Detroit Pistons could have 8 or even 9 current players in 2024 Olympics (Really)

While the Detroit Pistons are suppose to have one of the worst records in the NBA this season, according to the Las Vegas oddsmakers, they could have over half their roster competing on the world’s biggest stage, the 2024 Olympic Games.

Outside of the NBA playoffs, the biggest event for professional basketball players is the Olympics. Yes, the United States usually wins, even when they do not have all their stars, but it also means a great deal to other countries around the world.

Without the depth of the Americans, the top NBA players from other countries face a lot of pressure to play in the Olympics, although most do it gladly. Pau Gasol, at age 41, was playing for Spain in Tokyo this year, although he is retired from NBA competition.

At the 2021 (postponed from 2020) Olympics in Tokyo, the Pistons had two representatives: Jerami Grant on Team USA and Jahlil Okafor with Nigeria.

Okafor has since been traded to the Nets,  but in no way will that hurt the amount of Pistons in the next Olympics, scheduled (as of now) for Paris in 2024. Actually, Detroit could have a lot more players in France than they had in Tokyo.

The Detroit Pistons could have as many as NINE (eight realistically) players in Paris. That is over half of its roster. That is pretty good for a team projected to win 25 games this season.

How will the Detroit Pistons have so many players at the 2024 Paris Olympics?

First, helping the cause is the fact the person now in charge of the men’s program for USA Basketball is a former Piston, Grant Hill. Any argument about too many players from one team, or in a small market, won’t fly with him.

There will be three paths to Paris for Pistons players: Team USA, Team Canada and others.

Team USA

Jerami Grant: The obvious candidate is Grant. He was on the team this year and they won a Gold Medal, why would he not make it again. Yes, he did not get much burn during the Olympics, but having players with Olympic experience is prized usually when selecting the team.

With many of Team USA’s top players from its Tokyo team expected not to play in Paris due to age, like Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard and Draymond Green, the fact Grant has been there and part of a gold-medal winning team will weigh heavily.

Saddiq Bey: Bey was picked for the USA Select team, basically the junior varsity of the Olympic team. They practiced with and against the Olympic team during training camp in Las Vegas. When Team USA was short on bodies due to health protocols and players still involved in the NBA playoffs, Bey was actually called up to the Olympic team and played in several of its exhibition games.

Bey is obviously on USA Basketball’s radar. With outside shooting so prized in the international game, Bey will be looked at closely for 2024 as he broke Steph Curry’s rookie record for games with five or more three-pointers this past season.

If Bey can improve the other facets of his game, which he worked on in summer league, in three years he could cement a spot on Team USA.

Isaiah Stewart: Paris is the site of fine food, so why not have some good ‘Beef Stew’ ? Stewart, along with Bey, were asked to play on the USA Select team. That is usually for young players whom USA Basketball think have the potential of making an Olympic team. Unfortunately, an ankle injury cut short his USA Basketball experience.

Stewart, as a center-power forward, plays a position of need. Team USA in Tokyo had to use 6-foot-6 Draymond Green as their starting center. When Kevin Love dropped out due to injury, USA Basketball turned to Flint native JaVale McGee, who had been a backup center with the Denver Nuggets this past season.

Remember, the next Olympics are three years away. Stewart is only 20-years-old, so he has a lot of upside. He is certainly a player USA Basketball will watch closely in the coming years, particularly as ‘Beef Stew’ attempts to improve his three-point shot.

Cade Cunningham: Considering USA Basketball has put outstanding young players on its teams to learn the international game in the past (Christian Laettner, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony), it would not have been surprising if a spot had been reserved for Cunningham this year. As a high draft pick with the most mature game, he would have fit in the best with the other Olympians.

Cunningham, with his all-around skills and high basketball IQ, would seem to be a natural fit for the international style of play. He played for the United States when it won the gold at the FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup in 2019. He was third overall in assists at the tournament. (Tyrese Haliburton was first) and averaged 11.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists.

Again, remember we are talking about three years from now. With that additional experience under his belt, Cunningham should be a prime candidate for Team USA. If anything, it would be surprising if he was not on it, if he develops as expected.