The Detroit Pistons finished Summer League on a high note and are now ready for the offseason grind.
The roster is more or less set, though we still don’t know the fate of restricted free agent Hamidou Diallo, who could still re-sign with the Pistons.
There are a few roster spots that are set in stone. We know Cade Cunningham, Jerami Grant, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart and Kelly Olynyk will be the core of the team and that Killian Hayes, Josh Jackson and Frank Jackson will play big roles as well.
After that, the rotation is still unclear and there are going to be some fierce battles for spots and minutes this offseason and well into the regular season.
These roster battles represent the classic “Young high ceiling talent vs. Reliable but mediocre veteran” variety and will be conversations that the Detroit Pistons will likely be having all season.
Let’s take a look at the three closest roster battles as of right now.
Detroit Pistons: Saben Lee vs. Cory Joesph
Saben Lee is a 2nd-round pick who has outplayed his draft position and got himself a contract after a strong rookie season.
He also had a very good Summer League, so Saben will be on the Pistons’ radar. In fact, this roster battle may end up coming down to Lee vs. Killian Hayes, as the former has outplayed the latter so far in their young careers though Hayes probably has more upside.
For now, Lee will battle it out for the 3rd point guard position with veteran Cory Joseph, who played well for the Detroit Pistons after coming over in the trade for Delon Wright.
Joseph is a steadying hand off the bench, can score and create and won’t take much off the table. But Lee is a high-flying athlete who can beat defenders off the dribble, get in the lane and set up teammates.
Their styles are very different but Lee has the higher ceiling, so this one will probably come down to whether Lee can shoot the ball well enough. Lee is a better creator but Joseph is a better 3-point shooter.
We’ll probably see plenty of each but for now I will give the nod to Joseph just because Dwane Casey is going to want at least one veteran guard coming off the bench.
Advantage: Cory Joseph
Detroit Pistons: Sekou Doumbouya vs. Trey Lyles
This might be the ultimate “high ceiling vs. mediocre veteran” battle, as Sekou Doumbouya is still a young and raw talent with some upside, while you know exactly what you are going to get out of Trey Lyles.
Doumbouya impressed with his defense in the first two Summer League games but then had to miss the rest with a family obligation, which was disappointing.
I was hoping Doumbouya would dominate Summer League, grab that spot and run with it into the regular season.
Instead, he’ll probably start the season behind Jerami Grant, Kelly Olynyk and Trey Lyles and have to earn his way into the rotation, which could leave him as the odd man out.
Doumbouya has a higher ceiling than Lyles, but has yet to put it all together and his time might be running out to do so. Lyles, who came over from San Antonio, is a steady veteran who is a good, but not great, 3-point shooter and won’t kill you defensively.
If Doumbouya wants to earn minutes, he’ll do it with his defense, but if he can’t impress on that end I can see Casey turning to the more reliable veteran Lyles.
Advantage: Trey Lyles
Detroit Pistons: Luka Garza vs. Jahlil Okafor
The biggest item of news last night not related to Jalen Green ripping Detroit was that the Pistons extended one of their two-way contracts to Luka Garza.
Pistons rookie center Luka Garza will sign a two-way deal, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Garza, the No. 52 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, had a standout summer league for Detroit.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 16, 2021
Garza has been one of the standouts of Summer League, finishing with two strong games where he scored over 20 points and had at least 14 rebounds.
The Detroit Pistons were smart to keep Garza on a two-way contract, as it still leaves them a roster spot for Jahlil Okafor, but how long that roster spot lasts is anyone’s guess.
Count me as part of the group who thinks Garza should play over Okafor now, as Luka is a more versatile offensive player and both are fairly awful on defense, though Garza puts in more effort and looks better overall.
I can definitely see a scenario where Garza wins this spot outright before the season even starts and the Pistons send Jahlil Okafor packing in a low-stakes trade, buyout or simply by cutting him.
I love Garza’s attitude and work ethic and he looks ready to push himself to another level where Okafor has been the same player since joining the league.
Advantage: Luka Garza