Considering that we’re still in the thick of the offseason and the roster may yet undergo more turnover, it’s perhaps a bit soon to project the Detroit Pistons starting lineup let alone the various configurations they may deploy depending on the situation, but we can at least get a skeletal picture of some of these rotations right now.
Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson are going to be eating up a lot of minutes in Detroit yet who they are surrounded by will often times be the difference in a given outcome. What follows is an examination of how the Detroit Pistons are likely to deploy their players as different needs take priority.
Detroit Pistons lineups: The starting five
Someone has to be on the court when the game begins, whether that’s the team’s five best players or simply the best unit. As of right now, ESPN has it that Cunningham, Ivey, Thompson, Bogdanovic, and Wiseman will be the ones to represent when the game gets tipped off. I don’t think so.
For “starters,” unless Wiseman is ready to make some massive strides, it would be a mistake to start him ahead of Duren.
Duren didn’t look like the league’s youngest player last season, which he was. He arrived to raw to the league but ready to contribute and did so by being one of its best rebounders and a capable defender.
We also must wonder if Bojan Bogdanovic will be here or not. The Joe Harris acquisition is just one indicator that he won’t be. Weaver is likely to be patient, possibly carrying Bogie all the way to the trade deadline, but that would also be somewhat disruptive to the team’s development. Bogdanovic was to the ’22-’23 Pistons what Jerami Grant was to the ’21-’22 Pistons; that is a veteran through whom we could run a great deal of our offense. But Bogdanovic is a more natural small forward than a power forward and in either case, he’s clogging up the court and in the way of one of the young core players.
I’m hopeful that the Pistons put forth their most talented tandem right out of the gate which would also, in this instance, serve to prioritize defense. That means, for me, dealing Bogie and starting either Beef Stew or Wiseman at the four. Until then, it’s very difficult to imagine Bogie losing his place among the starters.
IDEAL STARTING LINEUP: Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Bojan Bogdanovic, Jalen Duren
Detroit Pistons lineups: The 2nd unit
To whom will we turn when our starters need a blow? Now, this isn’t a “lineup” per se. If we see any five of the following on the court at the same time, things probably aren’t going very well. In any case, let’s look at who a true second unit might consist of.
To begin with, Monte Morris is a good bet as the first guard off the bench. Where does that leave the likes of Killian Hayes, Alec Burks, and rookie Marcus Sasser? Versions of this question have been bantered about since the draft. Is Killian soon to get a one-way ticket out of town? Can Morris and Sasser share the court together? Because I’m uncertain as to how ready Sasser is to take on meaningful minutes, I’m going to project Burks to join Morris in being the first backcourt players to come off the bench.
Another question worth asking is how deep Williams’ rotation will be? As a matter of fact, the deployment of his reserves came under fire toward the end of his tenure in Phoenix. Determining a de facto second unit depends upon doing the same for the starting lineup. Presumably, Joe Harris, Isaiah Stewart and James Wiseman will all get minutes off the bench at some point during the season. If the Detroit Pistons do opt to start Wiseman, it may not be for long.
Weaver and Williams are also going to have to decide whether to move one of their bigs. Could Wiseman or Bagley be traded, and Isaiah Livers then turned to more often? Quite a few choices are inherent with this roster and a new head coach in the mix. For now, I’ll try to forecast conservatively. By the end of the season, I think that Marcus Sasser is for sure apart of this group.
SECOND UNIT: Monte Morris, Alec Burks, Joe Harris, Isaiah Stewart, James Wiseman
Detroit Pistons lineups: Small ball
When the Pistons go small ball, they’re not even going to be that small. That’s by design, as Troy Weaver has been stockpiling athletic skyscrapers since day one. No, they haven’t all worked out but they have a lot of options. Let’s begin with the backcourt, which is for sure going to include Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey most of the time. Ivey is set to flourish in Monty Williams’ offense when running the point, but in this instance, he’ll be able to play off the ball and let Monte initiate Monty’s offense. Monte Morris, as we all likely know by now, has a historically great assist-to-turnover ratio for his career. He is also going to thrive in this offense as he can also knock down some triples given his 39.2 percent mark for his career.
Another obvious option is Marcus Sasser, who is, like Morris, 6-foot-2. Whoever takes a seat on the bench in favor of him is hard to say, but Sasser could be a top notch fit in such a lineup.
This is almost the hardest to pinpoint, as small ball lineups are usually heavy on 3-point shooters, beckoning the question: What about Bojan Bogdanovic or Joe Harris? Even Alec Burks, who isn’t small at all for a guard at 6-foot-6, is worth mentioning. Maybe Cade takes a seat in moments like these, and maybe he slides into the front court. It’s definitely conceivable that Cunningham could do so in spurts as his is a solidly built frame that can withstand a bit of pounding.
BEST SMALL BALL LINEUP: Monte Morris, Jaden Ivey, Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart
Detroit Pistons lineup when they need a stop
Sometimes you need a stop. You’re in the final minute of the game. Both teams have a timeout left. Coaches have their clipboards ready, prepared to diagram their way to a win or a loss. What will Monty Williams do when the Detroit Pistons need to shut down the opposition?
Let’s start with Ausar. Given all the possibilities leading up to the draft, it’ll be in moments like these when we’re most pleased with who we ended up with. Thompson can match up with so many different players and it’ll be fun to watch his development in this area. Will he become a true stopper for us? Because if so, the team’s identity may include him at the forefront with Cade. And speaking of Cade, naturally, he’ll be on the floor. It’s hard to imagine a situation where he won’t be. Hence the beauty of having a 6-foot-8 point guard. Another good bet is Jaden Ivey, for all the on-ball pressure he’s capable of applying. This trio could certainly gel together and make life harder for the opposing team’s ballhandlers and playmakers. If Hayes is with the team, he’d be a candidate to replace Ivey in this lineup at times, as Sasser will become.
In the frontcourt, we can expect to see Duren holding it down. Beef Stew will probably be serving as the connective tissue between the wings and the big man. Wiseman would be a possibility if Monty wants to see twin towers on the floor in the closing moments, but more often than not I’d anticipate Duren and Stewart being the tandem he goes with.
BEST DEFENSIVE UNIT: Jaden Ivery, Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart, Jalen Duren
Detroit Pistons lineups: The closers
As they say, it isn’t who starts the game that matters so much as who is on the court during the final minutes. Who will close games out for the Detroit Pistons? Will this rotation look any different than the starting lineup?
The obvious thing to consider is whether they’re in the lead or playing from behind in the final quarter. Presumably, as a sub-.500 team, they’ll usually be trying to play catch up. With that in mind, I think we could see Ivey on the bench more than the average starter this season. Until he can knockdown triples more reliably, he may have to defer to some of his backcourt mates. Both Burks and Morris are veterans who can stick it from long range and could be on the floor when it matters. Cunningham, of course, will be alongside them. It’s not inconceivable to see that trio joined by Bogdanovic and Duren.
If the Pistons begin turning the corner and find themselves trying to preserve the lead more often, I think we’ll see more of the starters on the floor. Maybe that’s the obvious conclusion. Ivey can get after it when he’s guarding the other team’s ballhandler, so he’s an outside jumper away from being nearly impossible to leave on the bench. Thompson and Stewart are going to definitely find themselves in demand in this instance, too. It’ll be hard to leave Duren’s dependable rebounding out of the equation but he’s quite possibly going to be in foul trouble at times. I’ve got a gut feeling that if Wiseman sticks in Detroit, he will get his share of meaningful minutes. His length and athleticism remain, even if his reputation has tarnished.
BEST CLOSING UNIT: Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart, James Wiseman