It could be years until the Detroit Pistons put together a Summer League roster as talented as the one that appeared in Las Vegas during the last two weeks. It featured seven players the team has drafted since 2019, including two lottery picks, four first-roundersand a reigning college player of the year.
With the exception of Sekou Doumbouya, who made his first Vegas appearance in 2019, it was everyone’s Summer League debut. Thank the pandemic, which forced all five rookies on last year’s roster to wait nine months before making their first trip.
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The stacked roster gave Pistons’ front office and coaching personnel, fans and reporters alike plenty to evaluate during their five-game slate, which concluded Monday with a 79-78 win over the Orlando Magic.
Like any summer league, there were some positives and some warts. But overall, the team appeared to be pleased with the way the Pistons finished. After opening 0-2, Detroit won its final three games, and the last two victories came with the two lottery picks — Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes — on the bench. Saddiq Bey also missed the last game.
“The beauty of the roster that Troy (Weaver) and coach (Dwane Casey) and our entire organization have put together is that everybody blends in,” assistant coach JD DuBois, who ran the show in Vegas, said on Monday. “We have really good people who just so happen to be really good players.
Cunningham showed glimpses of why he went No. 1
Detroit’s first three Summer League games drew huge crowds at Thomas & Mack Center. Cunningham, the top pick of the 2021 draft, is the reason why. Fans were eager to get a first glimpse of how his game will translate to the NBA.
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Cunningham averaged 18.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks while shooting 42.9% overall and 50% from 3. He was one of Detroit’s best two-way players, hitting outside shots at a high clip while playing strong one-on-one defense. His 24-point performance against the New York Knicks last Friday, during which he hit seven 3-pointers, allowed him to close his week on a high note. The Pistons held him out of the final two games.
At Oklahoma State, Cunningham could do everything and didn’t have a significant weakness in his game. That was also true for him in Vegas. He mostly played off of the ball, and wasn’t as efficient inside the arc as he was outside of it. It’s tough to get a perfect read on a player’s development in a handful of summer games. But he dished some nice passes when he did have the ball in his hands, and being surrounded by improved spacing during the regular season should help to create clearer lanes to the rim for him.
Killian Hayes can still pass and defend; scoring a work-in-progress
After playing just 26 games as a rookie last season due to injury, the Summer League gave Hayes another opportunity to showcase why the Pistons selected him seventh overall a year ago. In many ways, he did just that. He and Cunningham were a formidable backcourt on defense, and he once again showed great vision as a playmaker. Those were his strengths as a rookie, and appear to be skills he can rely on once again next season.
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But Hayes struggled to score the ball last season, and he had trouble establishing a rhythm in Vegas as well. The flashes were there — his first bucket against the Knicks was a stepback 3-pointer that completely spun around his defender. He wasn’t able to do that consistently. In three games, he shot 31.8% overall and 18.2% from 3.
Because he was Detroit’s primary playmaker while on the floor, he had to create most of his looks. Cunningham should be able to make his life easier next season, assuming the rookie handles more playmaking responsibility than he did in Vegas. Hayes has the ability to score, but he has to improve his shot mechanics and rely less on his floater to have a chance to do it more consistently.
Luka Garza’s offense is as good as advertised; can he defend?
He had a slow start to the week, but Garza emerged as one of Detroit’s best offensive players. He averaged 15 points and 9.6 rebounds and shot 50% overall and 42% from 3. The Pistons inserted him into the starting lineup before Game 3, and he closed the week with three-straight double-doubles, including a 21-point, 15-rebound performance on Monday.
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Garza can score. He has great touch from all over the floor, skilled footwork and hits the boards on offense. But his biggest question mark remains his defense. Improving his awareness is a priority. And now that he’s on a two-way contract, he should have ample opportunity to prove himself.
Saben Lee found his rhythm, re-established himself
With Hayes and Cunningham on the bench, Lee seized the moment during his final two games of the week. He had consecutive 20-point outings on Saturday and Monday, and also had his best game as a playmaker on Monday with eight assists. Lee recently signed a three-year deal, but the team has a crowded backcourt next season. Hayes, Cunningham and Joseph will all vie for minutes at point guard.
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He’s the best athlete of the four by a wide margin, and applies constant pressure to the rim. If his improved shooting is legitimate, he could force himself into the rotation. Essentially a non-shooter last season, he knocked down 40% of the four attempts per game he took in Vegas.
“Any time you see him not think and let them fly, I think those are the examples of him trusting his work,” DuBois said of his shooting. We talk to him a lot — ‘Hey, you’re going to put the time in. When you step on the floor and you see an opportunity present itself, take your time, step into it with confidence.’ And he’s done that.”
Jamorko Pickett looks like a Motor City Cruiser. Who else could join him?
The biggest surprise of summer league for the Pistons, Pickett emerged as one of their bests players after being inserted into the starting lineup last Friday. The Georgetown alumnus reached double-digits in scoring during all three games, and shot 54.5% overall and 50% from 3 for the week. He’s a big, lanky forward with some juice as a scorer.
Outside of Pickett, the Pistons didn’t see strong contributions from the rest of their Summer League signees. And the two returnees from last season, Tyler Cook and Deividas Sirvydis, both struggled. Cook lost his starting job after the first two games, and didn’t appear in the final three games. Sirvydis was 0-for-9 from 3 before going 3-for-8 on Monday.
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @omarisankofa. The Free Press has started a new digital subscription model. Here’s how you can gain access to our most exclusive Pistons content. Read more on the Detroit Pistons and sign up for our Pistons newsletter.