Isaiah Joe hasn’t looked like himself through the first two preseason games, and that’s exactly the problem.
The Detroit Pistons brought him in to do one thing first and foremost: space the floor and punish defenses from deep. Instead, Joe has spent too much of the early preseason trying to expand his game, and the results have been rough. He’s made just one of 13 shots from long range and has already committed four turnovers, both numbers that stand out because they are so unlike the player he’s been.
That doesn’t mean the Pistons suddenly have a new issue with Joe’s shooting. His track record is the reason he was brought in, and it remains intact.
What’s happening now looks more like a player trying to make an impression in a new setting and reaching a little outside his lane. Joe has been putting the ball on the floor more than usual and attempting to attack off the dribble, even though that isn’t where he thrives.
Detroit’s need for more creation doesn’t change the assignment here. The Pistons traded for Isaiah Joe to stretch the floor, not to become a playmaker. When the ball finds him, the cleanest possession is usually either an immediate shot or a quick swing to keep the offense moving, and that hasn’t been happening enough so far.
One sequence late in the first quarter summed it up. Joe received the ball on an inbounds play that was clearly designed to free him for a 3-pointer.
The shot was there. He passed it up, tried to drive instead, ran into a crowd of defenders, and Ebuka Okorie had to rescue the possession with a difficult shot.
It was a case of Joe making a simple play complicated.
That kind of decision has been a theme. Joe has been described as a “0-2 dribble player,” and anything more than that starts to get messy. Former Pistons sharpshooter Malik Beasley came to mind in that same context, because once he started putting the ball on the floor, things got shaky fast.
The numbers from last season support the idea that Joe is best kept in his comfort zone. Five of his seven field-goal attempts per game were catch-and-shoot 3-pointers, and that’s the version Detroit needs right now. So far in preseason, he’s been getting tied up on the perimeter, including one possession where Anthony Davis locked him up, and the turnovers have piled up more than the Pistons would want.
This is still preseason, and players often use this stretch to test new parts of their game. Great shooters have stumbled early with new teams before, and Duncan Robinson’s preseason last year is a reminder of that.
Joe should settle back into what he does best soon enough: catch it, fire it, and move on to the next play. Right now, though, he’s doing too much.
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Cade Cunninghams Absence Is Giving The Pistons A Real Test
Cade Cunninghams preseason rest against Washington gave the Pistons a useful look at life without their top engine, and it put some of the rosters younger pieces under the spotlight. Detroit has been using these exhibition stretches to sort through lineups and see which combinations can hold up when the offense isnt running through its best player, a worthwhile exercise even in a loss.
Daniss Jenkins stepped into a bigger role, while rookie Ebuka Okorie also got another chance to make his case after his strong preseason opener against Phoenix. For a team that wants more flexibility and a deeper supporting cast once the games count, these minutes matter, because the Pistons need more than Cunninghams brilliance to carry them through the regular season. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Just Got An Early Warning About Life Without Cade
Cade Cunningham sat out Detroits second preseason game, and the result offered an early glimpse of how thin the margin can get when the offense has to function without its engine. The Pistons had trouble generating clean looks, the ball stuck at times, and the overall execution on that end never found much rhythm as the group struggled to score efficiently.
There were a couple of encouraging notes in the backcourt, though, with Daniss Jenkins and rookie Ebuka Okorie each showing some feel for organizing the offense. Even so, Detroits poor shooting and turnover issues underscored how much work remains if the team wants to survive Cunningham absences in the regular season and keep his workload manageable. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons May Not Be Done After Locking In Cade Cunninghams Core
The Pistons have already checked off two major items from their long-term to-do list, signing Ausar Thompson to a five-year extension and reaching a five-year, $200 million fully guaranteed deal with Jalen Duren after a restricted free agency standoff. For a franchise that has spent years trying to stabilize its young core around Cade Cunningham, locking in Thompson and Duren gives Detroit a clearer identity and a deeper foundation than it had going into the offseason.
Even so, the roster picture does not feel finished. Detroit has been mentioned in speculation tied to a possible wing upgrade, and the teams front office has made it clear enough in recent years that it will keep looking for ways to speed up the rebuild. Whether that means standing pat with the group it has or finding another move to balance the rotation, the Pistons still have a few decisions to make before the roster feels fully set. [Read more 🡒]