During every Pistons Summer League game, the team’s “veterans” sit courtside to support the rookies and other up-and-coming players on the extended roster.
Some of them, like star guard Cade Cunningham, are just a year removed from playing in the NBA’s annual summer tournament. Others, such as Killian Hayes, Isaiah Stewart and Isaiah Livers, are resting after participating in Detroit’s first two games in Las Vegas last week.
Cunningham and forward Marvin Bagley III, who’s fresh off signing a three-year deal to remain in Detroit, have often been pulled from their seats to participate in mid-game television interviews.
Both players joined the NBA-TV broadcast in the Pistons’ 101-87 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday. Cunningham spoke briefly about Jaden Ivey, the Pistons’ No. 5 overall draft pick, his own offseason workout routine and how the identity of young squad during the rebuild.
“Definitely excited to play with (Ivey),” Cunningham said. “He’s so talented and he brings so much to the team. I think just the way that he plays the game — trying to play the right way, trying to play for his teammates, spread the ball — it’s all exciting. So, getting able to take the court with him is something I’m looking forward to.”
With their size — Cunningham at 6-foot-6 and Ivey 6-4 — the likely starting backcourt will have some formidable size and an infusion of athleticism with the addition of Ivey.
Cunningham wants to help Ivey flourish on the court.
“He’s going to help my game a lot and I’m trying to give him all the stuff I learned my first year, so he doesn’t have to learn about it through example and through gameplay,” Cunningham said. “Maybe he can just hear about it from me. Like I said, I can’t speak to it enough, how excited I am for the whole team — Isaiah Stewart, Saddiq, we’re all excited for a big year. We’re all hungry, and we’ll see how it goes.”
During his brief interview, Bagley said he didn’t consider exploring his options in free agency and wanted to rejoin the Pistons.
“Nah, I feel like this was the best situation for me,” Bagley said. “Like I said before, I love the city. I love the fans. Just being able to be in something where you can get better and develop, especially with the young group that we got. It was easy for me, so I wanted to come back and do whatever I could to help the team.”
Detroit native and former 13-year NBA veteran Jalen Rose was also interviewed during the telecast to discuss the franchise’s value to the league and to assess the new-look Pistons.
“When the team plays hard, we’ll look at the score when the game is over, but the fans and the city are gonna rally behind a bunch of guys that we see that are doing their best on a nightly basis,” Rose said. “And a franchise like Detroit, we kind of get overlooked because we’re not clearly in the pantheon of championships like the Lakers and the Celtics.
“We didn’t have Michael Jordan win six championships for us or Tim Duncan win five. But when you start to look deeper into it and you get past the Golden State Warriors, we have a storied history with the Bad Boys with Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars and then our Bad Boys II group with Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton and Ben Wallace. Those groups embodied toughness and effort.”
Rose also applauded the Pistons’ ownership group, front office and coaching staff for its patience throughout its recent playoff drought.
“Detroit has always stayed patient these last couple of years,” Rose said. “Our owner, Tom Gores, didn’t panic. Troy Weaver, our great GM, didn’t panic. We kept Dwane Casey, who was coach of the year in Toronto before he got to Detroit. So now, when you have a structure where they’re all working together to have an identity. When you draft a couple of players — Saddiq Bey had a 50-point game last year. Isaiah Stewart plays with as much effort as any player in the league, so now you put those players with Cade (Cunningham), and this year’s draft was phenomenal.
“Working the draft this year, I’m so very proud of (Detroit). Jaden Ivey, a scoring playmaker that’s gonna get you 10 assists, get you a couple of steals. Sometimes, and I know I turn into a hometown fan. I’m like, is that John Wall? Nah, that’s Russell Westbrook. No, you know what? That’s Ja Morant. And that’s the beauty of a player like that. And Jalen Duren, he’s 18. He’s built like an Atlas. Is that a future Bam Adebayo? I’m really proud of this young group and the leadership of the team of what they’ve done and the sky’s the limit for our potential.”
Pistons waive Edwards
The Pistons officially renounced the rights to guard Carsen Edwards on Wednesday, according to a report from Spotrac’s Keith Smith.
The move is apparently part of the process to clear cap space for their offseason transactions, including the acquisition of Nerlens Noel and Alec Burks from the New York Knicks.
Edwards, a 5-11 guard, played in just four games for the Pistons last season and averaged 5.8 points and 3.5 rebounds.
Pistons vs. Cavaliers
Tipoff: 5:30 Thursday, Thomas & Mack Arena, Las Vegas
TV: NBA TV
Outlook: The Pistons (2-1) return to Summer League action after a 101-87 loss to Indiana on Tuesday night. Buddy Boeheim had 18 points and went 3-of-5 from the 3-point line.