Chaz Lanier is forcing the Pistons to take a harder look at their shooting guard rotation.
Detroit already has bodies at that spot, but Lanier’s recent run in Las Vegas has given him a real case for more of a role. Over his last two Summer League games, he’s looked like the player the Pistons drafted in 2025: a quick-trigger perimeter shooter who can change a possession the moment he catches the ball. The scoring has been loud, too - 25 points in one game and 24 in the next, with at least seven made threes in both outings.
That kind of burst matters because Lanier’s rookie year barely gave him a foothold. The second-round pick appeared in just 34 regular-season games and averaged 2.4 points.
At 23 when he entered the league, he doesn’t have the luxury of waiting around forever for his next chance. If he wants to stay in Detroit’s plans, this summer is a big part of that fight.
What he’s putting on tape is simple, but valuable: he can shoot it. Lanier isn’t being asked to run an offense or create for everyone else.
He’s being asked to prove that his jumper is good enough to earn minutes, and right now he’s making that argument with force. His release is fast, he’s getting shots up before defenses can settle, and he’s piling up attempts at a pace that stands out even in summer league.
The other side of the equation is still there, though. Lanier’s defense was one of the reasons he had trouble getting on the floor last season, and that remains the hurdle he has to clear with head coach JB Bickerstaff. He’ll need to show enough improvement on that end to be trusted against NBA competition.
Detroit has already spent the offseason trying to add more shooting. John Collins and Isaiah Joe were the biggest additions in that area, and both shot better than 40% from three last season. Even so, the Pistons are still a team that could use every bit of spacing it can get, especially with Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren likely in the starting lineup as non-shooters.
That’s why Lanier’s summer league stretch has a chance to matter beyond the box score. It’s not just the makes - it’s the volume, the confidence, the willingness to let it fly. If he can keep that up and make enough progress defensively, he may have a path to more minutes next season.
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There also does not appear to be much outside pressure forcing a resolution. With cap space drying up around the league and Detroit turning away sign-and-trade ideas, the Pistons have leaned on their own message that they still want Duren in the fold, even sending Dwane Casey out publicly to reinforce that point. If the impasse drags on, Duren is left weighing a qualifying offer that would come with real financial risk and little long-term security. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Still Havent Fixed The One Problem Haunting Cade Cunningham
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Jalen Durens contract situation adds another layer to the uncertainty. Detroit is working through extension talks with the young center, and the gap between what he wants and what the Pistons are comfortable committing has only sharpened the stakes after his playoff performance left questions in the air. For a team trying to build a cleaner path around Cunningham, the unresolved frontcourt business may end up mattering just as much as the scoring void. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Just Got Dragged Back Into The NBA Tanking Debate
For years, the Bulls previous front office treated Detroit as the warning label in any conversation about tanking. Rather than tear it down and chase draft position, Chicago kept trying to stay competitive through a string of disappointing seasons, and the Pistons prolonged rebuild was often held up as the reason to avoid a full reset.
Now the argument looks different around the league, because the old fear of becoming Detroit has been replaced by a much more complicated question about whether staying in the middle is any better. Chicagos new leadership under Bryson Graham and Tiago Splitter is leaning into a younger core, including Caleb Wilson, while the Pistons own turnaround has only made the debate louder for teams trying to decide whether patience, pain, or a harder pivot is the smarter path. [Read more 🡒]