The Detroit Pistons are undefeated in Summer League so far, getting wins over the Portland Trail Blazers and Washington Wizards.
Tonight they will take on the Indiana Pacers in game three, one fans had circled on their calendar, but we’ll be denied the head-to-head matchup between Jaden Ivey and Benedict Mathurin that many of us were eager to see.
Ivey went down with what is hopefully a minor ankle injury, but it’s unlikely that he returns for the final two games of NBA Summer League.
Saben Lee also left the last game with what looked to be an ankle injury, continuing the ankle curse the Pistons have dating back to last season when both Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart went down early.
So were are likely to see some unfamiliar faces in the lineup tonight, which leads to some questions heading into game three.
Detroit Pistons NBA Summer League: 3 questions for game 3
Who is going to play at guard?
With both Jaden Ivey and Saben Lee expected to be out for this one, who exactly is going to play point guard for the Detroit Pistons?
Charlie Moore is the only real point guard on the roster, so Detroit is going to have to find a way to make plays and run the half court offense without a real floor general.
Some of the duties of initiating the offense could fall to Isaiah Livers, who is a good passer, but more of the connector variety than a guy who gets the offense started.
We’ll probably see more of Kameron McGusty, Jules Bernard and Stanley Umude as well, but the Pistons may have problems getting the offense going without Ivey, Lee or Killian Hayes in the lineup.
Can Stanley Umude fight his way onto the roster?
Umude turned some heads in the second game when he came in and scored 12 points in just 10 minutes, probably earning himself some additional run.
If you are wondering who Stanley Umude is, ask the Arkansas fans that flooded our mentions yesterday to show love for Umude, who became a fan favorite due to his work ethic and 3-point shooting.
The 6-foot-6 guard is already 23-years-old, but has the makeup of the type of long, versatile wing players the Pistons have been trying to add. If he gets more minutes and keeps knocking down 3-point shots, he has an outside chance of making the roster.
This is the reason many thought it was a bit premature to sign Buddy Boeheim to one of the two-way contracts, as there are other players who have been more impressive so far.
Will Kyle Foster get into a game?
Even though he is an extreme long shot to make the team, I was hoping to get to see a little of Kyle Foster out of Howard, who led the nation in 3-point shooting last season.
Foster’s game has a lot of glaring flaws, but shooting is not one of them, so I’ll be curious to see if a team desperate for shooting gives him some minutes in the Summer League.
Is he a guy who could find a spot in the G-League? Hopefully we’ll get to see a little of him tonight, as the Pistons are low on guards and more guys might get a shot.