Detroit Pistons: 5 takeaways from Summer League loss to the Rockets

It’s clear after just two Summer League games that the Detroit Pistons are doomed and Cade Cunningham is a bust.

Am I doing this right?

Fans predictably overreacted to Cade Cunningham vs. Jalen Green I, which his going to be a fun rivalry for the foreseeable future.

But the truth is that both rookies look great at times and flashed the skills that are going to make them All-Stars in the NBA.

It was another meaningless Summer League game and you should watch these responsibly, as we go through this cycle of “So and so is going to be a superstar!” and “So and so is going to be a bust!” every single season, even though there is unlimited evidence that Summer League numbers have very little to do with how a player will ultimately turn out.

That being said, I thought there were some interesting takeaways from the loss to the Rockets and some very encouraging signs. But let’s start with the negative.

Detroit Pistons: Have the Pistons done enough to improve their 3-point shooting?

The answer to this question is obviously “we’ll see.”

This isn’t the Detroit Pistons roster, so it’s hard to tell if they have added enough shooting to a team that was terrible at it last season. The Detroit Pistons were 10th overall in points allowed last season but only 26th in offense, so it’s obvious where they needed improvement.

Last night was not a great sign, as the Pistons shot just 7-of-35 from long range for an awful 20 percent.

If you took out Cade Cunningham’s 4-for-9 shooting from 3-point range, it would look even more tragic.

Hopefully, the addition of Kelly Olynyk will help this problem somewhat, and Jerami Grant, Trey Lyles and recently re-signed Frank Jackson can all knock them down, but shooting is still going to be a concern for the Detroit Pistons this season.

The good news is that most of the shots they missed were wide open, so at least the offense and Cade Cunningham are generating good looks. Now the Pistons just need to knock them down.

Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham vs. Jalen Green

All eyes were on the top two picks in the NBA Draft and they didn’t disappoint.

Both Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green played well and flashed the abilities that are going to make them stars in this league for a long time. Besides the onslaught of online trolls, I really look forward to watching these two develop.

Cade’s best moment was probably early in the first half, when he jumped into the passing lane for a steal, then took it to the other end, bullying Jalen Green into the lane before dishing to Sekou Doumbouya for the dunk.

This is one of the aspects of Cunningham’s game we haven’t seen much of yet, but he can be a physical bully on most guards trying to defend him in the paint.

It also showed some of the ways he is going to help Sekou Doumbouya, as Cade is going to find guys in transition if they run the floor hard.

Cade also had a nasty crossover on Green, sending him flying before knocking down the 3-pointer.

https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1425276552690868226

But Green had plenty of moments of his own and showed why Rockets’ fans are rightfully excited. He knocked down 3-of-5 from behind the arc, looked explosive and got to the line at will, hitting 10 of his 11 attempts, which could be his bread-and-butter this season.

Green outscored Cunningham and his team won, but both guys put on a show and are really fun to watch.

Let’s hope Cade and the Detroit Pistons get the last laugh when the games matter.

Detroit Pistons: Luka Garza showed his versatility on the offensive end

I still have my questions about who Luka Garza is going to defend in the NBA and whether he’ll just get abused in the perimeter pick-and-roll when the games are real, but one thing I don’t question is whether he can score.

Garza knocked down another 3-point shot on his way to 15 points in just over 16 minutes, including a one-footed fade away that brought back memories of Dirk Nowitzki.

Ok, so he’s not going to be Dirk Nowitzki or even close, but Garza is showing that he can do more than just stand at the 3-point line.

He could end up being an offensive weapon for the Detroit Pistons off the bench, especially if he can hold his own on defense and the boards, which are going to be his biggest problems.

Garza is showing more than some people thought he would and he has a real chance to make the final roster, especially if the Pistons can jettison Jahlil Okafor at some point.

Detroit Pistons: Killian Hayes will make an impact with his defense

Killian Hayes missed all four of his 3-point attempts and finished the game with just six points and three assists, which caused some of the most hysterical and hilarious overreactions I’ve ever seen on Twitter.

Seriously, some of you need help.

But what I was most interested in were the flashes of defense I saw from Hayes, as this and his passing are the ways he can make a big impact for the Detroit Pistons.

Here you’ll see him moving his feet well and using his strength to keep Jalen Green in front of him, eventually forcing a kick out for a long 3-point shot.

Killian’s on-the-ball pressure here is great, as was his ability to get in Green’s grill and not give him the space he needs to operate.

Green will kill anyone if given space, so Killian did a good job to play him tight and move his feet. I’m excited about he potential he and Cade Cunningham have as a defensive backcourt and they will look even better when they are surrounded by defenders like Jerami Grant.

Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham is a leader

The thing that has stood out the most for me in regards to Cade Cunningham is that he does not look like a rookie playing in his first Summer League.

Cunningham has made some mistakes, been sloppy with the ball and needs to cut down his turnovers, but he also looks very comfortable in the half court, doesn’t rush his shots and is a vocal leader.

He was barking out plays, calling defenses, communicating on switches and doing all the of the things you want your best player to do.

https://twitter.com/FanSided/status/1425277377899229187

While Jerami Grant is going to be the captain of the Detroit Pistons I think Cade Cunningham is going to be the leader.

He is used to being the best player on the floor and most importantly, he wants that responsibility, which is why it has been great to see him immediately seize that role in Summer League.

Twitter will probably be fairly obnoxious today with all the hot takes, but I am really happy with what I’ve seen from Cunningham so far and can’t wait to see him with the full team in real games.