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Detroit Pistons: 5 final NBA Summer League observations

By Stuart London

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - AUGUST 13: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons brings the ball up the court against the New York Knicks during the 2021 NBA Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center on August 13, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Pistons defeated the Knicks 93-87. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - AUGUST 13: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons brings the ball up the court against the New York Knicks during the 2021 NBA Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center on August 13, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Pistons defeated the Knicks 93-87. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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With training camp for the real NBA season a little more than a month away, it is time for one last look back at how the Detroit Pistons did in the NBA Summer League. There was very good, good, bad and very bad things, to point out.

For a young team like the Detroit Pistons, summer league is more important than for an NBA club whose roster is pretty much set, like the Milwaukee Bucks.

With the league now completed (as former Pistons two-way player Louis King led Sacramento to the title), everyone has had a few days to digest what occurred over a hectic week of action.

Here are five quick thoughts on Detroit Pistons Summer League:

5. Why didn’t Balsa see any time on the hardwood?

The point of summer league is to see what you have and not really worry about wins and losses. The Pistons had two of their second rounders in Las Vegas (Isaiah Livers could not play due to injury), but only one of them saw real playing time.

Luka Garza, the No. 52 overall played a ton, and deservedly so, posting three double-doubles and earning a two-way contract.

But the guy drafted just five spots later, Balsa Koprivica, barely saw the court. He only saw action in a few games and, even in those appearances, was in for only a few minutes.

It is reported that he will be playing for a club team in his native Serbia, but it would have been nice to get him some playing time to, at the very least, see what he needs to work on, and how he measures up against decent competition.

Even if you know Koprivica is going to be a draft-and-stash, unless there was some unreported injury, there really was no reason to not give one of your draft picks a good run in summer league.

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