Two preseason games in, the Detroit Pistons have already gotten a useful read on a few players who could matter this season.
Detroit split its first two tuneups, knocking off the Phoenix Suns at home before falling to the Washington Wizards on the road. Along the way, the Pistons flashed some of the little things that make preseason worth watching: a few unexpected scuffles, some second-half pushback, and a handful of players making their case early.
With the Pistons heading into their third preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road, three names have stood out above the rest.
Ebuka Okorie has wasted no time making an impression. The No. 17 overall pick and former Stanford Cardinal guard followed up a seven-point debut, capped by the game-winning bucket against the Suns, with another strong outing in Saturday night’s loss to Washington. He finished with 14 points on 6-of-15 shooting, another sign that he’s carrying real momentum into the 2026-27 season.
Paul Reed has been just as steady. The Pistons forward has reached double figures in both preseason games, and against the Wizards he put up 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting while adding seven rebounds.
Reed’s game has always been about physicality and toughness, and those traits should keep him in the mix as Detroit tries to stay among the East’s best. Last season, he averaged 7.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game.
He also made his presence felt in the postseason, especially in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Then there’s Ron Holland II, another holdover from last season who seems ready to take another step. Holland led Detroit in scoring in the preseason opener against Phoenix with 14 points, then followed that with eight points against Washington on 3-of-7 shooting. The No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft is coming off a 2025-26 season in which he averaged 8.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game.
For a team that earned the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference last season, early preseason signs like these matter. And for Okorie, Reed, and Holland, the first two games have already offered a strong opening statement.
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Early preseason games have already hinted at a different offensive feel, with the Pistons launching noticeably more shots from beyond the arc than they did a year ago. The bigger question now is whether that approach sticks once the games count, because a steadier diet of threes could be the simplest way to improve spacing and make Detroits offense less cramped for the players who have to create inside the arc. [Read more 🡒]