With Jalen Duren sidelined by a hamstring injury that could keep him out for several more weeks, Paul Reed has stepped into a bigger role for the Pistons and made the most of it.
Reed hasn’t just filled minutes. He’s given Detroit a different look, one that shows up on the offensive end in a way Duren simply can’t match right now. Through Duren’s absence, Reed has averaged 14 points, seven rebounds and two assists per game, and the biggest difference is his range.
Reed can step away from the basket and still be a threat. He can stretch all the way out to the 3-point line, and before the recent win over the Nets, he had not missed from deep this season.
Even after going 0-2 against Brooklyn, he’s still shooting over 70 percent from 3-point range on the year on nearly two attempts per game. That number isn’t going to hold all season, but it’s a real weapon for Reed and one Duren doesn’t have yet.
Duren, at this stage, still does most of his damage with power. Once he gets to the rim, it usually ends with a dunk.
But when opponents crowd the lane and get into his chest, he doesn’t have much else to lean on. Reed, by contrast, is craftier around the basket and does a better job using his body - and the rim itself - to finish even when he’s tightly covered.
That doesn’t mean Reed makes Duren expendable. It means the Pistons are missing different things with Duren out.
THE PISTONS NEED JALEN DUREN.
That’s especially true on offense, where Detroit has struggled to score in the half court and could use Duren in the pick-and-roll. Reed’s play doesn’t change that reality.
What Duren does provide is easy offense and rebounding. He gives the Pistons at least 2-3 easy buckets per game, and the Cade Cunningham-to-Duren lob has been one of their most effective plays at times. He’s also a high-percentage scorer, and Detroit has felt the loss of those simple finishes.
The boards are part of it too. Detroit sits in the bottom half of the league in both offensive rebounds allowed and possessions, and Duren’s absence has made the second-chance problem worse.
When both centers are healthy, the Pistons have one of the best center duos in the league because each brings something different. Reed has added offensive versatility.
Duren brings the easy baskets and the rebounding. Detroit needs both to get the most out of the position.
In Other News...
Pistons Fans May Be Overstating The Jaden Ivey Trade Regret
The Jaden Ivey trade has become one of those moves that gets revisited every time the Pistons look like they might have given up on a young guard too soon. But the full picture is a little less dramatic than the regret narrative suggests. Detroit did not walk away empty-handed, getting Kevin Huerter as a rotation piece and a pick swap that later helped the team land rookie Ebuka Okorie.
Iveys own path since the deal has not exactly made the second-guessing easier, either, with injuries and uneven play complicating the conversation around his value. Still, when the pieces are laid out together, the trade looks more like a measured roster move than a front-office blunder, and it may have helped Detroit more than the other teams involved. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Trade Watch Is Starting To Focus On A Two-Way Fit
As the trade deadline gets closer, the Pistons are being mentioned more often as a team that could look for a modest upgrade rather than a splashy swing. One name that fits that approach is Derrick Jones Jr., whose combination of three-point shooting and defensive versatility would give Detroit another useful wing option without forcing a major roster overhaul. His current contract also makes the fit easier to imagine, especially for a front office that has kept one eye on flexibility while leaning heavily on internal development.
Detroits recent roster moves have pointed in that same direction, with the organization showing a preference for patience and incremental improvement over a dramatic deadline reset. Jones stands out because he checks more than one box for a team trying to sharpen its rotation, and his salary could be workable through a trade exception if the Pistons decide to pursue him. The bigger question is whether Detroit wants to use one of its limited chances to add a proven two-way piece now, or keep waiting for the young core to take the next step on its own. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons' 5-1 Start Is Hiding A Problem That Could Catch Up
The Pistons have opened 5-1 and built their early success on defense, where theyve posted the NBAs best defensive rating through six games. That kind of start matters in Detroit, especially for a team trying to establish a new baseline, but the numbers also show a club leaning hard on one side of the ball while the other still searches for rhythm.
Offensively, the Pistons have been stuck in the middle of the pack at 17th in offensive rating, a reminder that the early surge has not come with much margin for error. Injuries have played a role, with Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren both missing time, and the slower pace has only made it harder for the attack to find consistency. [Read more 🡒]