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Pistons vs. Bucks preview: Cade Cunningham looks to build on encouraging start to preseason

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Preseason is a unique animal. In getting myself acquainted with the Milwaukee Bucks in preparation for their matchup against the Detroit Pistons, I took a peek at their box score from their preseason-opening win against the Miami Heat on Monday.

Somehow, 20 different members of the Bucks played in the game, including 15 for more than 10 minutes. Giannis Antetokounmpo was not one of them. But big offseason acquisition Myles Turner was! As was Cole Anthony, who I forgot was in Milwaukee now, and Gary Harris, who I forgot was still playing in the NBA. He is forever a Magic in my mind.

That is just the glory of preseason basketball.

Game Vitals​


When: 8 p.m. ET
Where: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit

How to Watch​

Watch Pistons games with FanDuel Sports Network free for 30 days

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  • First 5,000 using the code SBNFALL30 get a free month
  • Never miss a Pistons game. Stream all season long with FanDuel Sports Network

Analysis​


It feels a little pointless to think a little too deeply about a Bucks team that might go 20 deep again, but the Detroit Pistons gave us plenty of food for thought in their first game of the season. As expected, you definitely saw a lot of things they emphasized in the offseason and want to test drive in the preseason, when the games don’t matter.

Chief among trial balloons is using Ausar as a primary playmaker in bench lineups. He had the ball in his hands a lot whenever Cade Cunningham wasn’t on the floor. The results were decidedly mixed, but it’s encouraging that they are serious are dedicting time and development toward skills that would allow Thompson to blossom into a superstar sidekick alongside Cade. And it ain’t gonna be high-volume three-point shooting. Let’s just dispel that notion right now. Instead, it will be finding out ways to mitigate his lack of stretch by maximizing his ability to drive and make quick decisions in getting teammates involved. His teammates, like newly aquired Duncan Robinson, will be the ones asked to be lethal from the perimeter.

Other items on the test track were allowing Jaden Ivey plenty of latitude to pick his spots, get himself back into game shape, and, more importantly, game speed. Not that he isn’t fast. More so, he needs to reacquaint himself with how to operate on the floor with nine other high-level athletes.

What we saw from Cade in game 1 was a masterclass in efficient decision-making and setting the tempo. He was excellent, and he still isn’t a finished product. It was exciting to see, and I hope to see more of it.

Projected Lineups​

Detroit Pistons (1-0)​


Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Isaiah Stewart

Milwaukee Bucks (1-0)​


Kevin Porter, Gary Trent, AJ Green, Bobby Portis, Miles Turner

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detr...ks-to-build-on-encouraging-start-to-preseason
 
Under the Hood: Preseason Game 2 vs Bucks

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Under the Hood – it’s time to see what’s really going on inside this Pistons team.

We’ll be starting a new article series this year to dive a little deeper into Pistons games to highlight the successes and struggles of your favorite team. By having a season-long series, we hope to build on our impressions of the players and coaching staff to give you a better viewing experience of the action on the court.

Firing on All Cylinders

I think the thing that has me most excited about this season is the ceiling of Ausar Thompson now that he officially has his first NBA offseason under his belt. We heard multiple players and staff jump on the Ausar Hype Train at Media Day, and last night was another game where we saw his Swiss Army Knife versatility.

These first two clips show Ausar playing good, clean defense. He’s capable of switching onto a point guard, sticks with Cole Anthony as he rejects the screen, and Ausar forces him into a tough layup attempt. He’s also willing to bump with power forwards in the post, and he gives Bobby Portis a great contest as he stands straight with his hands up.

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Those two possessions won’t show up in the box score, but he’s certainly able to stuff the stat sheet as a defensive playmaker.

In the next clip, Ausar calls out the switch for Chaz Lanier, but as Ryan Rollins is dribbling to the corner, Ausar attacks Rollins’ blindside for a quick double-team that results in a steal. Saving the ball from going out-of-bounds was impressive, too.

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It’s kind of scary how athletic Ausar is, and his help defense here was incredible. He notices the bigger Portis trying to post-up Duncan Robinson under the basket, but Ausar comes in from the weak-side to block the ball off the backboard to deny the close shot attempt.

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Lastly, this is the possession that got me the most excited watching the game last night. We’ve seen how versatile Ausar is defensively already in his short career, and we know he has the most room to grow on the offensive side of the ball. Yet, if he’s going to get possessions like this with a spaced floor and a lane to drive, I have no doubts he’ll make huge strides as an on-ball playmaker this season. (Also – Stew’s shooting threes!)

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Transmission Trouble

We’ve certainly seen an offensively aggressive Ausar Thompson so far this preseason. In fact, he led Detroit in free throw attempts at 10, beating out future MVP Cade Cunningham’s 8-for-8 from the line.

Ausar, however, did not beat the number of Cade’s made free throws. The Pistons missed 10 total free throws last night, and Ausar had half of those misses. If we throw in the other Vinson Brother, Ron Holland, they missed a combined seven attempts out of twelve.

In a game that the Pistons lost by six, Ausar and Ron left seven free points at the line.

Mechanic’s Note

So, uh, when does Cade get mentioned as an MVP candidate? Is it too early to start that now?

He’s played 38 minutes of preseason basketball and has produced the following total stats:

  • 46 points
  • 9 rebounds
  • 10 assists
  • 4 steals
  • +23
  • 16-for-25 from the field (64%)
  • 4-for-8 from three (50%)

To add onto the Cade MVP hype, three of his four made threes have been off-the-dribble.

From last night, a deep pull-up three after AJ Green goes under the Stew screen.

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Another pull-up from last night, Cade realizes he has a big on him as a defender, and Bobby Portis gave Cunningham way too much space.

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Lastly, from the Memphis game, Cade was even pulling out his step-back game as he drilled this left corner three.

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If Cade’s off-the-dribble three-point shooting attempts increase, it’ll open up more spaces on his attempts to the rim – however, if he’s consistently making those increased attempts, he’ll be a top-five player in the league.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/pistons-videos/47575/under-the-hood-preseason-game-2-vs-bucks
 
Submit your questions for The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast

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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 Sunday at 11 a.m. ET for the show where we’ll discuss the Pistons first preseason games. What are you taking away from the exhibition matchups? Has preseason play brought any unexpected concerns or pleasant surprises ahead of the new season? Will we see any last-minute transactions before the regular season?

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: Sunday October 12 at 11 a.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.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detr...ons-for-the-pindown-a-detroit-pistons-podcast
 
Under the Hood: Preseason Game 1 at Grizzlies

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Under the Hood – it’s time to see what’s really going on inside this Pistons team.

We’ll be starting a new article series this year to dive a little deeper into Pistons games to highlight the successes and struggles of your favorite team. By having a season-long series, we hope to build on our impressions of the players and coaching staff to give you a better viewing experience of the action on the court.

Firing on All Cylinders

The preseason is the perfect time to try new things on the court, and we saw that against the Grizzlies with Ausar Thompson being used in the backup PG role. That role will most certainly be filled by committee with the likes of Jaden Ivey and Caris LeVert, but using Ausar as an on-ball creator will certainly help him reach his potential.

In this first clip, Duncan Robinson finds Ausar after the rebound, and Thompson throws a lead pass to Cade for a transition bucket. Usually it’s the other way around for these two, so it’s awesome to see Cade being the off-ball player here.

Ausar pushing the pace in transition to find Cade for the and-one. pic.twitter.com/q6AnzfjenH

— Robbie Bettelon (@BobbyBuckets313) October 9, 2025

In this next clip, Ausar is initiating half-court offense. Robinson’s defender tries to go over the screen when Ausar starts the DHO, so Ausar’s defender has to switch onto Duncan, but he’s too late to get in front to defend the shot.

After using the screen set by Stew, Ausar runs a dribble hand-off with Duncan who is able to get into the lane for an easy layup. pic.twitter.com/cjrRX6NeL4

— Robbie Bettelon (@BobbyBuckets313) October 9, 2025

Lastly, I think this is what will excite Pistons fans this most this season. Ausar takes the rebound coast-to-coast for a right-handed jam. To add onto this clip, I particularly like that Duncan Robinson sprints to the left corner to space the floor in case his defender steps up as I fully believe Ausar is capable of making that read if he needs to find an open shooter. I would prefer Caris LeVert follows that same idea and would settle in the right corner on this transition possession.

Good luck guarding Ausar in transition this season, NBA. pic.twitter.com/XVMlUgnPkD

— Robbie Bettelon (@BobbyBuckets313) October 9, 2025

Transmission Trouble

Sure, it’s just preseason, but Grizzlies started this game shooting 9-for-10 from deep – not great considering Detroit let teams shoot an above-average 36.7% from three last season.

It felt as if Detroit struggled against stretch bigs last year, and they did again in their first preseason game in Memphis. Even if Jock Landale isn’t known as a premier floor stretcher across the league, you have to have a stronger closeout on him that the one Stew offers here.

Stew is playing drop defense against the pick-and-roll with Landale, but doesn't hustle back to the top of the key after Tobias shades away from the help. pic.twitter.com/NmMVSCgf8P

— Robbie Bettelon (@BobbyBuckets313) October 9, 2025

Later in the same quarter, it happens again. Stew drops after the screen to stop the ballhandler, but Chaz Lanier tries to recover back to his man and Jock Landale is left wide open. The Grizzlies’ spacing isn’t great in that short left corner, but Detroit has one too many defenders in that area.

I wonder if Tobias needs to tell Stew to get back to the perimeter here since he's guarding the dunker spot and is in a better position to help. Lanier and Stew need to communicate more here. pic.twitter.com/nfJF4mlu04

— Robbie Bettelon (@BobbyBuckets313) October 9, 2025

Mechanic’s Note

Hopefully it’s just a case of the preseason precautions, but Jalen Duren was ruled out just before the game started with a hamstring injury. JB Bickerstaff called Duren “day-to-day” with hamstring tightness, though he was seen on the practice court the next day.

Duren played a career-high 78 games last year after missing a combined 36 games in his first two seasons. JD is currently listed as a “game-time decision” for tonight’s game against the Buckets, according to ESPN. Let’s hope this isn’t another season riddled with the injury bug for Detroit.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/pistons-videos/47538/under-the-hood-preseason-game-1-at-grizzlies
 
4 bold predictions for the Detroit Pistons

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And just like that, we’re back! As the Detroit Pistons close the book on their ho-hum offseason that proved to be more boring than any in a decade and transition into preseason, they are met with real expectations for the first time in just as long. The Pistons will be expected to use this season to establish themselves as a playoff mainstay. Anything less than a playoff series win would likely be viewed as a disappointment in the eyes of most fans.

With the preseason set to tip off, here are four bold predictions for the 2025-26 season.

1. Both extensions get done for Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey before opening night​


While Detroit president Trajan Langdon has remained tight-lipped about any potential extensions for the team’s 2022 first-round picks, here’s betting both get done before the season tips off on October 22. The team seems to be invested in maximizing its young core’s potential, and taking care of Ivey and Duren early (and avoiding a Jonathon Kuminga situation) gives the team its best chance at maintaining its suddenly strong culture and tight-knit locker room. While Duren’s path to an extension is a little more straightforward, I wonder if Detroit will try to take a page out of Houston’s playbook and give Ivey a similar bet-on-yourself, short-term deal that the Rockets gave Jalen Green a year ago. Something along the lines of the three-year, $106 million deal makes sense for both sides.

For Ivey, it provides the Purdue product a generous per-year salary, while allowing him to hit the open market again at the beginning of his prime. For the Pistons, it gives them additional time to evaluate if Ivey fits into their long-term plans while keeping him happy in the short term. With the Pistons looking to make an additional leap, they can’t afford to have distractions related to key pieces of their core. Look for these to get done.

2. Isaiah Stewart shoots above league average from 3 at decent volume​


Under the Troy Weaver regime, the organization was gung-ho on turning Stewart into a full-time stretch four. Even though the fit with Jalen Duren proved to be clunky, he did demonstrate an ability to hit the three above league average on decent volume (38% on 4 attempts per game) just two seasons ago. Last season, coach JB Bickerstaff opted for Beef Stew to get back to basics and excel primarily as a roller, play finisher, and rim protector. While this simplification can largely be viewed as a success, Stewart’s three-point shooting combined with his inside-out defense gives him the ability to supercharge many different lineups.

Stewart’s potential spacing would allow Detroit to roll out defense-heavy lineups in which he shares the floor with Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland, both non-shooters (more on that later). Attaching Stewart to those two allows the Pistons to have options with bench lineups and get after teams defensively. It also allows Thompson to play to his strengths offensively, as a short roller, cutter, and passer with Beef Stew occupying a defender on the perimeter. A lineup with those three, and some combination of Caris LeVert, Duncan Robinson, Cade Cunningham, or Ivey would be tantalizing for opponents.

3. The Pistons will have a top-5 bench​


Speaking of bench lineups, I expect the Pistons to have one of the top-performing benches in the league. This is the deepest roster the team has had in nearly two decades, and Bickerstaff and company have a plethora of options that they can go to for different lineups. The team has floor spacing in Duncan Robinson and Caris LeVert. There are high-level defenders in the aforementioned Stewart and Ron Holland. They even have some options for secondary creation in Levert and Marcus Sasser, who may just have a role on this team.

Additionally, I expect the coaching staff to resume the practice of deploying one of Cade Cunningham or Jaden Ivey on the court at all times to be a main facilitator, ensuring the team always has a primary playmaker on the court, giving the unit a huge statistical boost. Given the team’s improved roster flexibility, I am also curious to see if Bickerstaff can be more creative in interchanging starters and bench players. We see many of the league’s top teams do this, and Detroit certainly has the personnel for it. Add all this together, and I see Detroit’s reserves becoming an asset for the team and statistically performing as one of the top bench units in the league.

4. Ron Holland plays as many minutes as Ausar Thompson​


This is by far the boldest prediction, and one that is grounds for the most discourse given all of the buzz surrounding Thompson going into the season. The biggest reason is that I am buying his shooting improvement as he starts year two. If Holland can even shoot a league-average percentage from the corners and top 30% from all other areas behind the line, he suddenly is able to plug into almost any lineup as a neutral threat. This would force teams to at least close out on him at the three-point line. As we’ve seen in the team’s first two preseason games, the team seems motivated to get its two young wings on the court together, and if Holland can space the floor, this becomes a much easier reality, giving the coaching staff endless options to surround the two athletic defenders within different lineups.

Additionally, Holland demonstrated many skills last season that elevate lineups without him needing the ball in his hands, making him an easy fit next to Cunningham, Ivey, and even a more on-ball role for Thompson. In addition to his strong defense and emotional edge, Holland is a superb cutter and is excellent in transition. As the game continues to slow down for him, we may see an increase in secondary on-ball creation, and pick and roll playmaking that we saw flashes of both in his rookie season and during his time in the G league.

While I expect a monster year from Thompson as well, his shot is still a ways away from being any sort of threat from deep. This limits the number of lineups he can play in, as ideally, the team would want no more than two non-shooters in a given lineup at any time. If you, like me, buy Holland’s already solid shot mechanics and a year’s worth of work with renowned shooting coach Fred Vinson, then you’d also see a potential path to Holland playing north of 25 minutes per game this season.

Tell me what you think of these predictions. What other takes did I miss?

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detr...01/4-bold-predictions-for-the-detroit-pistons
 
Pistons vs. Cavs Preview: Detroit could provide clarity in preseason home stretch

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If you’re a Detroit Pistons fan, you’ve got to be pretty encouraged by what you’ve seen from nearly all of the team’s key players through two preseason games. Especially when that core group of eight is sharing the floor with each other. It’s when the rotation stretches deep and the lineup combos get wonky that things start to make a lot less sense.

It also hasn’t helped that Jalen Duren has missed both games and Jaden Ivey one as the latter looks to come back from a long-term injury and the team is surely being cautious.

As noted by the Free Press, the first two preseason games saw Detroit trot out 14 players, often for significant minutes. With only two preseason games remaining before the regular season kicks off, expect those rotations to be tightened and for the team to provide a little more clarity on what to expect going forward.

Game Vitals​


When: 7 p.m. ET
Where: Rocket Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit

How to Watch​

Watch Pistons games with FanDuel Sports Network free for 30 days

2193795390.jpg

  • First 5,000 using the code SBNFALL30 get a free month
  • Never miss a Pistons game. Stream all season long with FanDuel Sports Network

Analysis​


Apart from a more standard rotation, I’m looking forward, greedily, to Cade Cunningham building on his strong showing through two preseason games. Cade looks like a first-team All-NBA player. He looks stronger, he is playing for long stretches of minutes, he’s making quality decisions, he’s imposing his will, he’s getting others involved.

Yeah, I still want more threes to go down, and of course I want more free throws. But I’ll always want that. Cade looks like a superstar, and I want more.

Other than that, I’d love to see a bit more clarity on how coach JB Bickerstaff plans to stagger out his young, defensive-minded, offensively unreliable young wings in Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland, for his reliable stable of vets in Duncan Robinson and Caris LeVert. Duncan has looked pretty great (even when he’s not scoring the ball), and LeVert has looked awful in limited action. They will be two key players, and ingredients added to the floor to allow other players to thrive. We gotta see it in action.

Projected Lineups​

Detroit Pistons (1-1)​


Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Cleveland Cavaliers (0-3)​


Donovan Mitchell, Jaylon Tyson, DeAndre Hunter, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detr...uld-provide-clarity-in-preseason-home-stretch
 
Under the Hood: Preseason Game 3 at Cavaliers

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Under the Hood – it’s time to see what’s really going on inside this Pistons team.

We’ll be starting a new article series this year to dive a little deeper into Pistons games to highlight the successes and struggles of your favorite team. By having a season-long series, we hope to build on our impressions of the players and coaching staff to give you a better viewing experience of the action on the court.

Firing on All Cylinders

Usually players are given more of a green light in the preseason to try new things before the season starts, and last night had a few possessions of players growing their game.

First, I really enjoy seeing a play drawn up that involves Ron Holland. Jalen Duren sets an off-ball screen for Duncan Robinson, and he curls off the screen towards the rim. As Duren rolls with him, Robinson could have the ability to throw the lob to Duren if it’s open. Instead, Holland’s defender is helping on the Duren roll, and Robinson finds Holland in the corner for an open three.

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To move onto Ron’s Vinson Brother, Ausar Thompson, this clip shows how far Ausar has already come as an on-ball offensive player. No longer is he stuck in the corner thanks to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, but he’s handling the ball in the pick-and-roll and creating offense. When he realizes he can’t get all the way to the rim, he stops for a short midrange shot off the glass.

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This last clip might be the one that got me the most excited last night as it felt like I was watching Bam Adebayo Jr grow in front of my eyes. Duren gets the ball in the high post, turns to front his defender, and puts the ball on the floor to get into the paint. Jarrett Allen is a good defender and doesn’t let Duren get all the way to the rim, but JD gets in his bag of tricks to turn and hit a short fadeaway jumper. Smooth.

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Transmission Trouble

Cleveland is really, really good on defense.

It’s led by DPOY-candidate Evan Mobley alongside Jarrett Allen, and Tobias Harris felt their wrath last night.

He makes a great cut in the first clip, but Allen contests the first shot, only for Mobley to contest the second and for neither shot to go in. Duncan Robinson was wide open in the corner, so perhaps a pump fake on the second attempt and a pass to Robinson would’ve been better, but I know that’s easier to see from my computer chair than standing in the paint in front of two seven footers.

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Again, another good idea from Tobias. He has the smaller Lonzo Ball on him in the post and he wants to attack the mismatch, but Mobley is just too long and too athletic as he’s able to help from the weakside in time.

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Last, here’s another great action involving Tobias. He tries to attack Donovan Mitchell, runs a dribble handoff with Duncan Robinson, and Duncan finds Tobias on the roll. Jarrett Allen rotates over to contest and blocks Tobias’ dunk attempt. I think these clips highlight how athleticism plays a strong role on the court, and as someone who was born just a few weeks before Tobias, I am also feeling a decline in my own athleticism.

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Mechanic’s Note

Detroit sat Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Caris LeVert, and Marcus Sasser last night, so they were left with one point guard on the roster in Daniss Jenkins. Even if they were playing a good defensive team, the offense struggled in the halfcourt. Without Cade’s pick-and-roll game, the team had trouble trying to create offense if it wasn’t on the fast break.

The team had 24 total turnovers, and according to StatMuse, Detroit never had that many turnovers in any game last season. At one point, there was a lineup on the court that had Ausar playing point guard next to Lanier, Holland, Green, and Stewart. But, since it’s preseason basketball, why not throw that lineup out there and see what happens?

The offense was supposed to struggle this game, and it did.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/pistons-videos/47618/under-the-hood-preseason-game-3-at-cavaliers
 
Submit your questions for The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast

Pindown-Article-Cover.jpg


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 Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET for the show where we’ll discuss the Pistons preseason with Detroit Bad Boys’ own Robbie Bettelon. What are your main takeaways from the preseason? Where do you think Ausar Thompson will be this year offensively? Has anyone played their way into the rotation?

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: Friday October 17 at 6:30 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.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detr...ons-for-the-pindown-a-detroit-pistons-podcast
 
Pistons vs. Cavs final score: Detroits falls to locked in Cleveland

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The Cleveland Cavaliers entered their preseason finale winless, and they decided it was time to get into regular-season mode. The Detroit Pistons, meanwhile, are still sitting players out and pushing out somewhat bizarre rotations in an effort to get plenty of guys minutes and certain guys a little baptism by fire. So it shouldn’t be any surprise that the Pistons dropped the game 118-110 to the Cavs.

Cleveland’s three most important players — Evan Mobley, Donovan Mitchell, and Jarrett Allen played 33, 28 and 27 minutes, respectively. Conversely, the Pistons sat Cade Cunningham to give Dannis Jenkins plenty of point guard minutes, and he took on all 34 of those minutes with enthusiasm. The results were a bit mixed.

Here are five observations from Detroit’s game against Cleveland.

1. Dannis Jenkins can be a reliable backup point guard​


Jenkins was 5-of-6 from the floor, showing off his ability to finish in traffic and shoot a nice 3-ball, where he was three-of-four. But he also committed five turnovers, and it was clear that against some stifling defenders, he was in a bit over his head. His 19 points joined Tobias Harris’ 19 in leading the Pistons.

Jenkins is not a perfect player, and you wouldn’t want him starting for Cade Cunningham for anything more than a spot start, if ever, but he proved he has the ability to be a backup point guard in this league, and he can acquit himself well on both ends of the floor. You can’t ask for much more of a two-way player. Whether he remains insurance or if he is actually making the case to earn a roster spot and supplant Marcus Sasser in the rotation remains to be seen.

2. Ausar Thompson has grown as a ball handler, but not as a shooter​


This was the third consecutive game where the Pistons put the ball in Ausar Thompson’s hands quite a bit. He initiated the offense in the halfcourt plenty and he brought the ball up the floor the majority of the time. You can tell Thompson is much more adept at handling contact, and his handle is much stronger than it was in his first two seasons in the league. That is a recipe for getting to the line more consistently, and sure enough, against the Cavs, he got to the line five times. He also made just one of his five free throws. Thompson simply must get better at the foul life for Detroit’s plan to run offense through Thompson to be effective. If he doesn’t start knocking down his freebies, the opposing team will simply hammer the hell out of him or treat it like a four-on-five game until they can hack him near the rim.

3. Jalen Duren is a bit rusty​


Jalen Duren was playing in his first preseason game for Detroit, and it seemed like JB Bickerstaff had a game plan to make up for lost time. The Pistons force-fed the ball to Duren a ton in the first half. The results, like with Jenkins, were mixed. Duren had eight points, five rebounds, and two assists. But he also seemed a step slow and his reads and decision-making were always a beat behind. It led to some disjointed and sloppy offensive possessions, and while he finished the day with only one turnover, it felt like he was on the razor’s edge of a turnover on every possession. That’s all fine. They are throwing Duren into the deep end to get him up to speed and ready for the regular season. He’ll get there, but he wasn’t there Tuesday night against the Cavs or their opposing big-man defenders.

4. Do less Ron Holland​


The name of the game for Ron Holland is forcing the issue. That’s why he’s such a fan favorite. It often works in his favor. Even though he is only entering year two, however, you can make the case he’s already too good to be doing way too much on the court. Holland has shown he can be a great defender, he has a nose for the ball, he has an attacking mentality that creates quality transition looks, and he has improved as a perimeter shooter. All great. He showed all of that against the Cavs. And so much more. Dumb fouls, dribbling into nowhere, errant passes. he had 10 shots (making just three), and simply needs to relax and realize less is sometimes more. He’s not going to be a player who is limited to 10-minute spurts where he is a chaos agent and leaves it all on the floor. He should anticipate playing 20 minutes of meaningful basketball a night, and that means calibrating your aggressiveness, fouls, and shots accordingly.

5. We shouldn’t pretend the Pistons don’t have depth issues​


The Pistons have added a lot of talent in the past two years. They continue to draft and develop intriguing players. They are light-years better than they were in the Troy Weaver era. You might fool yourself into thinking the Pistons are an incredibly deep team because it’s so easy to root for all the players. You’d be wrong. If you want to see deep, take a look at Detroit’s opponent Tuesday in the Cleveland Cavaliers. That is a deep, talented roster with NBA title aspirations.

The Pistons go a solid 8 or 9 deep before the questions really start coming. That is all well and good while everyone remains healthy. But it can become an issue fast if one of Detroit’s starters goes down for any appreciable time. Then you will be confronted with everything players like Javonte Green, Bobi Klintman, Chaz Lanier, and Marcus Sasser can’t do.

Let’s hope we never have to truly find out.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detr...l-score-detroits-falls-to-locked-in-cleveland
 
5 backup point guard options to replace Jaden Ivey

The Detroit Pistons were hoping that after tripling their win total last season, they could build on that success thanks to internal development and a full season from Jaden Ivey. Ivey was lost Jan. 1, just when the Pistons started to put things together, to a broken fibula.

After an extended absence from basketball, Ivey was excited to get back to it, but, unfortunately, after experiencing discomfort in his knee, Ivey and the team opted for a surgical procedue and he will be re-evaluated in four weeks.

That is terrible news for Ivey, and also tough news for the Pistons, who are now left to scramble to replace the significant role Ivey was set to play in their lineup. Not only was he projected to be the starting shooting guard next to Cade Cunningham, he was penned in to handle the lion’s share of the backup point guard minutes when Cunningham needed a breather.

With Ivey sidelined for at least a month (let me stress again the words “at least”), I thought it made sense to survey the current state of the point guard landscape and see if there were any solutions out there.

First, let’s talk about internal candidates.

1. Marcus Sasser​


The third-year point guard has shown he can score at the NBA level, but he’s also proved he has a long way to go to be trusted to run a team’s offense. In the first 19 games after Ivey went down last season, Sasser averaged 5.8 points on 38% shooting, 29% from three, got to the line barely over one time per game and had a negative net rating. In other words, it wasn’t working. The Pistons eventually traded for Dennis Schroder, who instantly made the bench more competitive.

Sasser, to put it simply, is not just a point guard. He doesn’t have the instincts, he doesn’t have the handle, and he doesn’t have the vision. He can create for himself but never for others. He’s a good shooting guard trapped in a point guard’s body.

2. Daniss Jenkins​


Next on the list is the player who might steal Sasser’s role on the team out from under him. Depending on how quickly the team is motivated to move, it might keep soft auditioning the two-way player Daniss Jenkins for a more permanent role on the team. During last season on the Motor City Cruise, Jenkins grew exponentially as a performer. In the Summer League and preseason, Jenkins looked even more capable. He ran the offense, got in the lane, hit his threes, and played solid defense. He shines best against lesser competition (no surprise there), but he has shown it is worth investing in his development.

The big question for the Pistons will be whether Jenkins can graduate from developmental player to trusted rotation player this soon. He’s a bit undersized at 6-foot-3 and 165 pounds, and he can have some trouble navigating around the NBA’s best athletes. Still, if the Pistons are confident Ivey can return sooner rather than later, they could rely on the two-way guard as they try to weather the storm in the season’s first trimester.

3. Dalano Banton​


Banton is a supersized guard at 6-foot-9 who has bounced around the NBA and is currently on a non-guaranteed deal fighting for a roster spot on the Dallas Mavericks. He is fighting former Pistons guard Dennis Smith Jr. for what is likely the final guard spot up for grabs, and it seems like it’s an uphill climb for Banton.

He’s a fringe guard type with a solid handle and plus size. Size has been something the Pistons have been interested in since the end of last season. The team valued size in all its replacements as it transitions from Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley to Caris LeVert and Duncan Robinson. That defensive potential and size in the backcourt could appeal to the Pistons as a stopgap while Ivey recovers, and if he comes back, they can slide Banton into a spot-forward role for defense and extra ball handling.

4. Markelle Fultz​


I’ve never been a huge Fultz guy, but I’m puzzled why he isn’t currently on an NBA roster. If I’m surveying the drecks of the point guard market and coming up empty, maybe Fultz could be a better shooting guard in a point guard role than Marcus Sasser could be. He’d be a better distributor, certainly, but he’d be yet another non-shooter on the floor. What can I say, the options are bad! If this had happened a few days ago, at least the Pistons could have tried to sign Cam Payne or something.

5. All your favorite Ex-Pistons​


We already mentioned former Piston Dennis Smith Jr., and if he is surprisingly cut by the Mavs, heck, add him to the list. But he’s not the only former Motown point guard looking for a job. If you look at a list of available point guards, it is littered with former Pistons.

You have Monte Morris who had a decidedly quiet year in Phoenix last season. But he’s a Detroit native and maybe he wants to be close from home? Though, it must be said, his six-game audition with the Psistons in 2023 was decidedly sad.

Delon Wright is also available after being cut by the Pacers a week ago. Wright was playing in his first preseason game for the club when he suffered a nasty head injury and was promptly let go to make room for Cam Payne. It’s unclear if Wright would actually be forced to miss time with the injury.

There is also Cory Joseph, of course, who is the platonic ideal of a stopgap player who won’t be a disaster on the court. If that is what Detroit wants, perhaps a reunion is in order.

Finally, there is Reggie Jackson, who looked to be past his last legs in a 31-game stint with the Philadelphia 76ers last year.

Bonus: Malik Beasley​


It’s still unclear if Beasley would even be cleared to play if he signed with an NBA club, due to his legal issues stemming from a gambling investigation. Still, one of the best 3-point shooters of last season is on the open market. The Pistons need a body. The math is pretty simple.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detr...kup-point-guard-options-to-replace-jaden-ivey
 
Under the Hood: Preseason Game 4 vs Wizards

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Under the Hood – it’s time to see what’s really going on inside this Pistons team.

We’ll be starting a new article series this year to dive a little deeper into Pistons games to highlight the successes and struggles of your favorite team. By having a season-long series, we hope to build on our impressions of the players and coaching staff to give you a better viewing experience of the action on the court.

Firing on All Cylinders

Jalen Duren looked really good and led all Pistons with 20 points. His alley oop chemistry with Cade Cunningham looks like it’s in mid-season form. However, it was his defense that might’ve been the most impressive thing about his play last night.

He was energized on the defensive end, and that started with having active hands on the perimeter whether he was defending on-ball or playing in the passing lane.

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I also feel like he’s improving at contesting attempts at the rim. He does a good job in these two clips of trying to keep his arms straight up and avoid jumping into the defender. It happens quick on the first clip, but he jumps vertically to absorb Kispert’s drive while keeping his hands high. He does the same in the second clip, and this is great rim protection defense by Duren.

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Transmission Trouble

Ausar’s preseason shooting struggles are continuing. He has been struggling from the free throw line, and his one three-point attempt was heaving this medicine ball towards the rim last night.

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Ausar’s inability to shoot becomes an issue when teams disrespect his jump shot, and that’s what the Wizards did yesterday. Khris Middleton was standing in the paint as he was guarding Ausar, but Thompson wasn’t tempted to shoot the open jumper as he returns the ball back to Cade. He tries to get a running start on his next touch, but ends up traveling. This is a spot where his inability to shoot is a hindrance on the court.

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Mechanic’s Note

With news that Jaden Ivey will be out for at least a month, I want to note that Duncan Robinson started in his place last night, and I think that starting lineup should be expected for Game 1 against the Bulls next week.

Now that preseason is officially over, let’s take a look at Cade’s stats through the three games he played:

  • 61.5 min
  • 62 points
  • 10 rebounds
  • 22 assists
  • 6 steals
  • 1 block
  • 22-for-35 from the field (62.9%)
  • 7-for-12 from three (58.3%)
  • 11-for-12 from the line (91.7%)

If we look at these per-36-minutes, you get a real idea of how well he’s already playing:

  • 36.3 points
  • 5.9 rebounds
  • 12.9 assists
  • 7.0 three-pointers attempted
  • 7.0 free throws attempted

Unrealistic? Maybe. Guaranteed to win MVP with that stat-line? Yes.

I do think it’s worth thinking the numbers of attempted threes and free throws per game is legitimate, though. Him averaging seven 3PA and seven FTA would both be career highs, and it’s not out of the question that an increase in threes and free throws could take him over 30 points per game.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/pistons-videos/47648/under-the-hood-preseason-game-4-vs-wizards
 
Pistons vs. Wizards in preseason finale

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The Detroit Pistons are wrapping up their preseason on a rather somber note, with the announcement that guard Jaden Ivey will miss at least four weeks after undergoing a procedure on his knee to alleviate discomfort just hours before the tip-off of their preseason finale against the Washington Wizards.

As if playing the Wizards wasn’t depressing enough.

The good news, I suppose, is that the Pistons will have Cade Cunningham and Caris LeVert back in the lineup. With some reflection, that is actually great news and who gives a s—- news.

Game Vitals​


When: 7 p.m. ET
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit
Odds: Pistons -5.5

How to Watch​

Watch Pistons games with FanDuel Sports Network free for 30 days

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  • First 5,000 using the code SBNFALL30 get a free month
  • Never miss a Pistons game. Stream all season long with FanDuel Sports Network

Analysis​


It’s still awfully cloudy what the Detroit Pistons plan to do with their regular lineup and bench rotations. The loss of Jaden Ivey for an extended period just makes that doubly confusing. Most immediately, it opens up wing minutes for Ron Holland and Duncan Robinson. Regarding backup point guard, it allows Marcus Sasser a throughline to some more consistent minutes. Unless and until Dannis Jenkins is able to surplant Sasser. The two-way guard is not nearly the scoring threat that Sasser is, but he’s clearly the superior point guard as a distributor and someone who can run the offense. He also plays better defense.

LeVert has played only one (terrible) game for the Pistons this preseason. Hopefully tonight he can wash some of that stink off and play his brand of all-around helpful basketball. He could be someone the Pistons look to as a bench distributor so it’s important for him to not continue being awful.

Projected Lineups​

Detroit Pistons (1-2)​


Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Washington Wizards (1-3)​


Bub Carrington, CJ McCollum, Khris Middleton, Kyshawn George, Alex Sarr

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detroit-pistons-game-day/47641/pistons-vs-wizards-in-preseason-finale
 
Jaden Ivey out at least four weeks after knee procedure

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Man, this is tough news to hear before the season even starts.

The Detroit Pistons announced that Jaden Ivey underwent a procedure to “relieve right knee discomfort.”

The @DetroitPistons today announced the following medical update on guard Jaden Ivey: pic.twitter.com/JX5Xdii2zN

— Pistons PR (@Pistons_PR) October 16, 2025
Pistons guard Jaden Ivey underwent an arthroscopic procedure to relieve right knee discomfort and will be re-evaluated in four weeks.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 16, 2025

In announcing the procedure, the Pistons note that it does not have any connection to his fibula injury last year, and he’ll be re-evaluated in four weeks. We may not see Jaden Ivey back on the basketball court until late November, and that’s an unfortunate thought given the team’s lack of data with Ivey and Ausar Thompson on the floor together.

Detroit will start this season next week without its fourth-year shooting guard after missing him for more than 50 games last year. I would expect to see Duncan Robinson or Ron Holland take his place in the starting lineup next Wednesday against the Bulls.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/pist...3/jaden-ivey-undergoes-arthroscopic-procedure
 
The Pindown I It’s Time for DEtroit Basketball

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Finally! The NBA offseason has come to a close, the Pistons have wrapped up their preseason slate — it’s time for some real basketball! And Blake and Wes have just the guest to get us ready. Robbie Bettelton (Bobby Buckets) joins the show to give a deep dive into the preseason games and preview the regular season. He provides insight into one major positive trend from these four preseason games and one that the team should work on. The guys also discuss Jaden Ivey’s injury and why the team should NOT go out and sign a free agent to fill the void, yet. As well, the trio breaks down the lineups they are most excited to see, how the team matches up with the Chicago Bulls and which new Piston is likely to start in Jaden Ivey’s stead.

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

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Follow Wes Davenport on Twitter @TheRealWesD3

Follow Blake Silverman on Twitter @BlakeSilverman

Follow Sean Corp on Twitter @sean_corp

The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast is your home for fan-driven Pistons content. Hosted by Wes Davenport, from Motor City Hoops and producer of the Pistons Pulse Podcast, and Blake Silverman, DBB’s resident draft expert covering both the Pistons and the Motor City Cruise. The guys bring a reasoned analysis to a uniquely interactive show. And if you want to hear your voice on the podcast, call (313) 355-2717 and leave your question as a voicemail. The guys will play your message and answer your question on that week’s episode! All we ask is that you keep your questions to under 45 seconds.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detr...the-pindown-i-its-time-for-detroit-basketball
 
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