Pistons Notes: Duren, Cunningham, Stewart, Klintman, Jones
Jalen Duren‘s impressive start continued on Friday, as the Pistons center dominated inside with 30 points, 11 rebounds and three steals in a victory over the Nets. He’s now averaging 19.2 points and 11.3 rebounds per game.
“We’ve put together a plan over the summer for him and he was as dedicated to that plan as anybody,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said, per Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. “He worked relentlessly on his game. He’s always had the talent. I think the confidence is coming now, too, so he can see what he can do against other guys. You watch how much more aggressive he is offensively with the ball in his hands. I think last year it was a lot of him getting set up. We wanted him to attack more. We want him to try to create for himself more, put more pressure on the defense. I think he’s done that. It all comes down to the work that he’s put in.”
Duren will be one of the top restricted free agents on the market next summer. The Pistons were unable to sign the fourth-year big man to a rookie scale extension prior to last month’s deadline.
“He’s dominant,” Cade Cunningham said. “He’s not waiting. He’s attacking every game. Really can’t enough be said about how he’s approached the game lately and he has all the ability in the world to do what he’s been doing. It’s exciting.”
Here’s more on the Pistons:
- Cunningham supplied 34 points and 10 assists against Brooklyn. Duren and Cunningham became the first Pistons teammates with 30-plus point double-doubles in the same game since Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond did it on Dec. 18, 2015 against Chicago, the team’s PR department tweets.
- Isaiah Stewart departed in the second quarter after he rolled his left ankle. The Pistons were already without starting forward Tobias Harris, who has missed the last three games with an ankle injury. That opened up an opportunity for 2024 second-round pick Bobi Klintman, Sankofa notes. In his second appearance this season, Klintman scored two points, grabbed four rebounds and added an assist in 12 minutes.
- The Pistons claimed big man Isaac Jones off waivers from the Kings on Thursday. Bickerstaff believes Jones’ style will fit right in with the team’s identity, Sankofa tweets. “There’s an energy. He has a similar spirit to the group of bigs that we have already,” the coach said. “He’s a fighter, he’s a scrapper, his interior skills. He just gives us a boost there.”
Pistons Notes: Cunningham, Stewart, Harris, Duren, Fast Start
Cade Cunningham has been a fourth-quarter dynamo during the Pistons’ 6-2 start. The star guard has racked up 86 fourth-quarter points, tops in the league. He has scored 19 points in each of the last two games in the final 12 minutes, including a 114-103 victory over Utah on Wednesday.
“We’re just now turning the corner as far as just not being losers,” Cunningham said, per Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. “We were losers for a little stint in the NBA. But we all have winning habits, winning mentalities. We’re just starting to get our feet wet as far as learning winning basketball.”
Cunningham continues to impress second-year Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff.
“He’s phenomenal,” Bickerstaff said. “He’s an unbelievable player, unbelievable person. Great teammate, great leader. Everything you want in a No. 1 guy, Cade is it.”
We have more on the Pistons:
- Move over, Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert. In Bickerstaff’s assessment, Isaiah Stewart is the league’s premier rim protector. Stewart is averaging a career-best 2.4 blocks per game so far this season. “He’s the best rim protector in the league. His timing, anticipation, always being early to the spot,” Bickerstaff said. “It’s a fearlessness, right? Where a lot of people would just get out of the way because they don’t want to get dunked on anymore, Isaiah doesn’t mind. He’s going to go up there and he’s going to challenge anybody because it’s the right thing to do. And that’s his responsibility for this team – protect the rim. It doesn’t matter to him the outcome, because he’s going to get more times than he’s been got.”
- Starting forward Tobias Harris sat out for the second straight time due to an ankle injury but he should return soon. “He’s getting better. The ankle is one of those things that it’s ‘how is it today?’ – you do more and see how it responds tomorrow,” Bickerstaff said. “But Tobias has been, throughout his career, one of the more durable and reliable players who doesn’t miss a ton of time. So, we don’t expect [him to miss significant time], but again, we’ll always do what’s right by him and make sure he’s healthy.”
- Jalen Duren had a monster game against the Jazz with 22 points and 22 rebounds. “I’ve had conversations with J.B., multiple conversations throughout the summer, coming into the season on how he’s seen me work on my game in the summer, how he wants me to continue to be aggressive and kind of show what I’ve been working on,” he said. “With that came a lot of confidence. My teammates, too, telling me to keep attacking bigs and whoever opposing teams decide to put on me. I’m just trying to do what they tell me to do.”
- There’s plenty to like about the Pistons’ quick start, Pistons.com’s Keith Langlois writes, and they should be even better down the road. Langlois notes that newcomers Duncan Robinson and Caris LeVert are still trying to settle into their roles, while guards Jaden Ivey and Marcus Sasser will provide even more firepower when they return from injuries.
Injury Notes: Smith, Harris, Lively, Middleton, Collier
Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. sustained a sprained right ankle in Saturday’s win at Boston and was ruled out for Monday’s game against Dallas, tweets Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle. Tari Eason, who will be a restricted free agent next summer, started in Smith’s place.
Head coach Ime Udoka is optimistic that Smith will return for Wednesday’s game in Memphis, Lerner adds.
Smith, the third overall pick in the 2022 draft, signed a five-year, $122MM rookie scale extension with Houston in July. The new deal kicks in next season.
Here are a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:
- Pistons forward Tobias Harris is also dealing with a right ankle sprain and missed Monday’s contest at Memphis, per Hunter Patterson of The Athletic (Twitter link). Big man Isaiah Stewart got the starting nod at power forward with Harris out, notes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). Harris, 33, is on an expiring $26.6MM contract and will be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.
- Third-year center Dereck Lively II missed his fourth straight game on Monday in Houston. He will have his right knee reevaluated when the Mavericks return to Dallas, head coach Jason Kidd told reporters (Twitter link via Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News). After having his fourth-year option exercised, Lively will be eligible for a rookie scale extension next offseason.
- Veteran forward Khris Middleton missed his first game of the season on Monday against New York, the Wizards announced (Twitter link). Middleton, who was initially listed as questionable before being ruled out, is battling a left elbow contusion. The three-time All-Star is earning $33.3MM this season and will be a free agent in 2026.
- Isaiah Collier is active on Monday for the first time this season after battling a right hamstring strain, tweets Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. However, Jazz head coach Will Hardy suggested prior to the game that he wasn’t sure whether or not the second-year point guard would actually play against the Celtics. The Jazz picked up their third-year option on Collier last week, locking in his $2,763,960 salary for 2026/27.
Central Notes: Toppin, Giddey, Pistons, Bucks
The Pacers will have to defend their Eastern Conference championship without Tyrese Haliburton, who will spend this season rehabbing from Achilles tendon surgery. Big man Obi Toppin still believes the Pacers can be “great” without their star guard.
“Ty brings so much to the team and it’s not hidden, everybody understands what he brings to the game,” Toppin told Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star. “So it’s just something that everybody on the team has to do while we’re out there, just doing a little extra knowing what we’re missing and knowing what we need out there on the court and just continue playing Pacers basketball. We’ve built the system here and I feel like everybody has bought into the system. That’s why we’ve been so successful. If we continue doing that, we’re gonna still be great.”
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- Given Josh Giddey‘s defensive shortcomings, handing him a four-year, $100MM contract was a risky move, according to Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune. While the Bulls got the deal done without egregiously overpaying, they can’t continue to make large commitments to players that can be exploited on the defensive end, Poe contends. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times takes a different approach, stating that Giddey’s contract compares favorably to several of the Eastern Conference starting point guards.
- The Detroit Free Press’ Omari Sankofa II projects a Pistons starting lineup of Jaden Ivey, Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris and Jalen Duren. Sankofa also looks a few other combinations that the coaching staff might want to explore this season.
- Can the Bucks find a reliable point guard? Will Kyle Kuzma have a bounce-back campaign? Those are two of the five questions that could define Milwaukee’s season, according to The Athletic’s Eric Nehm, who takes a closer look at each of those issues.
Pistons Notes: Harris, Offseason, Draft Workouts
Tobias Harris was an unsung hero for the Pistons and their staggering single-season turnaround, writes Keith Langlois for NBA.com. Following an unceremonious departure from the Sixers, Harris’ second stint in Detroit helped unlock things for the young team, both on and off the court.
“His leadership is big-time,” Cade Cunningham said. “It’s not always vocal – most of the time it’s by example… Also, just on the court being able to settle us down, able to get him the ball, and he’s going to go get us points. There’s a lot I could say about Tobias, but I love playing with him. Super happy that he’s here. He’s made a huge impact on me and the group.”
Harris ended up playing the second-most minutes on the team, trailing only Cunningham. He averaged 13.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while shooting 34.5% on three-pointers during the regular season and 15.7 PPG and 7.7 RPG while shooting 43.5% from three during the Pistons’ hard-fought six-game series against the Knicks.
Harris has one year and $26.6MM on his contract. The Pistons could choose to use it in a deal to upgrade their roster long-term, but given how well he fit with the team last year, they should be very content to keep him around in a similar role in 2025/26, says Langlois.
“He is our safety blanket. He’s reliable. He’s dependable,” said head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. “He understands what needs to happen in the moment. He’s an unbelievable human being, an unbelievable teammate. He’s a fierce competitor. You want me to keep going?”
We have more from around Detroit:
- The Pistons’ main focus this offseason should be on retaining or finding a way to replace the contributions of Malik Beasley and Dennis Schröder, writes Spotrac’s Keith Smith in his Pistons offseason preview. This will likely involve Detroit operating over the cap and offering Beasley most of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which will start at a projected $14.1MM. They could then use Schröder’s Early Bird rights to re-sign him to a deal worth around $42MM for three seasons, Smith suggests. While the Pistons have been linked to free agent big men, Smith questions if it would be worth it if the cost is both of those free agents plus Tim Hardaway Jr., and concludes that it’s likely premature for an all-in move.
- Detroit conducted pre-draft workouts with Jacksen Moni (NDSU), Obinna Anochili-Killen (Marshall), Jalon Moore (Oklahoma), and Johnell Davis (Arkansas) on Thursday, according to Detroit Free Press Pistons beat writer Omari Sankofa II (via Twitter). Moni ranks 87th on ESPN’s top-100 board while Moore leads the group, coming in at 66th.
- Sankara previously noted (via Twitter) that Andrew Carr from Kentucky worked out for the team on Tuesday. Carr ranks 100th on ESPN’s board after averaging 10.3 points and 4.7 rebounds as a fifth-year senior.
Stephen Curry Named 2024/25 Teammate Of The Year
Warriors star Stephen Curry has been named the NBA’s Teammate of the Year for the 2024/25 season, the league announced today (via Twitter).
The Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award “recognizes the player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment to his team,” per the NBA.
The award isn’t voted on by media members. A panel of league executives select the 12 finalists (six from each conference) for the award, while current players vote on the winner. Players receive 10 points for a first place vote, seven for second, five for third, three for fourth, and one point for fifth place.
Curry just narrowly won this season’s vote ahead of Rockets center Steven Adams.
Here are this season’s full voting results, according to the NBA, with the player’s point total noted in parentheses:
- Stephen Curry, Warriors (1,257)
- Steven Adams, Rockets (1,237)
- Jalen Brunson, Knicks (925)
- DeAndre Jordan, Nuggets (897)
- Nicolas Batum, Clippers (868)
- Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers (850)
- Al Horford, Celtics (834)
- James Johnson, Pacers (751)
- Jaylin Williams, Thunder (690)
- Brook Lopez, Bucks (657)
- Tobias Harris, Pistons (648)
- Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies (552)
It’s the first Teammate of the Year award for Curry, though it’s the seventh time in a row that a point guard has earned the honor.
The award, which was introduced in ’12/13, had gone to either Mike Conley (2019 and 2024) or Jrue Holiday (2020, 2022, and 2023) in five of the past six seasons, with Damian Lillard claiming it in 2021.
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.
Knicks Notes: Game 3 Adjustments, Toughness, Hart, Brunson
All eyes are on Tom Thibodeau ahead of the Knicks’ Game 3 against the Pistons, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post writes in a subscriber-only story.
New York should theoretically have an advantage as a team that went all-in on its roster last offseason against a less experienced Detroit squad. At the time of writing, the Knicks went on a quick early run to get ahead of Detroit. The series is tied at 1-1 entering Thursday’s game, though the Knicks were a late Mikal Bridges three-point attempt away from tying Game 2.
“If that [Bridges] shot goes in, we’re probably not talking about the other stuff. But that’s playoff basketball,” Thibodeau said. “And then, what do you learn from the game, and how do you reset and get ready for the next one. And I think all that stuff is important. Each game, take what happened in the previous game, study and get ready for the next one.”
As Bondy writes, the Pistons were able to exploit the Knicks with hard screens and box outs in Game 2, and so the onus is on Thibodeau to counter those moves. One suggestion Bondy adds is for Thibodeau to turn to the big pairing of Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson more often. Pistons center Isaiah Stewart is out for Game 3, per The Athletic’s Hunter Patterson (Twitter link), and so going big could help counter Detroit.
We have more from the Knicks:
- The Pistons’ run to the playoffs after being the worst team in the league last year is a testament to their grit and strength, Jared Schwartz of the New York Post opines. So far in their first-round series against the Knicks, they’ve out-muscled New York. Detroit’s Tobias Harris implied that the difference in the two teams’ physicality is a core tenet of the team’s playoff game plan, and the Knicks will need to respond appropriately in Game 3.
- Josh Hart took accountability for part of what went wrong for the Knicks in Game 2, Bondy tweets. Hart said he needed to stop complaining to the refs as often due to it distracting from the game. “It definitely takes you off your game,” Hart said. “I think controlling it that just comes from within, kind of focusing on controlling what you can control. We can’t control what they’re calling. … We can just control how we respond to it. Last game I responded terribly. I have to make sure I fix that, [Towns] fixes that, and move on from it.“
- Star guard Jalen Brunson won the Clutch Player of the Year award on Wednesday after averaging the most clutch points in the league. He spoke on the honor to SNY’s Ian Begley (Twitter link). “It means a lot,” Brunson said. “It’s a credit to us winning close games and my teammates and coaches having my back.”
Pistons Notes: Cunningham, Schröder, Gores, Harris
Cade Cunningham made his first All-Star appearance this season. The Pistons guard wants even greater recognition as his career unfolds, he told Eric Woodyard of ESPN.
“I think I can be the best basketball player in the world. I think I’m on my way,” Cunningham said. “I want people to understand that and that’s what I’m working to show people every time I play.”
Prior to the team’s astonishing turnaround, the No. 1 pick of the 2021 draft heard whispers that he was a bust, even after signing a max extension last summer. He understood the criticism and took it constructively.
“There was a time where I didn’t give them much else to think,” said Cunningham, who has missed the last five games with a calf contusion. “But I felt support since day one being here, though, and more than anything I wanted to hold up my end of the bargain.”
We have more on the Pistons:
- Ron Holland and Marcus Sasser served their one-game suspensions and Isaiah Stewart began his two-game ban in the Pistons’ 119-103 loss to Oklahoma City on Wednesday. The suspensions resulted from an altercation with the Timberwolves on Sunday. That led to a 40-minute outing for veteran point guard Dennis Schröder, who produced 15 points and seven assists. Schröder, a trade-deadline acquisition, has also been increasingly relied upon in crunch time, even when Cunningham plays. “I love watching him play in the fourth quarter,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff told the Detroit Free Press’ Omari Sankofa II. “I love watching him play in those big moments because he finds a way to impact the game.”
- Owner Tom Gores is fighting back on criticism of his players in the aftermath of the dust-up with the Timberwolves. He issued a statement via the team’s PR department (Twitter link) which read, “In recent days, our team has faced scrutiny stemming from moments of intensity on the court. Let me be absolutely clear: We stand behind our players. While I wish the penalty outcome had been different, I write to you with a full heart — with pride in our players, passion for our city, and a clear voice of support for all those who wear the Pistons’ colors. We are bonded through our challenges. Our players compete with passion and teamwork — values that so many of us share. Detroit has always been a city that plays with hustle and pride. The Pistons have never shied away from playing hard and having each other’s backs, and we won’t start now. In Detroit, we rise together. To our players and coaches: Continue to work hard and play hard. We see you. We appreciate you. We support you. Your dedication fuels this franchise, and your courage inspires us all. To our fans: thank you for riding with us through every game, battle, and moment. Your energy fuels our players and makes the Pistons who we are. Together, we will keep building. together, we will keep competing. and together, we will keep proving that Detroit basketball is more than a game — it’s a way of life.”
- Starting forward Tobias Harris left Wednesday’s game in the second half due to right Achilles tendinopathy, according to the team’s PR department (Twitter link). Harris, who scored 10 points in 22 minutes, missed the previous two games with the same issue. Harris has appeared in 70 games, averaging 13.8 points and 6.0 rebounds in the first season of his two-year contract he signed as a free agent.
NBA Announces Finalists For Sportsmanship, Teammate Of The Year Awards
The NBA announced the 2024/25 finalists for a pair of awards on Wednesday, naming the six players who are eligible to win the Sportsmanship Award for this season, as well as the 12 players who are in the running to be named Teammate of the Year.
The Sportsmanship Award honors the player who “best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court,” per the NBA. Each of the league’s 30 teams nominated one of its players for the award, then a panel of league executives narrows that group to six finalists (one from each division) and current players voted for the winner.
The trophy for the Sportsmanship Award is named after Joe Dumars, the Hall-of-Fame guard who won the inaugural award back in ’95/96. This season’s finalists are as follows (via Twitter):
Jarrett Allen (Cavaliers)- Dorian Finney-Smith (Lakers)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
- Jrue Holiday (Celtics)
- Kyrie Irving (Mavericks)
- Franz Wagner (Magic)
Holiday is the only one of this year’s finalists for the Sportsmanship Award who has earned the honor in the past — he won it in 2021. Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey won the award last season.
Meanwhile, the NBA also announced its finalists for the Teammate of the Year award for 2024/25. According to the league, the player selected for the honor is “deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to team.”
The voting process is similar to the Sportsmanship Award — a panel of league executives selects 12 finalists (six from each conference) for the award, then current players vote on the winner.
Holiday is a three-time Teammate of the Year, while Timberwolves guard Mike Conley has also won the award twice, including in 2024. However, neither of those veterans is a finalist this season.
The Teammate of the Year finalists are as follows (via Twitter):
- Steven Adams (Rockets)
- Nicolas Batum (Clippers)
- Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
- Stephen Curry (Warriors)
- Tobias Harris (Pistons)
- Al Horford (Celtics)
- Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies)
- James Johnson (Pacers)
- DeAndre Jordan (Nuggets)
- Brook Lopez (Bucks)
- Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers)
- Jaylin Williams (Thunder)