The Pistons may not have landed the kind of headline-grabbing summer move that changes the whole conversation, but they do look built to have a crowded bench and a lot of bodies fighting for the same floor time.
Detroit still hasn’t re-signed Jalen Duren, and Trajan Langdon’s work this offseason is still up for debate when it comes to giving Cade Cunningham a true second star. What isn’t really up for debate is that the Pistons added shooting, and that should help a half-court offense that has been shaky.
The bigger issue, at least early on, is simple: there are more players who want minutes than minutes to hand out.
If the roster were being mapped out today, the obvious names would start with Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren pending, John Collins, Duncan Robinson, Paul Reed and Isaiah Joe. Right behind that group sit Ron Holland II and Daniss Jenkins, who look set to be part of the full-time rotation.
Then come Javonte Green and Taurean Prince, both of whom are expected to have some kind of role. Green’s durability stands out too, since he played in all 82 games last season and is likely to be in the mix again.
That gets Detroit to 11 players with a real case for rotation minutes, and that’s before you even get to the rest of the roster. JB Bickerstaff is expected to lean on a big rotation, so this isn’t a locked-in pecking order by any means. Injuries will also force the issue at some point.
Still, there are several players who could spend stretches on the outside looking in.
Kevin Huerter feels like the most likely of that next group to force his way in. He’s set to make $9 million next season, and Bickerstaff will almost certainly look for ways to use him. Huerter can shoot his way into the lineup, and he also brings secondary ball handling and rebounding, two things Detroit needs.
Rookie Ebuka Okorie is in a different fight, going head-to-head with Jenkins for minutes or possibly trying to carve out a smaller role as a deep reserve. He’s an intriguing player, but the Pistons don’t have many developmental minutes to hand out. He’ll need to make himself hard to ignore, and that’s a tough ask for a rookie who still needs to add strength.
Gary Harris, Chaz Lanier and Tolu Smith are the other names likely to be squeezed the most. Lanier shot the ball well in Summer League, but he’s got plenty of players ahead of him. Smith saw some action last season and could again pick up spot minutes behind Duren and Reed.
For Detroit, it’s the kind of problem teams want. The depth should help them absorb injuries and keep players fresh. The challenge for Bickerstaff is going to be keeping all those minutes straight without leaving too many guys unhappy.
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Mathurin still has traits that make him intriguing on paper, yet the concerns around his defensive focus and his uneven scoring profile have lingered for teams trying to build something more stable. With the market for him thinning and clubs like the Bulls and Pelicans also looking elsewhere, the Pistons seem to have settled on a different path as they sort through the next layer of their offseason options. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Flexibility Means Nothing If Their Cheap Depth Fails
The Pistons cap sheet gives them room to maneuver, but the real test of this roster is going to come from the players who are not making star money. Behind Cade Cunningham, Detroit is leaning on a cluster of low-cost contributors, and that group includes Javonte Green, Taurean Prince, Gary Harris, Kevin Huerter, Ron Holland II, Daniss Jenkins, Ebuka Okorie and Paul Reed. If that mix holds up, the front office can keep its flexibility and still field a useful bench.
Kevin Huerter and Ron Holland II are among the more interesting pressure points, since both need to justify their place in the rotation in very different ways. The same goes for Jenkins and Okorie, who are being counted on to help cover the point guard minutes, while Harris status remains worth watching after a tough time getting on the floor in Milwaukee. Detroit can keep the books clean all it wants, but if these bargain pieces do not produce, the flexibility will not mean much. [Read more 🡒]