We’re still waiting on actual news and analysis about the Detroit Pistons to come as the team is deep into training camp and that means no mere member of the public, including those covering the team, have an opportunity to see them in action.
That means that we can only go off of what the players and coaches decide to share, and Dwane Casey said a few things of interest in the first week of the season. First, it seems No. 1 overall pick is taking it a bit easy after turning an ankle.
“Cade has a turned ankle. It’s very mild, but we’re going to be cautious, just to make sure that he recovers before next week,” according to Rod Beard in the Detroit News.
Casey also reiterated that there is zero concern and Beard writes that Cunningham didn’t seem to have any difficulty running through the light shooting drills he’s witnessed after practice and the media gains access.
There is no indication that Cunningham won’t be available for the team’s first preseason game against the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 6.
Something of more significance is a comment Casey made that could indicate the team’s planned starting lineup and main rotation. Casey said that the bench unit would likely have more experience than the starting lineup.
That is not definitive, but it is as close an indication we have that second-year player Isaiah Stewart and not newly signed veteran Kelly Olynyk could serve as the team’s starter at center.
Stewart would likely join fellow sophomores Killian Hayes and Saddiq Bey along with Jerami Grant and Cunningham in the starting lineup.
That would leave veterans Olynyk, Cory Joseph, Hamidou Diallo, Josh Jackson and/or Frank Jackson as the primary bench unit.
The last nugget of info we have on how the team might operate is simply a note that Killian Hayes seems to be impressing with his decisiveness, and Casey says he’s handled most of the ball handling and distribution duties early in camp.
Is it true? A confidence booster for a young player who struggled last year? a combination of both? Who knows. But we’ll get a better idea in a matter of days when this team plays some competitive preseason basketball.