Pistons’ rookies, along with Ivey and Duren, highlight Summer League roster

Detroit — It’s almost time for the Pistons to embark on their annual offseason west-coast trip, as the 2023 Las Vegas Summer League approaches.

The team revealed its Summer League roster on Friday, which includes Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and Isaiah Livers, along with first-round picks Ausar Thompson and Marcus Sasser.

The roster also includes third-year center James Wiseman, along with former Michigan guard Zavier Simpson and the Pistons’ three two-way players: Buddy Boeheim, Tosan Evbuomwan and Jared Rhoden.

The head coach of Detroit’s summer league roster will be new Pistons assistant Jarrett Jack, who joined Monty Williams’ staff from the Phoenix Suns. Jack’s assistant coaches include Steve Scalzi, Brian Randle, Jamelle McMillan, Spencer Rivers and Noel Gillespie.

Scalzi and Randle were also assistant coaches under Williams in Phoenix. McMillan is the son of former Atlanta Hawks coach Nate McMillan. Rivers is the youngest son of former Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers.

It is unclear how many games Ivey and Duren — who both were selected to the All-Rookie second team — will play, along with Livers and Wiseman, who started 22 games each last season. Pistons general manager Troy Weaver told reporters last Friday that he encourages young players to get as many reps in as they can, a philospohy he learned during his time with the Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder.

“We always had our second and third-year players play in summer league,” Weaver said. “That’s what I believe in. They haven’t played that many games yet. With a new coaching staff and learning a new system — getting these guys all together — I wish we could play all of them.”

The Pistons open Summer League play on July 8 against the Orlando Magic before a marquee matchup against the Houston Rockets on July 9, which pits the newly-drafted Thompson brothers against each other.