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[Detroit Pistons]

Report: Caris LeVert to sign with the Detroit Pistons

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LeVert’s two-year deal will absorb all of the mid-level exception

The Detroit Pistons made what is expected to be their biggest offseason acquisition, using the full mid-level exception to sign wing Caris LeVert to a two-year, $29 million deal. The news was first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN.

LeVert is basically this year’s version of the Tobias Harris addition last offseason—a completely whelming move. LeVert, like Harris, is a veteran with nearly a decade in the league who obviously helps in several respects on the floor. He does a lot of things well, but he doesn’t really have anything that makes him special.

If you’re looking at what the Pistons’ glaring deficiencies were, the first things that come to mind were a lack of beef at power forward, some two-way ability among their bench players, and dedicated 3-point shooting. I’m not sure LeVert really addresses any of those things.

LeVert split last year between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks, averaging 12.1 points, 3.4 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 turnovers. He shot 37% from deep on 4.4 attempts per game last season.

The positive take on LeVert is that the dude can still score at several levels and in several ways on the floor. Last season, he had a career-high 58% true shooting percentage. Nearly 30% of his shots were at the rim and 47% of his shots from deep. He also shot better than 40% from the mid-range area.

He has legitimate size that should allow him to play small forward and enough scoring chops to be the “adult in the room” within largely bench lineups. That should help the Pistons’ offense stay afloat while the team has players like Ron Holland and Ausar Thompson on the floor.

The signing is certainly not sexy. I’m not particularly enthused it will work at a high level. But he’s a scorer, a reliable veteran on a young team, and perhaps most importantly, he’s on a reasonable, short-term deal.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025/6/30/24459335/detroit-pistons-free-agency-caris-levert

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Detroit Pistons announce Summer League roster

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Ron Holland will get some run in Las Vegas

The Detroit Pistons were one of the last teams to finalize a Summer League team, but it has finally been released. The Summer League is a good opportunity to see young, developing prospects competing against each other, but it is important not to put too much stock into these games. Great players have struggled in the Summer League, while our Pistons have had numerous Summer League stars who did not find the same success in the regular season. This is more of an opportunity to see where these players are in their development and experiment with what roles they could play at the next level.

Below is the confirmed Summer League Roster for the Detroit Pistons:

• Ron Holland, SG/SF, Detroit Pistons
• Chaz Lanier, SG, Tennessee
• Bobi Klintman, PF, Detroit Pistons
• Daniss Jenkins, PG, Detroit Pistons 2-way
• Tolu Smith, PF/C, Detroit Pistons 2-way
• Zakai Zeigler, PG, Tennessee
• Brice Williams, SF, Nebraska
• Dawson Garcia, PF, Minnesota
• Trevor Keels, SG/SF, Duke
• Miller Kopp, SF, Houston
• John Ukomadu, SF, Eastern Kentucky
• Sincere Carry, PG, Kent State
• T.J. Bickerstaff, F, James Madison
• Garrison Brooks, C, Mississippi State
• TJ Madlock, PG/SG, Alabama State

Ron Holland will look to star in the Summer League again, where he played well last year. The athletic wing has no issues getting to the rim, but this will be a chance to see the development of his shooting, which would make his scoring arsenal much more dangerous. After having a limited offensive role as a rookie in Detroit, this will be an opportunity for Holland to show out as the main scoring option, similar to the way he was able to play with the G League Ignite.

This will be a great opportunity to see Chaz Lanier, who I would expect to be one of the top Summer League scorers as a high-level college scorer and an older, more developed player. His lethal three-point shooter could prove immediately valuable for the Pistons, who now have a need to fill the void left by Malik Beasley, with that situation still up in the air and no timeline for a resolution. The Tennessee guard averaged 18 points per game while shooting 39.5% from three on 8.2 attempts per game and was one of the best shooters in this year’s NBA Draft.

Bobi Klintman did not get a lot of run with the Pistons during his rookie season, but the forward impressed in his time with the G-League team, averaging 12.2 points, 7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists, but has struggled with his shooting consistency. Klintman was a productive and versatile player in the NBL and previously at Wake Forest, who flashes two-way upside. I would expect him to play an extensive role in the Summer League as they probably want to get a good look at how his game is developing.

Daniss Jenkins was an impressive performer in the Summer League last year after going undrafted out of St. John’s. He earned a two-way deal with Detroit and spent most of his time with the Motor City Cruise, where he was one of the best players in the league. Jenkins averaged 21.2 points, 6.8 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 44/33/78. Jenkins is a competitive player who will raise the floor of the Pistons Summer League squad and give them someone who can keep the ball moving and facilitate the offense.

Tolu Smith is another of the current players that the Detroit Pistons have signed to a two-way contract. Last season in the G-League, Smith dominated the competition, averaging 17.9 points, 13.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 66.4% from the floor. Smith is a great athlete who can play above the rim as a lob threat. He is also very effective when driving to the rim, where his athleticism and footwork make it difficult for him to stop. Detroit would probably like to see improved rim protection from Tolu Smith, as well as perhaps some shooting development.

Zakai Zeigler is an underrated player, in my opinion. Everyone has a role, and for someone like Zeigler, I think that he could have an immediate spot on the Pistons G-League team for similar reasons to why they likely sought after him for Summer League, aside from his connection with Chaz Lanier. Zeigler may be an undersized guard with limited three-point shooting, but he is an intelligent guard, a good ball handler, and an effective passer who does well limiting turnovers. When evaluating and developing players in a game environment, giving those players an effective facilitator can be a significant floor-raiser.

Brice Williams is a 6-foot-7 wing who can really score the basketball and was a player who I thought had a chance to be drafted and would be a priority UDFA if not, so this is a nice addition for the Pistons to get a close look at Williams. This season at Nebraska, Williams averaged 20.4 points per game on 47/37/88 shooting splits. A scoring wing/forward like Williams might be in consideration for a spot on the G-League team or potentially even a training camp invite.

Dawson Garcia is another interesting prospect who I had ranked within the top 100 at #96, just 5 spots below where I had Williams. Garcia is a skilled offensive big man and could be another G-League or training camp invite candidate. This season at Minnesota, the 6-foot-11 big man averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2 assists, and shot an impressive 37.3% from three on 4.2 attempts per game. While his offensive game is advanced, he lags behind on the defensive end and may have difficulties on that end of the floor.

Former one-and-done prospect from Duke, Trevor Keels, has struggled to catch on in the league after being a 2nd round pick. He has a solid freshman season at Dule, averaging 11.5 points per game, but shooting only 31.2% from three and 67% from the free-throw line caused doubts about his ability to develop as a shooter at the next level. Keels played very well in the G-League this season, averaging 20.9 points while shooting 43.8% from the floor, 38.5% from three on 8 attempts per game, and 76.1% from the free-throw line. Still only 21, Keels is worth taking a look at.

Miller Kopp is a 26-year-old forward who played college basketball with Indiana, where he averaged 8.1 points per game as a senior. More recently, he has played for the Thunder’s G-League affiliate, where he averaged 12.7 points per game while shooting 44% from the floor, 41.3% from three on 7.2 attempts per game, and 73.9% from the free-throw line. Kopp will provide good shooting depth for the SL team if nothing else.

Ukomadu played for the Motor City Cruise this past season, where in 23.2 minutes per game, he averaged 9.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 0.9 steals, and 0.9 blocks, and shot a 52% from the floor, 46.6% from three on 3.6 attempts per game, and 55.6% from the free-throw line. His defensive impact and shooting are both intriguing. Though the free-throw shooting and previous three-point shooting Ukomadu’s success beyond the arc this season is likely unsustainable.

Sincere Carry is a point guard from Kent State who averaged 17.5 points and 4.8 assists in his senior season. He has since played in the German Pro A league, where in 2024-25, he averaged 16.1 points per game to go with 4.6 assists and 1.2 steals. Shooting only 29.7% from three in the German league and as a career college three-point shooter of 32.8%, his lack of shooting development has limited him. However, as an experienced pro player, he could provide valuable depth for the team.

T.J. Bickerstaff is the nephew of Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. The six-foot-nine forward averaged 13.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 61.9% from the floor and 62% from the free-throw line during his senior season with James Madison. Bickerstaff played for the Kings Summer League team last season and looks to provide some depth for Detroit’s team this summer.

Garrison Brooks has played for Mississippi State and the G-League but has most recently been playing internationally for the BC Wolves, which are competing in the EuroCup. In 20.3 minutes per game this season, Brooks has averaged 7.1 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 62.8% from the floor. The experienced six-foot-ten big man should provide valuable front-court depth for the team.

TJ Madlock was a combo guard at Alabama State who, despite being 6-foot-3, plays much bigger than that and makes an impact as a rebounder, averaging 7.1 per game, which is a very impressive mark for a guard. While Madlock is a capable scorer, averaging double figures in all of his collegiate seasons, he struggles beyond the arc and is a career 26.4 three-point shooter. Madlock should provide good depth as a versatile player for the SL team as an impactful defender, rebounder, and passer.

Note: 2-way player Ron Harper Jr. is not listed as being on the Summer League roster.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025/7/7/24463310/detroit-pistons-summer-league-roster-announced

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Dennis Schroder deal official, Pistons get trade exception and second-round pick

Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Pistons can use trade exception to add players in a future trade

In the end, the transaction was just about as boring as possible. Dennis Schröder has finally been dealt to the Sacramento Kings in a sign-and-trade deal that nets the Detroit Pistons a $14.2 million trade exception and a 2026 second-round pick. The Pistons will also be sending Sacramento a “least favorable” 2029 second-round pick in the deal.

That means this didn’t turn into a three- or four-team trade. It didn’t net the Pistons a power forward of the future or an impact guard of the present like Malik Monk, which had been a rumor since Schöder first agreed in principle to sign a three-year, $45 million deal with the Kings.

The Pistons will have one calendar year to use the $14.2 million trade exception, and it cannot be aggregated with other salaries as part of a deal. However, it can be used on multiple players as long as their salaries do not exceed $14.2 million.

There is little likelihood the Pistons already have a deal lined up to use the trade exception, and there is a better-than-decent chance they never use it at all. These kinds of deals are made all the time, and the exception expires with no fanfare.

Earlier Monday, they signed second-round pick Chaz Lanier to an NBA contract to be a member of the 15-man team. They will also add Duncan Robinson as part of a trade for Simone Fontecchio and Caris LeVert via the mid-level exception.

The Pistons could still be looking to fill some minor holes in the rotation in the lead-up to training camp. They have 13 players under contract. Former Piston Malik Beasley’s future is very much up in the air after it was announced he was under federal investigation tied to NBA betting.

Seemingly, any deal Beasley signs while navigating significant legal and financial troubles would be for the veteran minimum. That could conceivably be Detroit if the Pistons feel like he could contribute this season. The Pistons could also bring back Lindy Waters, whom they acquired last season from the Golden State Warriors.

Positionally, the Pistons have the most significant depth issues at backup point guard and backup power forward.

At point guard, it looks like they will take a committee approach from non-traditional point guards. That could include Jaden Ivey, LeVert, Ausar Thompson, and Marcus Sasser. At power forward, they have depth, but not the kind of depth you can trust offensively.

Thompson can slide to power forward, and second-year player Ron Holland can play power forward, but neither is a reliable scorer, and neither is as bulked up as you would want for a reserve big man. There is also last year’s second-round pick, Bobi Klintman.

Finally, though, Schröder is gone, and we know the return. Time to move on to the next thing.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...ons-get-trade-exception-and-second-round-pick

 

[Detroit Pistons]

We know Dennis Schroder is leaving, we are still waiting to learn how

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No deal is official, and the type of deal would impact what the Pistons are able to pull off to fill out the rest of its roster

Two weeks ago, Dennis Schroder was spotlighted as the top priority in free agency for the Sacramento Kings. One week ago, shortly after free agency began, news broke that Schroder was leaving the Detroit Pistons for the Sacramento Kings.

In the ensuing week, no deal has been officially announced. That includes the past 24+ hours when the league could officially finalize, sign, and announce all the moves that were only agreed to in principle starting on July 1.

It hasn’t been crickets, exactly. From the beginning, there has been a sense that the Kings were most interested in executing a sign-and-trade deal with the Pistons. The only issue is what the Pistons would take back.

Still reeling from the fallout of the Malik Beasley news, there were indications that the Pistons might be amenable to taking Malik Monk off of Sacramento’s hands. The 6-foot-3 guard seems to have fallen out of favor in Sactown with Schröder and Zach LaVine soaking up all the guard minutes.

Monk has had extremely successful years from deep and some frigidly cold ones, but he has blossomed into a dangerous scorer and willing passer in the years since he finally broke out in Charlotte.

The problem from Detroit’s end seems to be the length of Monk’s contract. Monk is owed $60 million over the next three seasons, and Pistons president Trajan Langdon seems intent on keeping the books clean beyond the 2026-27 season. Caris LeVert, who signed as a free agent this offseason, has a deal that only runs two years. The contract the Pistons planned on offering Beasley reportedly had a team option after the second season. The Duncan Robinson sign-and-trade has an escape hatch each season following the first.

There is also consideration of how much Monk might overlap with those already on the roster, including Jaden Ivey, who is similar in size and pegged for a similar role as Monk would play with the Pistons.

There has also been speculation that perhaps the Pistons were working diligently to reroute Monk to a third team and get a different player at a position of need — most likely a power forward.

In the interim, the Kings traded Jonas Valiancunias for Dario Saric in an effort to trim salary and more easily add Shröder. Then Valiancunias surprised everyone by exploring options to play in Europe instead of the NBA, a move the Nuggets don’t seem inclined to allow.

It seems like everything is in flux and nothing is finalized. What we THINK we know is that there is no reason the Schröder deal won’t be a sing-and-trade at this point.

The sign-and-trade would allow the Pistons to take back as much as $21 million in salary. Heck, they could even have the Hawks involved as the third team as a way to facilitate LeVert to Detroit via trade so the Pistons could retain access to their full mid-level exception. That would require finding players worth signing in free agency, of course.

If the Pistons truly don’t want Monk, and they can’t find a third team to reroute Monk to, they could simply take back a traded player exception worth $14.3 million. That would give the Pistons a calendar year to use the exception in a trade. It might amount to nothing, but it could be a valuable tool as the trade deadline approaches.

There have been off-again, on-again signs lately, mostly through sources of varying quality and mostly connected to Kings coverage, about the sign-and-trade deal being off the table. That is also technically possible, and it wouldn’t impact Detroit’s ability to sign Caris LeVert. But there is no indication the deal won’t ultimately be of the sign-and-trade variety for Detroit.

As clear as that final point might sound, there is no such clarity on when this deal will finally be made official. We are playing the waiting game, and will learn who, if any, is joining the Pistons as part of any Schröder deal.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...-dennis-schroder-malik-monk-jonas-valanciunas

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons Reacts Survey: Do the Pistons need to add more to the roster?

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Trajan Langdon seems happy with where his roster is at — are you?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Detroit Pistons fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The Detroit Pistons lost four players this offseason and replaced them with two. Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr., Simone Fontecchio, and Dennis Schröder, all projected bench players, are out. Caris LeVert and Duncan Robinson are in.

Trajan Langdon seems happy with where he finds his team. Jaden Ivey and Ausar Thompson, who were out for large chunks of last season, should be back and healthy. Ron Holland is entering his second year and projected for a bigger role. Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren can get better, maybe even significantly better.

So should the Pistons be done? They have two open roster spots and their weaknesses look like reliable scorer (and heft) at the backup power forward spot and a traditional backup point guard to spell Cunningham.

The Pistons have the financial flexibility to add that if they so choose. But any player addition could necessarily mean taking valuable developmental minutes away from players like Ivey, Thompson, and Holland.

Where do you stand? Should the Pistons keep adding and solidify themselves within the Eastern Conference playoff chase? Or should they be done, rely on internal growth, and not compromise on minutes for their young roster?

Vote!

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...do-the-pistons-need-to-add-more-to-the-roster

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Summer League: Pistons vs. Knicks GameThread

Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images

We get to watch Ron Holland 2.0

The Detroit Pistons kick off Summer League action today in Las Vegas against the New York Knicks. The game is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, but there is always an anticipated delay because so many games run back-to-back. The game will air on both FanDuel Sports Network Detroit and NBA TV.

The Pistons Summer League squad is headlined by second-year players Ron Holland and Bobi Klintman and rookie second-round pick Chaz Lanier. We also have two-way guard Dannis Jenkins and two-way big man Tolu Smith back with another shot at sticking in the NBA.

The Pistons face a New York Knicks team led by last year’s draft class, Pacome Dadiet, Tyler Kolek and Ariel Hukporti. They will also have this year’s second-roun pick Mohamad Diawara.

Upcoming Summer League games will be July 13 at 4 p.m. ET to face the Houston Rockets (ESPN 2), July 15 at 4:30 p.m. ET to face the Minnesota Timberwolves (FanDuel Sports Network Detroit and NBA TV), July 17 at 4 p.m. ET to face the Miami Heat (Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit and NBA TV), and a final mystery game dependent on their record.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...-league-pistons-vs-new-york-knicks-gamethread

 

[Detroit Pistons]

The Pindown: Offseason Review w/ Robbie Bettelon

Breaking down the offseason, Summer League and more.

With some time to digest the Pistons’ offseason moves, what’s your opinion on the adjusted roster? Detroit Bad Boys own Robbie Bettelon joins the Pindown this week to answer that question and dive into each acquisition and departure. Plus, with Summer League underway, Blake and Robbie react to the summer Pistons’ first game and dominant showing from Ron Holland. With four games left in Las Vegas, what should we take away from the exhibitions?

We’ve got you covered for all this and more in this week’s episode.

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Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025/7/12/24466566/the-pindown-offseason-review-w-robbie-bettelon

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Summer League: Pistons vs. Rockets GameThread

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Holland vs. Sheppard is a marquee matchup in Summer League

For those looking for the best matchup in this year’s Summer League, your eyes might want to shift over to Cox Pavillion as the Detroit Pistons and Ron Holland take on the Houston Rockets and Reed Sheppard.

Ron Holland balled out in his first Summer League game for the Pistons, scoring 28 points and hitting four of his five 3-point attempts. He also brought his patented motor and defensive intensity. Adding shooting to that? Look out.

Sheppard, meanwhile, didn’t get much run with the NBA club in Year 1, but any time he sees the floor, you understand why the Rockets drafted him in the top five a year ago. Sheppard also scored 28 points in his first game with the Rockets, but it was a bit less impressive than Holland’s showing.

Shep hit six 3-pointers, but was just 10-of-25 overall from the floor, but he did add four steals and eight rebounds. Holland had three steals himself, and also had 13 trips to the charity stripe.

It should be a fun one — assuming both these breakouts still play.

Game Vitals​

When: 4 p.m. ET
Where: Cox Pavilion, Las Vegas, Nevada
Watch: ESPN2, ESPN+

Analysis​

I’m curious what others thoughts are regarding the players who suited up for Detroit’s first preseason game. Obviously, Holland showed you absolutely everything you’d hope to see from him. I thought Dannis Jenkins played exactly like a AAAA basketball player should — hit shots, played smart, still not sure there is any pathway to the NBA for his size and skillset.

Bobi Klintman showed some intriguing potential, but you’d hope he was a bit more forceful in making a different on the floor — and eliminating some of the mistakes. Rookie second-round pick Chaz Lanier was mostly bad, and for someone with such a rep as a shooter, I was a bit concerned about how low and slow his release was on his shots. He hit some eventually, so here is hoping it was just nerves. Tolu Smith, Detroit’s two-way player along with Jenkins, just looks too slow and too ground bound to be anything more than a Motor City Cruise mainstay.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...-vs-houston-rockets-ron-holland-reed-sheppard

 

[Detroit Pistons]

The Detroit Pistons are a more talented team heading into next season

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After Detroit’s recent acquisitions and key players returning from injury, the Pistons are a better team than they were last year.

Although the offseason isn’t over yet for the Detroit Pistons, they’re already a better team than they were last season.

That should sound a little ridiculous, considering the Pistons were the first team in NBA history to triple their win total from the previous season. Their 44-38 record helped them make the playoffs for the first time since 2019, including their first playoff win in 17 years.

Detroit still has the full $5.1 million Bi-Annual Exception and a $14.3 million Traded Player Exception from the Dennis Schröder sign-and-trade to add to the roster, but their projected rotation for next season already looks better. Trajan Langdon continues to surround the young core with veterans who can shoot and space the floor, and spacing is exactly what this roster needs to maximize their youth development. The pieces coming in are better than the pieces headed out.

Caris LeVert > Dennis Schroder​

It was obvious last year that Detroit struggled with secondary playmaking after Ivey went down with a broken leg, and Schroder did everything he was asked of after he was the Pistons’ prized trade-deadline acquisition. He averaged 11 points and five assists while playing 25 minutes per game.

At 6-foot-6, LeVert has five inches and 30 pounds on Schroder. That’s a guard who has the size to provide versatility and defend multiple positions. Sure, Caris might be more of a combo guard than a point guard like Dennis, but I think he fits well playing next to either Cade Cunningham or Jaden Ivey. Since I imagine the secondary playmaking role will be more of a PG-by-committee, I think Caris can handle both on-ball and off-ball reps with the bench unit. He and Schroder signed on similar deals, though Caris’s is one year shorter.

Since Caris hasn’t played with a playmaker like Cunningham before, I think his shooting will benefit. LeVert shot 37% from three last season on 4.4 attempts per game, but he shot above 40% on three-point shots deemed “wide open” by the NBA. He should get many more wide-open shot attempts playing next to Cade and Ivey.

Duncan Robinson > Tim Hardaway Jr​

Out goes one movement shooter, and in comes another. Yet, these are two very different movement shooters.

First, Detroit is again getting bigger: Duncan Robinson is two inches taller and 10 pounds heavier than Tim Hardaway Jr. Over the last two seasons in Miami, Duncan has even seen plenty of minutes at power forward. Given the Pistons’ current hole at backup power forward, this is a spot he could help fill in short spurts where THJ couldn’t.

Hardaway did a lot of shooting for Detroit. He made 37% of his 5.9 three-point attempts per game, and 67% of his field goals were three-pointers. Comparing that with Duncan, Robinson made 39% of his 6.5 attempts per game, and 73% of his field goals were threes. All this to say, if you thought THJ was the definition of a “shooter,” it’s time to give that title to Duncan.

Per the NBA, Hardaway actually shot more “wide open” threes than Robinson did last year, yet Robinson made 44.3% of those shots. Playing with Cade, Ivey, Ausar, and Duren, we could see a career year out of Duncan as he should see some of the most open looks he has ever had.

Jaden Ivey > Malik Beasley​

Is this cheating? It kinda feels like cheating.

Sure, Jaden Ivey wasn’t exactly an offseason acquisition. The Pistons were 15-18 once Ivey broke his leg against Orlando, and Detroit was nowhere near the type of team they were during the playoffs.

Ivey was on his way to a career year. In 30 games, he averaged 18 points (career-high) along with four rebounds and four assists while shooting a career-best FG%, 2P%, and 3P%. He has shown clear development in his three years despite having to play for three different coaches. He offers the perfect secondary creator skillset next to Cade Cunningham - a skillset Malik Beasley didn’t show last season.

Ivey will show us this year how much this team needs him on the court.

Most of all, and echoing what Trajan Langdon said in his recent press conference, this team needs more data on its young players. Last season, Trajan did what Weaver couldn’t by putting them in a position to succeed with spacing on the court, but between Ausar’s blood clot and Ivey’s broken leg, they don’t have a whole lot of data.

In fact, Detroit’s projected starting lineup of Cade/Ivey/Ausar/Tobias/Duren may have the smallest sample size of them all. Any idea how many minutes that lineup has played together?

Two.

Yes, two. You could even take out Tobias, but Cade/Ivey/Ausar/Duren only saw five minutes together last season. Next year needs to be all about collecting even more data on their core group.

Detroit now has better veterans than it had last season, specifically in terms of size and shooting. With another year of development for the young guys, Pistons fans should feel optimistic that their basketball team is getting better, much better.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...a-more-talented-team-heading-into-next-season

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Summer League: Pistons vs. Wolves GameThread

Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

All the Detroit players you care about are playing well

The Detroit Pistons look to go to 3-0 in Summer League as they face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The game will be played at the Thomas & Mack Center and be featured on NBA TV.

Through the first two games, there has been plenty to love from the Pistons. Most specifically, in the all-around play, shot-making, defense, and energy of Ron Holland. But Daniss Jenkins, a two-way player for Detroit, outplayed last year’s No. 3 overall pick Reed Shephard in Detroit’s win over the Houston Rockets.

Bobi Klintman, a second-round pick last year, is passing the ball at a high level and shows the elements of someone who can develop a shot. He could be useful depth at the power forward position this season for the NBA club.

After a rough first game, Chaz Lanier has started making shots, his calling card, and played with high energy and a high level of communication. It’s been great to see this team play hard and play together.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...-pistons-vs-minnesota-timberwolves-gamethread

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Summer League: Pistons vs. Spurs GameThread

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

No championship on the line for the Pistons, but hopefully some good ball

The Detroit Pistons are wrapping up Summer League play with a consolation game against the San Antonio Spurs. Both squads enter the game 3-1 during Summer League play, with the Pistons getting solid efforts from all the players who truly matter to the team.

The Pistons have already shut down Ron Holland, but we should still get a chance to see Daniss Jenkins, Chaz Lanier, Bobi Klintman, and Tolu Smith.

The game is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN+.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...urs-summer-league-pistons-vs-spurs-gamethread

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Ron Holland named to All-Summer League Second Team

Photo by Ryan Stetz/NBAE via Getty Images

The Pistons went 3-2 in the annual Las Vegas event

Admittedly, it truly does not matter, and nobody involved will think of it beyond seeing a fleeting message on social media, if they see it at all. But facts are facts, and it is a fact that Ron Holland, a second-year forward for the Detroit Pistons, was named All-Summer League Second Team.

The accolade might not mean much, but it does reinforce what we all saw with our own eyes. And that is that Ron Holland took a step forward. Perhaps a big step forward. Competition gets significantly harder in the preseason and in the regular season, but in the Las Vegas Summer League showcase, Holland ticked off just about any box you could have imagined for him coming out of last season’s promising rookie season.

he averaged a team-high 21.7 points during his three-game experience. He also shot 52% from the field and 46% from deep on a healthy five attempts per game. Not to mention he was aggressive on both ends of the floor. He was regularly getting to the line. He averaged four steals per game. They don’t officially track deflections or times someone dives on the floor after a loose ball, but suffice to say, Holland was everywhere and doing a little bit of everything.

While you might have expected a dog mentality that saw hustle on defense, the growth as a shooter was the most unexpected and pleasant surprise. Holland shot just 23% from three last season. His shot never looked downright awful, it just rarely went in.

In Summer League, his mechanics were quieter, his release looked cleaner, and the results were consistently good. He won’t be shooting 46% from deep in the NBA, but even if he shot 36% in year two, you have to start reimaginging what his ceiling as a player might be.

The MVP of Summer League was Kyle Filipowski of the Utah Jazz. The 6-foot-11 stretch big man averaged 29.3 points per game, including 39.1% from deep.

Joining Filipowski on the first team were Nique Clifford (Sacramento Kings), David Jones-Garcia (San Antonio Spurs), Jordan Miller (Los Angeles Clippers), and Terrence Shannon Jr. (Minnesota Timberwolves).

The second team feature Holland alongside Isaac Jones (Kings), Ajay Mitchell (Oklahoma City Thunder), and Kon Knueppel and KJ Simpson (Charlotte Hornets).

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...ons-ron-holland-all-summer-league-second-team

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Submit your questions for The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast

Tune in live Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET to join in on the conversation.

It’s mailbag time!

Send in your questions now for this week’s episode of The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast to discuss everything Pistons free agency. Submit your question to the comments section here or on X/Twitter to @TheRealWesD3 and/or @blakesilverman.

Join us live on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET for the show where we’ll discuss the past week of Pistons basketball. What are your main takeaways from NBA Summer League? With the Colby Jones addition, what could it mean for the other two-way spots?

Plus, The Pindown has a phone line where you can leave a message and hear your voice on the show. Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message around 45 seconds or less so we can fit everyone into the show.

The podcast will be uploaded to all audio platforms the following morning.

The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast Vitals:​

When: Thursday July 23 at 8:30 p.m. ET

Where: Detroit Bad Boys YouTube Channel

How to submit questions:

• Detroit Bad Boys Website: Comment section of the weekly Pindown episode articles.
• Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message to 45 seconds or less.
• Twitter: @detroitbadboys, @blakesilverman or @therealwesd3
• YouTube: Chat section of The Pindown live recording — Subscribe here

As always, leave any questions or topics you want to be discussed in the comment section below.

Listen to the show’s recording the following morning wherever you listen to your podcasts.

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify

Last Week’s Show:​

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025/7/24/24473478/pindown-detroit-pistons-podcast

 

[Detroit Pistons]

A new look coming for Detroit Bad Boys in August

Our coverage remains the same but with a new look

In just a couple of weeks, Detroit Bad Boys is switching to a new platform as part of SB Nation’s network-wide move to a new publishing platform. This will change the look of the site and also make it faster and more reliable on any device you use. This is an upgrade.

When you land on the site, it will look cleaner – less clunky, with more white space, a better ad experience with faster load times – but will still have all the usual articles, analysis, and news by all the folks you know.

Community discussion and content created by you will be more prominent in the new design. The best comment threads will be easy to find, and staff and commenters alike will be able to start conversations whenever they like with a brand new tool.

We’re planning on an early August reveal, so we wanted to give you a heads up. You’ll hear more from us when it’s almost here. The site will look a little different, feel a little faster, and, most importantly, have a bigger role for you, the community.

So, stick around and check it out!

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025/7/24/24472165/a-new-look-coming-for-detroit-bad-boys-in-august

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons risk losing their identity with their offseason moves

After a tumultuous offseason, the veterans who supported Detroit’s young core have almost all been replaced

Let’s take a walk down memory lane and review some team-building trends in the NBA over the last 20 years. Let me take you back first, to the 2010s, where the NBA was dominated by the “big three.” After LeBron James famously took his talents to South Beach, the name of the game in the Association became trying to get a trio of star players in one place and fill out the rest of the roster with veterans willing to sign lesser deals for a ring chasing opportunity. Sometimes it worked, most of the time it failed. But the truth remained it was the best, and perhaps only viable path to winning a championship.

Fast forward to today, and roster building looks completely different. Out is stockpiling stars, and in its place is depth and culture. Over the past few seasons, this has become the gold standard of team building. Don’t get it twisted; stars still matter, but it is equally important to have a stockpile of versatile role players and a locker room that emphasizes the team as a whole.

Successful teams now have 10 players who buy into their specific roles. Deep, versatile benches were on full display in the NBA Finals, as the Indiana Pacers, a team without a top-10 player, were not just making an appearance in the NBA Finals, not just making it competitive, but within reach of hoisting the trophy.

They played a unique style that featured a fast-paced offense and guards picking up their opponents 94 feet away on defense. In some ways, they were reminiscent of a tenacious college program.

The team they lost to? The Oklahoma City Thunder. Yes, they have a generational talent and MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but tune into any postgame interview and you quickly see the unique culture the Oklahoma City Thunder has built on full display.

As a Detroit Pistons fan, why is this important? Well, for the first time in nearly a generation, Detroit has correctly aligned itself with how forward-thinking organizations are constructing their teams in the modern NBA. Of course, they have a superstar in Cade Cunningham. But last season, the team had depth, a palpable culture, and plenty of wins. Those things are all related.

It was the culture that was so jarringly different from so many seasons past. For many years, the franchise and its top players possessed poor body language, lacked leadership, and often appeared to sleepwalk through winnable games (sorry, Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson). As I wrote last season, the culture that permeated through the walls of Little Caesars Arena was real and tangible. The fans could feel it as much as the players. While Cunningham is the unquestioned leader and best player, and younger players like Jalen Duren and Isiah Stewart grew louder voices last season, so many ingredients went into the culture the Pistons built and are building.

First and foremost, the Pistons finally got the right veterans in place. The impact made in the locker room by Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Dennis Schröder was obvious. Tune in at any point last season, and you’d see the four elder statesmen mentoring younger teammates during timeouts and leaping off the bench to celebrate the team. And more importantly, when they talked, you’d see Cunningham and the rest of Detroit’s young core listening intently.

Make no mistake, this has not always been the case. In fact, for many years in Detroit, it was as rare as a Josh Smith 3-pointer. As fans, we cannot take for granted how rare that is, as the organization has seen firsthand with this same young core how bleak things can be without a strong culture, and veterans that actually command respect.

Trajan Langdon expressed a desire to run it back next season. Continuity and internal growth laying the groundwork to build on last year’s success. A funny thing happened along the way, however. The Pistons lost nearly all of last year’s critical veteran additions.

Only Tobias Harris and, if we’re being charitable, Paul Reed, remain. Make no mistake about it, the Malik Beasley situation is unfortunate and out of the Pistons’ control. In addition to having a historic season from three-point land, Beasley was arguably the Pistons’ most vocal leader. It is a monumental loss. Beasely aside, however, turning Schröder and Hardaway Jr. into Duncan Robinson and Caris LeVert is a risk going into a critical season in which the franchise expects to take a step towards contender status in a depleted Eastern Conference. The risk comes both on the court and in the locker room.

For starters, the Pistons often turned to Hardaway Jr. for his steadying veteran leadership in the locker room. Like Beasley, he had roots in Detroit (his parents live in the area and attended most home games), and by all accounts, he wanted to be here. On the court, his fit was seamless in Detroit, and he played an underrated role. He provided immediate spacing for Cunningham and Jaden Ivey, and had a penchant for heating up at the right time. While he will never make any All-Defense teams, Hardaway Jr. demonstrated an understanding of the team’s scheme and provided a level of resistance on D that the players replacing him have not shown. In this exercise, thinking of Robinson replacing Hardaway Jr. is at least worth questioning. While Robinson is the superior shooter, Hardaway Jr. brings more defensively, is a better driver and pull-up shooter, and is a known commodity in the team’s cultural infrastructure. Not to mention, he is on a cheaper contract. While Robinson is by all accounts a respected player around the league, his fit in the locker room is unknown.

Schröder’s return always seemed murkier than that of THJ or Beasley. He was a mid-year addition and didn’t have as clear a role or path to minutes with the expected return to health of Jaden Ivey. By replacing him with Caris LeVert, the optimistic viewpoint of the move would be that Detroit is swapping Schröder’s tertiary creation with a taller player who provides a bit more reliable perimeter shooting. However, the numbers indicate that he is a spacer more in theory than in reality, as his career average of 34% from deep is the same as Schröder’s.

LeVert also carries a reputation amongst many who cover the Association as a ball stopper and someone who has yet to prove himself as a winning player. The defensive dropoff from Schröder to Levert is significant, and gives Detroit one less option to throw at an opposing team’s best perimeter player. It is not that long ago that Schröder was arguably the team’s second-best player in a hotly contested playoff series. That loss is significant, even if the situation and price point made his return unlikely.

In the end, the primary source of the team’s growth next season was always going to come by way of their young players improving. There’s plenty of reason to be optimistic about that. However, I wonder if the Pistons will regret not bringing back THJ over one of the fellow University of Michigan products that replaced him on the roster. With Ivey returning as a secondary creator, it’s fair to ponder if swapping Levert’s creation for Hardaway Jr.’s more reliable spacing while still replacing Beasley with Robinson may provide more defensive upside and floor spacing. It may have been the most financially prudent move for this roster. As we enter the back half of the summer, and training camp becomes less and less distant, how the Pistons can maintain their positive culture will be a storyline worth monitoring.

Share your thoughts: did the Pistons get it right with these off-season moves?

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...malik-beasley-tim-hardaway-jr-dennis-schroder