The Detroit Pistons may have already shown who they are, but that hasn’t stopped them from looking for another gear.
After finally getting a taste of the postseason last year, Detroit heads into the new season hoping to push deeper. The problem is clear enough: the offense can still go missing, and the biggest pressure point is shooting. That’s especially true for a team that leans so heavily on its defense to keep games under control.
Even when the jumper isn’t falling, the Pistons have found ways to win. As SI’s Aidan Chacon put it, “Most notably, the Pistons are even snagging wins when they shoot poorly from beyond the arc.
In an era of basketball where consistency from three-point range is preached as paramount, the Detroit Pistons are winning in their own way. Their tough defense and efficiency inside the paint has defined their identity this season,”
Still, the Eastern Conference is only getting tougher, and Detroit knows it needs more reliable offense if it wants to keep climbing. That’s why Kyrie Irving has emerged as a name to watch. ESPN’s Vince Goodwill reported that the Pistons have interest in the Dallas guard, writing, “And if Detroit has the stomach to go after it this year, they could go after someone like Kyrie Irving in Dallas -- several staffers are fond of Irving's game, shot creation and malleability next to ball-dominant stars like James and Luka Doncic,”
A move like that may not be as far-fetched as it sounds. NBA insider Marc Spears said that if Irving were to ask out, it could be handled without drama.
“Masai also has a really good relationship as you mentioned with Kyrie Irving. I think it's the kind of relationship where if Kyrie says, hey, Masai, like, this isn't for me, I think they could work together to get something done.
I don't think would be something ugly. I think there would be interest in Kyrie if he's as healthy as he looks,” Spears said.
Detroit spent the summer chasing several major names and came up empty, but that doesn’t mean the front office is done swinging. If the right opportunity shows up, the Pistons could be ready to make another run at a difference-maker.
In Other News...
Pistons Fans Have 3 Young Names Worth Watching Tonight
The Pistons win over Phoenix was the kind that leaves a long runway of optimism for a young roster. Detroit trailed at halftime, then flipped the game with a 34-16 third quarter and finished with five players in double figures in a 107-105 victory, a reminder that the group can survive rough stretches when the energy and ball movement are there. For a team still sorting out its identity, that matters just as much as the final score.
Ron Holland stood out as the leading scorer in that game, while rookie Ebuka Okorie announced himself in his first NBA action with an immediate impact. Isaiah Joes shooting line against the Suns was far from clean, but the larger point is that these are the kinds of early-season swings young teams live with, and the next test against the Wizards offers another chance to see which names keep rising. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Face Early Roster Questions As Ron Holland Tries To Answer One
Ron Holland II is getting one of the first real chances this preseason to show where he fits for the Pistons, and the second exhibition against the Wizards offers another early look at how Detroits young group is coming together. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff has already hinted at a deeper rotation in this one, which should give the roster more room to sort itself out after the opener and give Holland a stage to build on the expectations around his development.
There are a few other spots worth watching as the Pistons keep evaluating their options. Jalen Duren is expected to be available, and his presence would add another important layer to the frontcourt mix as Detroit tries to settle into a preseason rhythm. In the backcourt, the competition for the reserve minutes has also started to take shape, with Saben Lee and rookie Ebuka Okorie both trying to make their case while the Pistons continue sorting through early lineup decisions. [Read more 🡒]
Cade Cunningham Faces A Pistons Problem That Could Limit Everything
Cade Cunningham enters the season carrying a familiar kind of burden for a young franchise cornerstone: the hope that he can lift the offense almost by himself while Detroit waits for the rest of the roster to catch up. The Pistons have not made a major move to land a true co-star for him this offseason, and for now the next wave of help still depends on internal growth from Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson.
That leaves Cunningham in a tough spot, because the more the attack runs through him, the more every mistake and every exhausting stretch matters. His turnovers and late-game fatigue could become bigger issues if he keeps shouldering nearly every offensive possession, which is the kind of load that has made other star guards vulnerable when the supporting cast never quite arrives. [Read more 🡒]