Detroit Pistons: 2 best positional battles of the preseason so far
Detroit Pistons: Trey Lyles vs. Luka Garza
Luka Garza was able to make the Pistons’ full-time roster after initially being offered a two-way contract.
Garza put in the work this offseason to get in better shape and improve his quickness and has quickly become a fan favorite because of it.
But he is still a work in progress and could probably use some reps in the G-League, so I expect Trey Lyles to start out as the third big man off the bench.
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Lyles got more minutes in the first preseason game and Garza was relegated to mop-up duty late in the 4th quarter.
Lyles made the most of his minutes, knocking down 3-of-4 from long range, but Garza did have four points, two rebounds and two blocks in just over seven minutes.
Garza definitely has a chance to seize this role long term, especially if he continues to show that he can defend. But for now it appears Lyles is in the driver’s seat to be the third big and the Pistons could use some small-ball lineups that take advantage of their defensive versatility with Lyles on the floor.
I wouldn’t be shocked if Garza starts in the G-League but eventually works his way onto the regular roster, especially if the Detroit Pistons are out of playoff contention.
Advantage: Trey Lyles