Ebuka Okorie didn’t take long to make a case for himself in Detroit.
The rookie saw his first Pistons action in the opening preseason game, checking in with about 10 minutes left and replacing Chaz Lanier. If that was a preview of how the two will be used, it may also have been a hint that Okorie has already climbed past Lanier on the depth chart after just 10 minutes in the league.
Okorie’s first stint had enough pop to stand out. He buried a 3-pointer right away, attacked the rim for a couple of baskets, and even created a score for a teammate with a pass that led to a dunk. For a player trying to carve out a role, that’s the kind of burst that gets attention fast.
That said, one preseason game doesn’t suddenly change the outlook. Okorie still looks like a longshot to crack the rotation this season, even after showing some real juice on offense. But if he is going to force his way into the picture, this is the path: quick scoring, self-created offense, and the ability to get his own shot off the bounce.
That skill set matters on this roster. Daniss Jenkins, who didn’t shoot the ball well in the game, still finished with four assists and looked comfortable steering the offense, so Okorie has work to do if he wants to move up the pecking order there.
Still, there’s a case for Okorie to earn third-guard minutes, especially on a team that appears to have more guards than it needs.
He and Lanier don’t play the same position, so they aren’t directly battling in the traditional sense. But in practical terms, they’re both fighting for the same kind of deep-bench role - the type of spot that only shows up in blowouts or when foul trouble forces the issue.
If a decision has to be made, Okorie has already shown more than Lanier. Lanier is described as a one-dimensional shooter who does literally nothing else, and most of the time he’s on the floor, he’s invisible. Okorie, by contrast, showed a way to matter: slicing through defenders, getting to the basket, and using his long arms to split defenses in a way that drew a Rajon Rondo comparison.
With Isaiah Joe and Taurean Prince now added, Detroit has enough shooting on hand. That makes Okorie’s ability to create and break down a defense more valuable than Lanier’s spot-up game at this stage.
And given the Pistons’ lack of ball handling and creation, there is a path for Okorie to get minutes at some point this season if he keeps bringing the kind of spark he flashed in his preseason debut.
In Other News...
Isaiah Stewarts Rough Memphis Start Says A Lot About Detroits Decision
Isaiah Stewarts move from Detroit to Memphis was supposed to be a fresh start, a chance to see how his rugged game would translate in a new setting after the offseason trade. Instead, his first few minutes with the Grizzlies brought a familiar worry back into focus. Stewart has long played with the kind of physical edge that makes him valuable, but also the kind of style that invites questions about how long it can last when the games get heavier and the calendar gets longer.
The early setback in Memphis only sharpens the reason the Pistons were willing to move on. Detroit had concerns about whether Stewarts approach could survive the grind of a deep postseason push, and the new chapter opened with another reminder that durability is part of the evaluation. For a player whose edge has always been tied to his strength and activity, the bigger question now is whether that same identity can stay on the floor when it matters most. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Trade That Felt Empty Suddenly Has Something To Prove
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One of the names worth tracking is Ebuka Okorie, a pick-swap selection who has flashed promise in preseason and given the front office at least a reason to keep watching. Kevin Huerter is also in the mix after getting through offseason surgery and looking ready to help as a versatile bench option, giving the Pistons a healthier, more experienced piece to lean on as they try to squeeze something tangible out of a trade that has not yet paid off in the obvious way. [Read more 🡒]
John Collins Already Brought An Edge Pistons Fans Will Notice
The Pistons got a pretty clear look at John Collins edge early in the preseason opener against Phoenix, when he and Dillon Brooks got tangled up in a physical exchange that set the tone for a chippy night. Brooks was assessed a technical foul and Collins was hit with a flagrant 1, the kind of sequence that immediately catches attention in October even if it wont mean anything once the games start counting for real.
Brooks later disputed the technical, while Collins made it clear he is ready for the kind of physical battles that come with an NBA season. For Detroit, that matters as much as the call itself. The Pistons are still sorting out how much toughness and bite they can consistently bring, and Collins already showed he is not going to shy away from that side of the game. [Read more 🡒]