If the players on the Detroit Pistons official summer league roster all actually play, they should romp to the championship. Why all these top of the depth chart players are going to Las Vegas is another story.
The Pistons appear ready to win the NBA title right now – Summer League version.
Look at this roster:
The Pistons summer league roster is going to murder those other poor kids pic.twitter.com/qOtFx5l8lY
— Duncan Smith (@DuncanSmithNBA) June 30, 2022
Detroit will be coached by Jordan Brink, a member of the developmental staff.
The Pistons could roll out a lineup of Cade Cunningham-Killian Hayes-Isaiah Stewart-Saddiq Bey-Jaden Ivey, which is probably five of their top seven players in the regular season rotation.
Since most NBA teams fill their summer league roster with draft picks, undrafted rookies, G-Leaguers and NBA benchwarmers, having them face a real NBA lineup would certainly be an uphill battle.
Stocked with so much recognizable talent, it is no wonder the Pistons are being featured on Opening Night (July 7). The Pistons face the Portland Trail Blazers (Shaedon Sharpe!) at midnight Detroit time.
While it is certainly a fun roster, and Pistons fans will probably enjoy being the favorite for once, this roster does bring up a bunch of questions. Which we will attempt to answer.
Questions answered about Detroit Pistons summer league team
Q: Where the heck is Jalen Duren?
Duren was part of the draft night trade with the New York Knicks, which can not be officially consumated until noon, July 6, when the new league year begins. Don’t worry,he will be in a Pistons uniform in Las Vegas.
Q: What about our second-round pick, Gabriele Procida? Do not see him listed either.
A: According to Keith Langlois, who works for the Pistons, Procida is not coming over from Italy this season, so will not see him in summer league.
Q: What about last year’s draft-and-stash, Balsa Koprivica?
A: Absolutely! After spending a year playing pro ball in Serbia, Koprivica will return for summer league.
Q: Why are there so many Boeheim’s on the roster?
A: Buddy is a 6-foot-6 shooter who played for his dad at Syracuse and was one of the top scorers in the ACC. He has already signed a two-way contract with the Pistons, so get ready to watch him play a lot for the Motor City Cruise. Jimmy Boeheim is a year older. He played at Cornell before transferring to Syracuse for his fifth-year of eligibility and joined his brother and father.
Besides NBA and G-League executives, a lot of foreign pro club scouts are also in Las Vegas, looking to stock their teams. Maybe general manager Troy Weaver, a former assistant at Syracuse, is doing his old boss a solid and let Jimmy play to be seen by them.
Q: Is Cade Cunningham really going to play?
A: According to Langlois, Cunningham, Bey, Stewart are on the roster more for the pre-summer league practices, getting a chance to get to know future teammates and work on their skills. You might see Cunningham for a game or two early on, but be prepared for a lot more Saben Lee and rookie Charlie Moore running the show than Cade.
Q: Why aren’t our newest players, Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel playing? It’s a good chance to start learning the system and meeting teammates.
A: There is a cap on how many years a player can be in the NBA and still be eligible for summer league. Basically, they can’t.
There are playoffs and a championship, so it is not just meaningless games. If Detroit wants to, they have all the firepower needed to win it all.