Nass’ Trip Around the Association Vol. 3, Page Eleven

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The Detroit Pistons haven’t made an NBA playoffs appearance since 2019 when they got swept abruptly in the Eastern Conference first round by the Milwaukee Bucks. They haven’t won a playoff series since their opening matchup vs Philadelphia 76ers even further in 2008. Newly arrived head coach Monty Williams has been 194-115 in his past four seasons at the helm coaching the Phoenix Suns. After falling short in the 2021 NBA Finals versus the Bucks with a prime core consisting of superstar guard Devin Booker, 3-D star Mikal Bridges, inside-out big DeAndre Ayton, and sharpshooter Cam Johnson the Phoenix Suns were assumed to be a perennial contender in the West for years to come. A couple of things transpired for Monty Williams that surprisingly and ultimately landed him in Detroit.

Chris Paul’s health has single-handedly been the catalyst to the Suns’ last two playoff flameouts. DeAndre Ayton, for numerous reasons, hasn’t lived up to the star-level expectations that he came in with when the Suns spent the first overall pick on him back in the 2018 draft. Following the 2021 NBA Finals trip, Monty Williams was outcoached in the Western Conference Semis by Jason Kidd & Luka Doncic-led Dallas Mavericks in an underwhelming seven-game series gutted by a 33-point Game 7 loss at the Footprint Center. After a turbulent and bumpy regular season headlined by a Devin Booker quad injury that sidelined him 20+ games and the midseason blockbuster trade acquisition of Kevin Durant, the Suns lost to the Denver Nuggets in six games in the Western Conference Semis.

Even though, initially, there was no buzz circulating about the job security of Monty Williams, Suns owner Matt Ishbia didn’t waste any time in terminating Williams right after their Game 6 blowout loss. Make no mistake, Williams helped restore identity in Phoenix. He helped groom and evolve Devin Booker and Mikal Bridges into the stars they are today. While winning NBA Coach of the Year in 2021 as well, Williams laid down the foundation for the Suns making their return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993. You would think with his vast history with Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, and Suns GM James Jones they would have at least contemplated running it back one more time, especially with how depleted the bench personnel was entering the postseason. Despite how hard it may have been to accept his chapter in the Valley coming to an end, the opportunity to help revive the Detroit Pistons organization may be just as, if not more, enticing as what was presented to him in Phoenix.

“I think we see a lot of things in basketball the same way, but the main thing I like how he [Monty Williams] carries himself, outside of coaching you know just the way he goes about connecting people and just talking to people I think it’s amazing to watch so you know, it’s easy to fall up behind someone like that. And I’m excited to be able to play for him and learn,” Cade Cunningham elaborated to reporters about the arrival of new head coach Monty Williams during the early stages of media day.

In 2021-22, Detroit Pistons’ franchise point guard Cade Cunningham averaged 17.4 points, five rebounds, and five assists in 64 starts as a highly touted rookie out of Oklahoma State. Cunningham joined an exclusive club that includes Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Luka Doncic, Grant Hill, Oscar Robertson, and Tyreke Evans, as one of ten rookies ever in NBA history to post such a stat line to begin their career. “When you’ve got a 6’7” point guard, I mean shit, that’s a great start … somebody who can wreck a whole defensive game plan with his size, his talent, his skill … so that’s a great start.” This was a portion of a post-game presser from future first-ballot Hall of Famer Kevin Durant speaking highly of Cunningham back in March of 2022 after a contest against the rookie’s Detroit Pistons.

Twelve games into his sophomore campaign, Cunningham suffered a dreadful shin injury and after consulting with the medical staff about the pros and cons, season-ending surgery was his best option. We’re all aware of the vast potential Cade Cunningham has in this league. He’s a unique offensive player who is a constant floor-raiser when he steps foot on the court. Cunningham’s floor awareness and selflessness are a major reason why he’s the Piston’s most prized possession in the first place. He exploits coverages and minimizes teammates’ deficiencies at an unprecedented level for someone at this stage of their NBA career. Cunningham’s frame gives him an advantage against smaller opposing guards that allows him to see the floor exceptionally and create higher-quality scoring opportunities. Cunningham isn’t quite known for his high volume shot making or prolific three-level scoring mastery but don’t let his demeanor and pace fool you. He’s very well capable of stretches where he displays his prowess as an elite shot maker and he’s shown thus far this season he’s taken a leap as a half-court scorer. Cunningham is very effective and utilizes his physique and pace very well to get to his spots.

Through the Pistons’ first 19 games, Cunningham is averaging 22.3 points and 7.1 assists and shooting a slight improvement from last year, 34% from the three-point line on 6.0 3PAs a night. Cunningham has been way too turnover-prone this early (league-leading 4.5 TOs/game) but with Cunningham’s promising strides in technically year three and the Pistons’ vast amount of young assets, he has a great chance of evolving into an adequate playmaker and passer.

Guard/Wing Ausar Thompson was taken by the Pistons with the fifth overall pick in this year’s draft. A very talented two-way prospect from the OTE (Overtime Elite) professional landscape, Ausar has been quite the valuable piece in Monty Williams’ rotations this season. His physical gifts and keen awareness on both sides of the floor will make him one of the more impactful first-year players. Ausar, who stands at 6 ‘6, can play and guard a multitude of positions. “What I [Monty Williams] liked about that particular workout was the young man brought energy to the gym. Like he had the coaches hyped up.” Ausar Thompson was a two-time MVP of the OTE league including taking home Finals MVP of the OTE Finals last year. Thompson would go along to be a standout at the NBA Las Vegas Summer League where he averaged 13.5 points, 10 rebounds, and 3.5 assists on 46.5% shooting from the field. Thompson’s multi-facet game will fit seamlessly next to Cade Cunningham while providing the Pistons services of another utility ball-handling shot creator that can offer you something on the other end. Thompson’s constant aggression and motor at both ends shouldn’t be that much of a shock to scouts despite the looming uncertainty surrounding the competition at OTE.

Even with a remarkable OTE career, NBA scouts were dubious of his value as a very high lottery pick. “Guys who are that physical, and that athletic, crafty with the ball .. they tend to draw the contact necessary to get to the line, and he has all of that .. he just plays physical basketball.” Head coach Monty Williams said following a Pistons practice. Thompson’s outstanding play has continued to translate into the early stages of the regular season. Through seven games Thompson ranks first amongst all rookies in rebounds per game (9.8), second in minutes (29.7) and assists per game (2.8), third in blocks per game (2.1), and fourth in points per game (11.0). Thompson from the get go has been a competent plug-in-play asset for a Pistons team that has been in dire search of a long defensive wing/guard that can disrupt opposing scorers routinely. Back on October 30th, when the Oklahoma City Thunder hosted the Detroit Pistons’, Ausar Thompson found himself matched up on various occasions against All-NBA guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Thompson very much held his own and was beyond effective in these matchups, holding Gilgeous-Alexander to just 2-8 shooting including two blocks, two turnovers, and a forced jump ball. Thompson gives the Pistons versatility and another dimension on both sides of the floor with the potential to grow alongside Cade Cunningham. He’ll without a doubt be an overall net-plus impact player over the course of the year.

Entering training camp the Detroit Pistons featured at the very minimum four rotational big men who all possess similar qualities looking to lock down guaranteed starter/rotation minutes. 19-year-old Jalen Duren enters his second season as a Detroit Piston and has been nothing short of outstanding thus far. Duren, who started 31 games in 66 appearances last season has shown significant strides in year two. Duren is currently averaging a double-double; 11.8 points and 10.9 rebounds (3.6 offensive rebounds/game) while shooting 66% from the floor in 29 minutes. His interior presence and constant activity on the boards have been a revelation for a Detroit team that ranked 21st last season in total rebounds/game.

Fourth-year center Isaiah Stewart has also been a solid complementary big man alongside Duren. A tad bit undersized at the center position, Stewart makes up for it with his agility and quickness which bodes well with his aggressive play. Stewart on the season is putting up 11.2 points and 7.2 rebounds on 44/38/78 shooting splits thus far in nine games (3.9 3PA/game). The Pistons’ impressive depth of big men should translate well for a team that is looking to reclaim an identity that we’ve seen amongst Detroit teams of the past. Both Marvin Bagley and James Wisman have been battling for the remaining reserve minutes off the bench. Both bigs possess starter experience from previous stops and should a Pistons frontcourt starter suffer from early foul trouble or an unfortunate injury down the line they’ll have the luxury of two plug-in play big men that can fill that void. With an excess amount of formidable playmakers in Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, Jaden Ivey, Marcus Sasser, and Killian Hayes the Detroit Piston big men should enjoy plenty of high-quality shots in the paint as the season progresses.

Jaden Ivey has for the most part this season been somewhat of an odd afterthought in the early going after being taken with the fifth pick back in the 2022 NBA Draft. Ivey made the NBA All-Rookie Second Team last season after putting up 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.2 assists in 73 starts. Thus far Ivey has played a total of 244 min this season in 11 appearances. In his second consecutive start on Monday vs the Denver Nuggets, Ivey shot 7-8 from the floor totaling 17 points, four boards, and three assists in 30 minutes of play. “More than anything I learned about his [Jaden Ivey] work ethic, and just how bad he wants to be great. I think that in itself will help him take another step. But for the team, I mean all the guys that work hard, you know anybody that’s been around him, it’s contagious for them so you know I think we have a lot of guys like that on this team.” That was Cade Cunningham and his thoughts on Jaden Ivey at media day before the beginning of the season. One of the few beneficiaries of Cade Cunningham’s shin injury last season was simply that Ivey got the green light to go out and play freely with the ball in his hands, make some plays, and mistakes, and overall get adapted to the advanced schemes, pace, physicality, and talent that the NBA offers. With that, comes one of Monty Williams’s biggest challenges which has been how to make the most of the Ivey-Cunningham pairing who are two of the Pistons’ most prized assets the past couple of years. Both young guards are most effective with the ball in their hands and you have to ask yourself how they can maximize not just each other but also doing so why integrate the pieces around them. When you take into account how to solve that equation and as well as what is now considered an underrated deep depth chart of rotational guards and ball handlers it’s been kind of tricky to figure out who exactly is the most effective in Detroit’s backcourt rotations.

During the early going Ivey has found himself playing minimal minutes and being outplayed by Pistons guards Killian Hayes and Marcus Sasser though he’s posting a slightly better net per 100 possessions when on the court than both of his counterparts. Marcus Sasser, a late first-round pick from this year’s draft has been quite the revelation for the Pistons. Sasser has provided a spark off the bench on a consistent basis for Detroit averaging 8.5 points on 46.3% shooting from the field and 40.3% from deep. Killian Hayes has made significant strides since being taken with the seventh overall pick back in 2020. Not to his detriment but the Pistons have given Hayes opportunities to take command of the offense with three seasons now under his belt.

Roster personnel, an underwhelming outside shot (career 27.7% three-point shooter), and adjusting to the vast amount of physical and imposing guards have definitely been a difficult transition for the French men to make a mark in the league. Though still just 22 years old and despite the early growing pains Hayes has found a more profound role in his first year under Monty Williams. In Thursday’s game on the road vs the New York Knicks, Monty re-inserted Hayes into the starting lineup besides Cade Cunningham and Hayes was very effective totaling 23 points, three rebounds, and four assists in 28 minutes of action in the loss. “He [Marcus Sasser] and Killian right now, they’ve been the top compliments to Cade. Not only can those guys get us organized, but they can both knock down shots and they’re both pretty good defenders, on-ball and off-ball. Sass is just a fighter.” Some post-game remarks regarding the effectiveness of both Sasser and Hayes playing alongside Cunningham and the sudden lineup change.

Now, even though I agree with some of the tactics Williams is utilizing in an attempt to maximize Cade by getting him off-ball more so that he can unlock other areas of his game, I just can’t get over the fact that Ivey is just more qualified to be that secondary ball-handler besides Cade. Ivey is shooting better than Hayes from the field, the three-point line, and the free-throw line. Ivey is just flat-out the more dynamic offensive player and is more likely than not a more heavily scouted opposing player compared to Hayes. Even with the early tough hurdles of earning quality minutes under Monty Williams, Ivey is shooting a career high in FG% (50%), 2P% (59%), and 3P% (37%). Hayes has done a solid job taking care of the basketball thus far this season and perhaps surrounding Hayes with superior scoring options such as Cunningham, Sasser suits him better as it allows him to sit back and orchestrate the offense but I don’t think at all should Hayes’ development be more of a priority than Ivey’s. Ivey’s ability to create off the dribble will only alleviate Cunningham’s constantly generating offense in the half-court if he’s given the opportunity not to mention what Ivey provides in transition with his impressive athleticism.

The Pistons are currently seventh in the NBA in rebounds per game and ninth in assists per game so undoubtedly the pieces are there. Bojan Bogdanovic is set to return as early as Saturday vs the Cleveland Cavaliers and that will be a huge pay-off for a team that is in search of consistent offense outside of Cade. Bogdanovic averaged 21.6 points per game last season on 49/41/88 shooting splits. His shooting gravity will open up plenty of gaps and lanes for teammates to facilitate, create off the dribble, and overall make the Pistons offense more free flowing and unpredictable. Perhaps now with some more formidable playing time from Ivey alongside Cade, there’ll be some optimism that the growth between them will translate into winning basketball, and hopefully it continues to trickle down the rest of the roster.