Detroit Pistons: This longshot rookie flashed potential in loss to Knicks

The Detroit Pistons entered their Wednesday night matchup with the New York Knicks with a preseason record of 1-1. The young team defeated the San Antonio Spurs in their first game with an explosive 39 point first quarter, quick transition offense, and cohesive team defense. Against the Memphis Grizzlies, the Pistons faltered as they lost 127-92.

Early on in those two games, it was clear Detroit was still a work in progress. Their three-point shooting remained subpar and their young group simply needs more time to develop.

Detroit was shorthanded against the Knicks. Rookie Cade Cunningham was again inactive as he is still nursing his ankle injury. Saddiq Bey was injured during Detroit’s matchup with Memphis, he too was held out of the game. Killian Hayes was ruled out due to a concussion as well.

With the Detroit Pistons missing three key contributors during their visit to Madison Square Garden, an opportunity was presented for the other young players to step up in their absence.

Detroit would ultimately fall to the Knicks 108-100. The Pistons were in control for the majority of the first half and third quarter. They even went into halftime with a 56-52 lead. It seemed that the team had an answer for every run the Knicks would go on. But late in the third quarter, the Knicks’ defense locked in, Detroit’s offense faltered, and New York was able to take the lead and keep it.

Detroit Pistons: Jamorko Pickett flashed potential in preseason loss

Amid the disappointing loss to New York, one young Piston was able to flash his potential and hustle on the boards.

Jamorko Pickett is one of Detroit’s two-way guys heading into the 2021-22 season. The rookie out of Georgetown excelled during the Summer League and earned himself a training camp invite with the Pistons. After Sekou Doumbouya was shipped off to Brooklyn, Luka Garza’s two-way contract was made into a full contract, opening up a two-way spot for Pickett.

The 23-year-old rookie had played sparingly in Detroit’s first two preseason games. In the preseason opener against the Spurs, Pickett received seven and a half minutes of playing time in which he managed to make a single basket for two points.

Against Memphis, the rookie received 12 minutes on the court where he only managed one rebound, a single missed three-pointer and a foul.

The injury to Bey meant that Pickett would see playing time early against the Knicks, and the rookie forward made the most of it.

In 17 minutes of playing time, Pickett scored seven points, five rebounds and a single assist. While these are not flashy stats, they came as a result of hustle plays from the 23-year-old.

After the Memphis game, Pistons HC Dwane Casey made a point to call out Detroit’s poor rebounding. As a whole, the players stepped up on the boards against New York. The Detroit Pistons out-rebounded the Knicks by a single rebound. A significant improvement from the Memphis game where Detroit was outrebounded by 17.

Pickett was a major factor in Detroit’s boost in rebounding, especially on the offensive end of the court. Four of the 23-year-old’s five rebounds came as offensive boards. Pickett’s first offensive rebound came in the closing seconds of the first quarter. He managed a quick putback bucket as the clock expired. The forward had a second putback score in the second quarter as well.

Pickett played with energy and aggression. He exploited his matchup with a much less physical Kevin Knox.

In the game, Pickett also managed to sink one of his two-shot attempts from beyond the arc. In all, the rookie attempted four shots against New York: the two putbacks and the two three-point attempts. His box score numbers were not flashy, but the rookie showed potential to be a great role player in the NBA.

Pickett simply plays with the hustle and aggression that will make him a plus as a rebounder and defender. The 23-year-old still needs to refine his game, but that is why he is on a two-way contract for the Detroit Pistons.

He will spend most of his time this season with the Motor City Cruise. There he will have consistent minutes and be able to develop a well-rounded game. Injuries could force Casey and GM Troy Weaver to call the rookie up to the main roster, but Pickett’s hard-working style of play should make him a decent short-term option to fill in for an injury.

Pickett is not going to be a main rotation guy this year. He is going to be a G-League prospect who could one day become a solid role player. While he is not yet ready to play full-time at the NBA level, his hustle and aggressive style of play will help him develop into one.

Detroit’s preseason game against the Knicks was a disappointing loss. What had started as a very solid opening first half quickly turned into a rout late in the game. Much like the team, most players went from a solid first half of play to a disappointing performance in the second half.

Pickett was far from perfect in his 17 minutes on the court. But the 23-year-old rookie stood out as a hustling rebounder who could become a high-energy role player for the as he develops in the G-League this season.