The Detroit Pistons announced that veterans Bojan Bogdanovic and Monte Morris will miss the beginning of the NBA season with a right calf strain and right quad strain, respectively, the team announced. Neither veteran played during the team’s preseason action.
Bogdanovic will be reevaluated in four weeks and Morris will be reevaluated in three weeks after suffering the injury while ramping up activity as he attempted to return from lower back soreness.
Bogdanovic was penciled in as the team’s starting small forward and is clearly the team’s best 3-point shooter. He led the team shooting 41% from deep on six attempts per game last season. He averaged 21.6 points and 3.8 rebounds in his first season with Detroit after time with Brooklyn, Washington, Indiana and Utah in his nine-year career.
Morris came via trade to his home state Detroit Pistons after establishing himself in Denver and spending last season in Washington. He is a 39% career three-point shooter, including 38% last season. He’s also one of the best in the NBA at taking care of the basketball. He averaged a career-high 5.3 assists last season and just 1.0 turnovers. Morris was slotted as the primary backup point guard behind Cade Cunningham.
Now, the team is likely to rely heavily on its youth to try and cobble together some wins as the season gets underway. Cunningham is a guaranteed starter, and Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart and rookie Ausar Thompson seemed likely to join him.
That remaining spot at the wing is up for grabs among Jaden Ivey, veteran Alec Burks, veteran Joe Harris, or even Killian Hayes.
Hayes, with his strong preseason performance, likely established himself as a member of the rotation, but with the injury to Morris being a bit longer term, its unclear if head coach Monty Williams would prefer Hayes or Ivey serve as the team’s primary backup point guard.
The injuries could also open up time for rookie Marcus Sasser. He had his rookie ups and downs in preseason, but when he was comfortable, he was a straight hooper. He could handle the ball and shoot with ease. It was clear he was more comfortable with fewer reads and against fellow backups so I’m not sure he’ll be trusted out of the gate, but I’m sure he’ll get an opportunity or two in the early going.
Not the start to the season Pistons fans were hoping for, but it is once again time to throw the youth into the fire and see who can make it.