him (in Game 1) and he had 30 points. I’m telling you, it’s incredible. He’s amazed me this year and he’s the Defensive Player of the Year, no doubt.”
This year’s voters weren’t aligned with Tucker — while 13 players showed up on at least one Defensive Player of the Year ballot, Anunoby wasn’t among those 13. Neither he nor any other Knick received a single DPOY vote.
The Knicks only finished 13th overall in defensive rating during the regular season, but they’ve taken their play up a notch in recent weeks and rank fourth in that category in the postseason.
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Which of the Pistons‘ top four veteran unrestricted free agents are most and least likely to re-sign with the team this summer? Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required) considers that question, identifying Malik Beasley as the most likely to be back, followed by – in order – Dennis Schröder, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Paul Reed. Sankofa wouldn’t be surprised if there’s mutual interest in each case, but thinks it makes sense for Hardaway to test the open market and suggests Detroit might need more size in the frontcourt than Reed provides.
- Ahead of Monday’s draft lottery, Eric Koreen of The Athletic examines four hypothetical outcomes for the Raptors, including one where they remain at No. 7 and three where they move into the top four (but not to No. 1). Koreen likes Maryland’s Derik Queen as a potential target at No. 7 and notes that Baylor’s V.J. Edgecombe could be the “cleanest fit for the Raptors in the lottery” if they move up to No. 3 or 4.
- Asked during an appearance on FanDuel’s Run it Back show (Twitter video link) for his thoughts on Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s future, veteran big man Bobby Portis said his longtime Bucks teammate “bleeds green,” adding that he believes the two-time MVP would like to spend his entire career with one team. Portis also pointed out that any team trading for Antetokounmpo would have to give up so many assets to land him that his new club may not end up in a better position than the Bucks to contend.
Pistons GM Trajan Langdon Talks Free Agents, Extensions, More
Pistons veterans Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr., Paul Reed and Dennis Schröder will all be unrestricted free agents this summer. The additions of Beasley, Hardaway, Schröder and forward Tobias Harris; the growth of Detroit’s young core; and the hiring of new head coach J.B. Bickerstaff sparked a 30-win improvement between 2023/24 and 2024/25, and saw Detroit return to the playoffs for the first time in five years.
The Pistons gave the higher-seeded Knicks all they could handle in a hard-fought first round playoff series, but were ultimately defeated in six games and now face a summer full of possibilities.
Pistons team president Trajan Langdon seemed to be relatively open-minded about the aforementioned free agent quartet’s future in town during his end-of-season press conference on Wednesday, writes Omari Sankofa II Detroit Free Press.
“Maybe some of them don’t want to come back, maybe some of them get bigger offers elsewhere,” Langdon said. “It takes two to tango with our free agents and they have decisions to make. All of them were great for us. I think they’d all be great for us coming back here in terms of what they did for us and how they fit the roster that we have. I can’t give you an answer of which ones because again, it takes both sides to come together on a deal.”
Will the Pistons seek to upgrade the club’s roster around All-Star Cade Cunningham via trades? Langdon seemed to suggest that he would be receptive to trade proposals, but wasn’t looking to muck up his club’s developmental timeline after the first round playoff exit, per Keith Langlois of Pistons.com.
“I’ve always said ‘stay patient’ and I’m not going to change in that regard,” Langdon said. “We’re going to listen to calls, we’re going to see opportunities. We’re always going to look at avenues to get better that we think make sense for us to improve. A big thing for us this summer is going to be to develop the guys we have – the young guys we have that are 19 to 22, 23 years old and have them continue to grow. If those guys take steps, we get better. That’s what we’ve focused on and putting people with those guys that can make them better. It was a pretty good formula this year, so we’ll look at everything out there.”
Here are a few more of Langdon’s notable comments from Wednesday’s press conference, via Sankofa and Langlois.
On the team’s massive single-season turnaround:
“After a couple days [to] reflect, hell of a season for us… I don’t know another way to put it. Surprising, gratifying. Guess it creates different expectations going into next year for us. We can see that both ways, positively and negatively. But I think there’s way more positives.”
On emphasizing offseason continuity with the club’s youth movement:
“All these guys will come back and that continuity with this, not only the roster but the coaching staff and his philosophy that this group has never had before… That will be a positive through the summer and through next season as well. The questions will be there, about what we do. Do we add another person or do we just build from within? Like I said before, we’ll look at all avenues and decide what the best avenue is for us.”
On wing Ausar Thompson‘s development in two abridged seasons:
“Ausar – it’s his second season and he had a shortened first season and a shortened second season because it didn’t start on time and he really didn’t have a summer, either, because of his blood clots. It’s exciting for us that he’ll have a full summer to train as a professional that he hasn’t had yet. To have the season he had without a full summer or training camp is incredible.”
On guard Jaden Ivey‘s possible rookie scale extension:
“He had an incredible first two months of the season and he helped this turnaround… I’m excited to see what his summer looks like and what he’s gonna look like coming back in the fall as well. He’s a guy that impacts the game on both ends of the floor and in-between and in transition. Adding him to the roster we have, I think, will create an even more explosive dynamic and something else that our coaches and players can use to help us win games and have even more success. I think he’s going to come back a better version than he was last to year.”
On Jalen Duren‘s midseason growth and his own potential extension:
“JD took a huge step after the first 25 games…. He was a different player the last 50, 60 games of the season. He got off to a slow start. We’re hoping we’re going to push him this summer as well and I think he’s willing to take that up to another level. If those guys take steps, we get better.”
Pistons, Malik Beasley Have Mutual Interest In New Deal
The Pistons and wing Malik Beasley have mutual interest in working out a new contract agreement this summer, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
The news comes as no surprise, as Beasley has repeatedly indicated that he’d like to extend his stay with the Pistons on the heels of a career year that saw him rank second in the NBA in made three-pointers (319) and finish as the runner-up in Sixth Man of the Year voting. After the team’s season came to an end last week, he said he had “never had this much fun coming to the gym,” adding that Detroit is “definitely a place I want to be.”
The Pistons, meanwhile, won’t have as much cap flexibility as they have in recent seasons, with Cade Cunningham‘s maximum-salary rookie scale extension set to take effect, so they’ll be hard-pressed to do better in free agency if they let Beasley walk.
According to Scotto, Beasley is expected to draw interest from teams who have the non-taxpayer mid-level exception at their disposal. That exception is projected to be worth up to $14.1MM in 2025/26.
The Pistons got a bargain when they signed Beasley to a one-year, $6MM deal a year ago, but that will limit their ability to make him a competitive offer using his Non-Bird rights — they’ll only be able to go up to a starting salary of $7.2MM using the Non-Bird exception.
As Scotto writes, that means Detroit may have to use cap room or (if the team operates over the cap) its own mid-level exception in order to retain Beasley. The Pistons have an estimated $138MM in guaranteed money committed to 10 players, with a projected cap of $154.6MM, so they could theoretically create cap space. However, unless they plan to let both Tim Hardaway Jr. and/or Dennis Schröder walk for nothing, they’re likely to be an over-the-cap team.
On that note, the Pistons also have interest in re-signing Schröder, according to Scotto, who says multiple members of the team spoke highly of the point guard’s impact as a “veteran leader and floor general.” Detroit has Schröder’s Early Bird rights and he’s coming off a $13MM salary, so there likely wouldn’t be any cap-related roadblocks in the way of bringing him back.
Pistons Notes: Cunningham, Bickerstaff, Gores, Beasley
The Pistons didn’t advance past the first round, but they’ve revived the culture of Detroit basketball and figure to be a playoff contender for many years to come, writes Eric Woodyard of ESPN. This season marked a 30-game improvement over last year, when they were a league-worst 14-68. They proved they belong in the postseason by playing six competitive games against New York before bowing out due to Jalen Brunson‘s heroic performance.
“We felt good about this series,” Cade Cunningham said after Thursday’s loss. “So to not pull it out hurts, but that feeling will stick with us throughout the summer in our workouts, conversations and everything. We will be back and better.”
The turnaround was orchestrated by J.B. Bickerstaff, who took over as head coach last summer shortly after being dismissed by Cleveland. Bickerstaff, who was named as a finalist for Coach of the Year honors, was invigorated by the opportunity to guide a talented young roster, saying it gave him a “renewed sense of purpose in this profession.”
“It’s great experience,” he added. “You don’t get playoff experience until you get playoff experience, but I thought the guys did a tremendous job of learning from moment to moment, game to game and trying to figure out how you can have an impact on winning.”
There’s more from Detroit:
- In a session with the media before Game 6, owner Tom Gores admitted that the Pistons exceeded his expectations for this season, Woodyard adds. Gores said the future looks promising and thanked Detroit fans for their support. “How they’ve been able to get through adversity is so impressive. I don’t get inspired by a lot, I’m really inspired by them,” Gores said. “They have excited the city. I’ve done everything I could for this city. We buy hospitals, we try to make sure kids are OK. We do all the things that we do. I’ve never got the city that excited before this team showed up and they’re just showing it on the floor. I’m sure a lot of people still are not going to predict us to get anywhere, but we’re here.”
- Malik Beasley, who was a finalist for the Sixth Man of the Year Award in his first season with the Pistons, expressed interest in re-signing with the team in free agency. The 28-year-old shooting guard came to Detroit on a one-year, $6MM contract last summer, and the Pistons only hold his Non-Bird rights. “In my whole nine years in the NBA, I never had this much fun coming to the gym,” Beasley said (Twitter video link from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype). “I’ve been through a lot of stuff just this year alone. Every day coming in was probably the best thing that happened to me. … It’s definitely a place I want to be.”
- Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart are the only Pistons currently with non-rookie deals that stretch past the 2025/26 season, but that figures to change soon, per Christian Romo of The Detroit Free Press. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Dennis Schröder are also headed for free agency this summer, while Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren will both be eligible for rookie scale extensions.
Pistons Notes: Hardaway Jr., Missed Call, Inexperience, Cunningham, Game 5
Game 4 of the Knicks–Pistons series on Sunday afternoon ended in controversy, with a missed call potentially costing upstart Detroit the victory. Crew chief David Guthrie admitted afterward that a foul should have been called against the Knicks’ Josh Hart on Tim Hardaway Jr.‘s missed three-point try just before the final buzzer. The Knicks came away with a 94-93 win and a 3-1 lead in the series.
“During live play, it was judged that Josh Hart made a legal defensive play,” Guthrie told the pool reporter, per Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. “After post-game review, we observed that Hart makes body contact that is more than marginal to Hardaway Jr. and a foul should have been called.”
Hardaway said the missed call was “blatant” and coach J.B. Bickerstaff was equally frustrated.
“You go back and look at the film, the guy leaves his feet and there’s contact on Tim Hardaway’s jump shot,” he said. “I don’t know any other way around it. There’s contact on his jump shot. The guy leaves his feet, he’s at Timmy’s mercy. And repeat, there was contact on his jump shot.”
We have more on the Pistons:
- The game shouldn’t have come down to the last play, Shawn Windsor of the Detroit Free Press notes, as the Pistons gave away a double-digit lead in the final eight minutes. The true difference in the series has been poise, and the ability to make the small plays, according to Windsor. Detroit’s 3-1 deficit can largely be chalked up to a lack of playoff and overall experience in these moments.
- Cade Cunningham racked up a triple-double with 25 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists along with four blocks. However, Cunningham also made seven turnovers and missed a mid-range shot seconds before Hardaway’s attempt. “He got to his shot, and had the shot that he liked and that we all like,” Bickerstaff said. “I trust Cade to take that shot 100 times in a row.”
- The Pistons are now on the brink of elimination heading back to New York for Game 5 on Tuesday. “We have to get ready for the next game, ready to play, bring it back here,” sixth man Malik Beasley said. “That’s all we can do. That’s the message.”
Central Notes: Pistons, Mobley, Merrill, Rivers, Horst
The Pistons‘ decision to focus on getting veteran players who fit around star Cade Cunningham and the rest of their young nucleus is a huge reason they’re fighting in the playoffs one year removed from being the worst team in the league, Jamal Collier of ESPN writes. Tobias Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley have each made a major impact on the team’s massive turnaround.
“There’s a lot of talent here, kind of just need a few adults in the room,” Harris said of his decision to return to Detroit, where he played from 2016-18. “Guide these guys a little bit, and really boost their confidence up, boost the professionalism, morale of the whole team, and see where they could take us. I knew that coming in that this was going to be a breath of fresh air for me, but I’ve truly enjoyed it. It’s the most fun I’ve had playing basketball my whole career with this group and this team.”
New general manager Trajan Langdon thought it might take some time for the new-look Pistons to jell, but the top-six seed in the playoffs has been a nice surprise and the team is looking to capitalize now. Adding the veterans they did wasn’t just about their on-court fit, but also how they’d serve as leaders and mentors.
“The main thing was trying to put together some people around these young guys that could help them develop,” Langdon said. “It’s not only the on-the-court and between-the-lines that I thought was important, but also the character, the experience and the postseason experience.”
In a similar piece, Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports explores Detroit’s one-year turnaround. As Goodwill writes, Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart were among players whose confidence didn’t waver during a challenging season in 2023/24. The Pistons are down 2-1 in the series against New York after a close loss on Thursday, but they’re well prepared to be competitive now and in the future.
“I remember me and [Cunningham], just talking in that moment, and we’re just saying, ‘Tables are going to turn,’” Stewart said. “You know, that’s what me and him always said to each other, ‘Stay with it.’”
We have more from the Central Division:
- Before being named this season’s Defensive Player of the Year, Cavaliers star Evan Mobley wasn’t allowing the potential financial boon of winning the award to distract him in the playoffs, Joe Vardon of The Athletic writes. “He’s got that something,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “He’s desperate to be great.”
- Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill is showing he’s not a one-dimensional player in the team’s first-round series against the Heat, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes. Merrill has been working hard to prove he’s not just a marksman and has a more well-rounded skill set, and Game 1 showcased his strides on the defensive end. He ended up playing more than Max Strus and De’Andre Hunter. “He doesn’t pass the eye test as a defender,” teammate Jarrett Allen said. “I mean, let’s just be honest. But every single play he’s out there, he’s fighting through screens and his one-on-one defense against Andrew Wiggins a couple of days ago was excellent. I think he’s realizing he can be a great shooter like he is already and an excellent defender as well. He’s starting to unlock that for himself.”
- Bucks head coach Doc Rivers is excited that general manager Jon Horst earned himself a contract extension on Thursday, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “It’s awesome. It’s just awesome,” Rivers said. “It’s the news I’ve been waiting for, just very happy for him. He’s done an amazing job. We have an amazing relationship and it just creates stability. I’m just a big believer in stability in organizations. That’s how you build teams. Very happy for Jon and his family.” Rivers said the connection between the two sides is crucial in helping Milwaukee get back to competing for titles.
Central Notes: Jerome, Mitchell, Mathurin, Pistons
Two major injuries hindered important moments in Ty Jerome‘s career. A hip surgery prevented him from playing his senior year in high school, and he was limited to just 15 minutes with Cleveland last season before suffering a season-ending ankle injury.
As Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes, Jerome had previously parlayed an impressive Warriors season in 2022/23 into a multiyear deal with the Cavaliers. But Jerome was playing on a two-way contract in Golden State, meaning he was still getting his footing in the league at the time of last season’s injury.
“I was in a very dark place,” Jerome said. “I felt disconnected from the group. I felt alone. I was just kind of here by myself, going into the facility solely to rehab, and then back home to sit on the couch with no plan for how to get better and no real timeline for a return. I’m a hooper. It’s my only hobby. When I’m playing basketball, when I’m able to shoot and work out, I’m just a happier, healthier person.”
Jerome emerged from the situation as one of the Cavaliers’ most pivotal players. He’s averaging 12.5 points per game while shooting 51.6% from the floor and 43.9% from three this season. He went from not being considered as a Sixth Man of the Year candidate at the start of the season to emerging as a potential finalist for the award.
We have more from the Central Division:
- Donovan Mitchell‘s scoring output has dipped this season, but his self-sacrifice this season made the Cavaliers contenders, Joe Vardon of The Athletic writes. “Unselfish MVP, that’s what I call it,” teammate Darius Garland said. Vardon notes that Mitchell’s minutes and shot volume are down as part of a designed and agreed-to plan that allowed Garland and other teammates to step up this season.
- Bennedict Mathurin wasn’t able to play in the Pacers‘ run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season as he recovered from surgery on a torn labrum. As Dustin Dopirak of IndyStar writes, Mathurin remembers watching that run from the sidelines and is eager to help push the Pacers there again and beyond. “It’s huge,” teammate Aaron Nesmith said of having Mathurin back. “I’m excited to see him. He lives for moments like this. He’s a big-time shot taker, big-time shot-maker. He lives for big moments. His presence on the court, his presence at the end of games, throughout the course of the series will be huge for us.”
- Ahead of their first-round playoff series, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post analyzes how the Pistons and Knicks helped build each other’s rosters through a series of trades and free agents swapping places. The Pistons acquired the draft rights to Jalen Duren from New York in a 2022 deal that sent the Knicks one of the first-rounders they later traded for Mikal Bridges. Meanwhile, after acquiring Quentin Grimes from the Knicks at the 2024 trade deadline, the Pistons flipped him to Dallas last offseason in a deal for Tim Hardaway Jr., who started 77 games this season.