Detroit Pistons: 1 thing for each young player to improve in the 2nd half

It seems hard to believe, but the Detroit Pistons are already halfway through the 2022-23 season.

At just 11-30, it’s safe to say things haven’t gone to plan and that this young roster has not yet made the leap that we thought they might.

The Pistons will be without Cade Cunningham for the season, which has definitely set back their growth and forced other players into bigger, unfamiliar roles.

But the one thing that has to excite fans is the play of Jaden Ivey, Killian Hayes, Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart in his absence, as the two rookies have been very good and Hayes and Stewart have both made improvements to their offensive games.

They all still have a long way to go, but I think we’ll see continued improvement and reasons for optimism as the season goes on. Here is one thing each young player can improve in the second half for the Detroit Pistons.

Since Cunningham is out, he’ll have to wait until next year, and since Isaiah Livers is pushing 25-years-old and also out for the foreseeable future, I’ll not be including him either.

Detroit Pistons: 1 thing for each young player to improve

Saddiq Bey: Everything

Is that not specific enough? Bey has arguably been the biggest disappointment for the Detroit Pistons this season, as he has regressed in pretty much everything. His shooting numbers are the worst of his career and his scoring, rebounding and assist numbers are down as well. If I really had to choose one thing, it would be the 3-point shooting, as he is shooting fewer and hitting a lower percentage than last season. There are some signs he may be breaking out of it (hopefully hitting the game winner against Golden State will help) but Bey is a below-average wing defender, so if he doesn’t start hitting shots, I am not sure what his future is with this team.

Isaiah Stewart: Attacking the rim

Stewart has had a breakout season as a 3-point shooter, though he has been in a slump of late. But Stewart has been beating defenders off the dribble with more regularity and finishing around the rim with authority. It looks like he has more bounce this season and is starting to figure out that no one wants to take charge from a full-speed Beef Stew:

His 3-point shooting is already there, but if he can do this with more regularity, the ceiling for what he can be as a power forward is raised significantly.

Jaden Ivey: Decision making

There is no doubt that Jaden Ivey has immense talent and he often looks like the fastest, most athletic player on the floor. He can score around the rim and is drawing fouls at a rate similar to Russell Westbrook when he was a rookie.

But also like Westbrook, Ivey’s shot selection has been suspect at times and he has a propensity for driving into traffic and turning the ball over. Every young guard goes through this, and he’s been placed in a bigger role, so what we’ve seen from Ivey is not surprising. He just needs to be more patient, to look to pass out of penetration before the defense converges and to stop taking ill-advised 3-point shots early in the clock. Of all of these players, I think Ivey will improve the most over the second half, as he is putting in the work and is a smart player who understands what he needs to work on.

Jalen Duren: Free throws

Duren has been a monster on the boards since becoming a starter and people are now wondering exactly how good this kid can be, as he is the NBA’s youngest player and already well ahead of schedule as a rebounder and passer.

Considering how much he plays under the rim, Duren only shoots 1.9 free throws per game for the season and is hitting just 56 percent of them. There are signs of improvement, as he has shot 2.1 per game as a starter and is hitting a much-improved 69 percent. He’s a guy who plays physically and is tough to stop under the rim without fouling, so this can be a weapon for him.

Duren has been compared to Andre Drummond because of his rebounding, which is great, but he doesn’t want to be like Drummond from the free-throw line.

Killian Hayes: Consistency

Hayes has been much better as a starter this season, and has turned his career around after a horrendous start. The offense has been better with him at the helm and he has a great assist to turnover ratio. Although his shooting has been better, he’s still a wild card from night to night.

Hayes doesn’t have to be a prolific scorer for the Pistons, but he has to cut out the nights when he goes 2-of-8 and only scores four points. He has value to this team as a floor general and defender, as he showed against Golden State, racking up 13 assists and zero turnovers, but for him to take the next step as a player, he has to be more consistent shooting the ball from game to game, which has pretty much been the story of his career so far.

There is reason to be excited about all of these players, and when the Detroit Pistons get Cade Cunningham back, add another high draft pick and a few impact free agents, they may finally be on their way to being competitive next season around this young core.