Detroit Pistons News

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Jalen Duren  • C  •  Pistons

Jalen Duren "Scratching The Surface"

According to Detroit Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff, center Jalen Duren still has untapped potential. "And then Jalen Duren, I think we're just scratching the surface with what I think he's going to be able to do," said Bickerstaff during a recent podcast. "He's really, really ball-skilled." The 2022 No. 13 overall pick had the best season of his career in 2023-24, averaging 13.8 points and 11.6 rebounds. However, he still has some work to do, especially on the defensive end. Duren's durability has also been questioned, with the 20-year-old playing 128 games in his first two seasons. But with Bickerstaff at the helm, a coach who oversaw the development of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in Cleveland, Duren has a chance to improve statistically in 2024-25.
Aug 14   
Ron Holland II  • SF  •  Pistons

Ron Holland II Notches 23 Points In Summer League Finale

Detroit Pistons forward Ron Holland II led his squad with 23 points on 9-for-17 shooting in Sunday's 97-87 loss to Utah. The 19-year-old scored at will in this one, posting his Summer League high in only 22 minutes of action. He finished 2-for-6 beyond the arc and had four rebounds with three assists and three steals. Holland II looked shaky in his first couple of Summer League outings but finished the action with back-to-back 20-point efforts. He averaged 18.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 steals in Las Vegas. Holland II was a top-five pick in this year's draft, but he's got some work to do to break into Detroit's regular rotation.
Jul 22   
Marcus Sasser  • PG  •  Pistons

Marcus Sasser Enjoys Good Two-Way Outing

Detroit Pistons guard Marcus Sasser played a big role in Tuesday's 85-77 victory over Chicago in the Las Vegas Summer League, scoring 17 points on 5-for-13 shooting and registering five steals. The rest of the Pistons combined for only four steals, while Sasser tied Ronald Holland II for the second most points on the team behind Jayce Johnson's 19-point effort. Sasser went 3-for-5 with the three-ball and dished out three assists. The former Houston Cougar struggled offensively in the first couple of Summer League games but has been a menace on the defensive end, with nine steals racked up in three games. He's looking to carve out a role for the upcoming season on a new-look Pistons backcourt, which now includes Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr.
Jul 17   
Daniss Jenkins  • PG  •  Pistons

Daniss Jenkins Rocks Houston With 26 Points

Detroit Pistons guard Daniss Jenkins erupted for 26 points in Monday's 87-73 Summer League win against the Houston Rockets. The St. John's product nailed more triples (6) than the Rockets combined (5) and finished 8-for-16 overall from the field while netting all four free throws. He grabbed three rebounds, handed out four assists, and made valuable plays defensively by logging a steal and two blocks. Jenkins went undrafted last month but landed himself a two-way deal with the Pistons. He will likely need to settle for G League action in 2024-25, with Detroit's backcourt looking fairly crowded.
Jul 16   
Paul Reed  • PF  •  Pistons

Paul Reed Bound For Detroit

On Tuesday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the Detroit Pistons claimed center Paul Reed off free agency waivers. Reed is in the second season of a three-year, $24 million deal and will join former 76ers teammate Tobias Harris in the Motor City. The 76ers waived the 25-year-old on July 6th. With Philadelphia, he suited up for 82 regular season games last year, averaging 7.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.0 blocks in 19.4 minutes. Come fall, Reed will not be a fantasy factor, as he will have to compete with Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren for playing time.
Jul 9   
Ausar Thompson  • SG  •  Pistons

Ausar Thompson Unavailable For Summer League

Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson will not participate in Summer League as he is recovering from a blood clot, per James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Thompson's rookie season ended in March due to a blood clot, for which he would receive treatment. In 63 regular-season contests, the 21-year-old averaged 8.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.1 steals across 25.1 minutes. The Pistons are likely not rushing Thompson back, and he should be good to go come training camp.
Jul 9   
Cade Cunningham  • PG  •  Pistons

Cade Cunningham Agrees To Maximum Rookie Deal With Pistons

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Detroit Pistons and point guard Cade Cunningham officially agreed to a five-year, $224 million maximum rookie extension on Tuesday. The rookie extension could amount to as much as $269 million. After a dismal 2023-2024 campaign, the Pistons signed veterans Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway, and Tobias Harris this off-season to help out the 22-year-old. Suffering from left knee tendinopathy, Cunningham's season was cut short, but not before he averaged 22.7 points, 7.5 assists, and 4.3 rebounds in 33.5 minutes across 62 games. Detroit expects the 2021 No. 1 overall pick to be healthy for training camp.
Jul 9   
Simone Fontecchio  • SF  •  Pistons

Simone Fontecchio Staying In Detroit

Free-agent forward Simone Fontecchio agreed to a two-year, $16 million contract to return to the Pistons. The 28-year-old began last season in Utah before being traded to Detroit. In 66 games with both teams, he averaged 10.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. With the Pistons in a rebuilding stage, anyone on the roster has a chance to earn minutes in 2024-25, meaning Fontecchio could turn himself into a viable fantasy commodity.
Jul 7   
Malik Beasley  • SG  •  Pistons

Malik Beasley Agrees To A Deal With Detroit

Free-agent guard Malik Beasley agreed to a one-year, $6 million deal with the Detroit Pistons. The 2016 No. 19 overall pick made 79 appearances for the Bucks in 2023-24, averaging 11.3 points while shooting 41.3% from behind the arc. While he likely won't be a routine starter like in Milwaukee, his three-point efficiency should keep him in the rotation enough for him to remain a viable option for fantasy managers.
Jul 6   
Cade Cunningham  • PG  •  Pistons

Cade Cunningham, Pistons Agree To Contract Extension

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham agreed to a five-year, $226 million extension with the team. The Pistons are rebuilding. However, the franchise wants to keep Cunningham at the forefront. The 22-year-old averaged a career-high 22.7 points and 7.5 assists last season. But he logged 3.4 turnovers during the 2023-24 campaign, so that's an area that needs to improve. Cunningham also hasn't played more than 64 games in any of his three seasons, which will cause his fantasy value to drop until he proves he can stay healthy.
Jul 1   
Tim Hardaway Jr.  • SF  •  Pistons

Tim Hardaway Jr. Traded To Detroit

Dallas Mavericks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. is on his way to Detroit on Friday after the two sides agreed to a trade. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Hardaway and three second-round picks are going to the Pistons while Quentin Grimes is coming to Dallas. The veteran shooter was a mainstay in the team's offense over the last five seasons. When it came to their Finals run this season, Hardaway was relegated to the bench and saw the least amount of time on the court in his Dallas tenure. He played 12.7 minutes per contest throughout the playoffs and didn't get on the court at all at some points. During the regular season, he averaged 14.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 2.7 threes per game while shooting .402/.353/.852.
Jun 28   
Cade Cunningham  • PG  •  Pistons

Cade Cunningham To Get A Contract Extension?

According to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham could receive a contract extension this offseason. Edwards, who covers the Pistons, is "99.9 percent sure" it will happen, adding he'd "be stunned" if it didn't. The 2021 No. 1 overall pick has averaged 20.0 points, 6.5 assists, and 5.0 rebounds during his career. But some may argue against giving Cunningham a max rookie extension, considering he's been limited to 138 games since entering the league because of various injuries. Nonetheless, he still has upside for fantasy managers if he can stay healthy during most of the 2024-25 campaign. However, he has had issues taking care of the ball, averaging 3.5 turnovers. At the same time, Cunningham has shot a subpar 32.9% from behind the arc, which won't earn him praise from category participants.
Jun 9   
Simone Fontecchio  • SF  •  Pistons

Simone Fontecchio Expected To Re-Sign With Pistons

Detroit Pistons forward Simone Fontecchio is set to get a new deal from the team this summer. James L. Edwards III of The Athletic expects the Pistons to re-sign Fontecchio after the Italian enjoyed a good 16-game stint with the team in 2023-24. After coming over from Utah in February, Fontecchio averaged 15.4 points and 4.4 rebounds in Detroit, with 42.6 percent shooting deep. His campaign was cut short by a toe injury, which needed surgery. Fontecchio appeared to be a good fit for the Pistons. But the team has just parted ways with general manager Troy Weaver, and plenty more changes could be on the horizon, meaning there's quite a bit of uncertainty surrounding the Pistons.
Jun 6   
Simone Fontecchio  • SF  •  Pistons

Simone Fontecchio Undergoes Surgery

Detroit Pistons forward Simone Fontecchio (toe) underwent successful surgery, the team announced on Tuesday. The 28-year-old injured his left big toe and missed the final 15 games of the 2023-24 campaign. Fortunately, he's expected to recover fully and be ready for training camp. Fontecchio began last season in Utah before getting traded to Detroit. He averaged 15.4 points with the Pistons, nearly doubling his scoring output from his days with the Jazz. Nonetheless, Fontecchio will be a restricted free agent this offseason, although there's a good chance Detroit will match any offers that come his way.
May 29   
Simone Fontecchio  • SF  •  Pistons

Simone Fontecchio Undergoes Surgery On His Left Big Toe Tuesday

Detroit Pistons forward Simone Fontecchio (toe) had surgery on his left big toe on Tuesday and is expected to return by the start of training camp, per James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Fontecchio missed the final 14 regular season contests with a contusion on his right big toe. However, the 28-year-old was reliable for the Pistons before getting injured. He averaged 15.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 0.9 steals in 30.2 minutes per game, starting in nine of 16 outings as he was traded from Utah in February to the Motor City. As a restricted free agent, he could attract interest from multiple teams, including Detroit. Fontecchio had previously expressed a strong desire to stay with the Pistons.
May 28   
Simone Fontecchio  • SF  •  Pistons

Simone Fontecchio Expects To Sign Extension With Pistons

Detroit Pistons forward Simone Fontecchio (toe) has hinted that he's going to sign a long-term extension with the team in the offseason. The 28-year-old Italian is set to become a restricted free agent in the summer after completing his first two seasons in the NBA. Following an underwhelming rookie year with the Jazz, Fontecchio found his flow in 2023-24 and did particularly well after getting traded to Detroit. He notched 15.4 points and 4.4 rebounds across 30.3 minutes in 16 games with the Pistons before a toe injury ended his campaign a few weeks early. Fontecchio's performance was one of only a few bright spots for Detroit, as the team finished with the worst record in the league for a second consecutive year.
Apr 16   
Cade Cunningham  • PG  •  Pistons

Cade Cunningham Hoping To Improve In Several Areas

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham is coming off his best season since entering the league as the No. 1 overall pick in 2021. He appeared in 62 games, averaging 22.7 points and 7.5 assists. But the 22-year-old still has things he'd like to improve throughout the offseason, specifically his conditioning. His ballhandling is also something he vowed to focus on. Cunningham has averaged 3.5 turnovers during his career, so fantasy managers would undoubtedly appreciate an improvement in that area. In addition, while his 62 appearances were an upgrade from the 2022-23 campaign, his inability to stay healthy over the years will negatively impact his fantasy stock until he proves he can stay on the floor.
Apr 16   
Cade Cunningham  • PG  •  Pistons

Cade Cunningham Not Playing Against Dallas

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (knee) has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Dallas Mavericks. This will be the seventh straight game he has missed because of a left knee injury. It would be surprising if the young star suits up again this season, as the Pistons only have one more game to play on Sunday versus the San Antonio Spurs. Expect Marcus Sasser and Jaden Ivey to lead the backcourt, while Evan Fournier and Malachi Flynn will continue to receive more playing time.
Apr 13   
Jalen Duren  • C  •  Pistons

Jalen Duren Will Not Play Friday

Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (back) is out for Friday's contest against the Dallas Mavericks. The 20-year-old put up a terrific game on Thursday versus the Chicago Bulls, scoring 20 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. However, the Pistons will let their young center rest and recover from low back spasms. The Pistons sit in last place in the Eastern Conference and do not have much to play for as the season winds down. With Duren sidelined, expect James Wiseman to take on a much bigger role.
Apr 12   
Jalen Duren  • C  •  Pistons

Jalen Duren Tagged As Questionable For Friday

Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (back) is listed as questionable ahead of Friday's game against the Dallas Mavericks. The big man was able to play 31 minutes during Thursday's loss. It appears Duren picked up a minor back injury in the process. If he sits, James Wiseman figures to move into the starting five and get increased playing time. He'll have low-end streaming appeal if Duren is out.
Apr 12   
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