Training camp hasn’t even started yet (it tips off today) but the Detroit Pistons have already been dealt an injury.
The team confirmed reports that Isaiah Livers has sprained his ankle and will miss 6-8 weeks, potentially sidelining him for at least the first month of the regular season.
It’s another tough break for Livers, who will be in street clothes to start the season for the third straight year. You have to wonder about his future in Detroit, as he hasn’t been able to stay on the floor (going back to his college days) and is already 25 years old, so the clock is ticking.
While Livers was unlikely to be in the starting lineup, he had a chance to be a key part of the rotation, as the Pistons are thin at forward and need guys who can play the four, especially off the bench.
His injury could force new head coach Monty Williams into some tough decisions when it comes to the depth chart.
Detroit Pistons depth chart with Isaiah Livers
There has been plenty of debate about who will start and come off the bench for the Detroit Pistons, arguments that will likely be settled in training camp.
But this was the likely depth chart before Livers got hurt:
- Cade Cunningham/Monte Morris
- Jaden Ivey/Alec Burks
- Bojan Bogdanovic/Ausar Thompson
- Isaiah Stewart/Isaiah Livers
- Jalen Duren/James Wiseman
There are plenty of configurations Monty Williams could have used, but losing Livers is big, as his shooting could give the Pistons lineup options that could really unlock Cade Cunningham.
So Williams will have to pivot before training camp has even started, but does have some options.
2 possibilities for the Pistons depth chart with Isaiah Livers out
One option would be to use either Bojan Bogdanovic or Isaiah Stewart as the backup power forward and insert rookie Ausar Thompson into the starting lineup.
This would be my preference, as I think Thompson is going to be a difference maker right away and may already be the Pistons’ best defender. I like the idea of putting the best defensive team out there to start games and set a tone.
So if the Pistons wanted to go defensive, they could deploy this group:
- Cade Cunningham/Monte Morris
- Jaden Ivey/Alec Burks
- Ausar Thompson/Joe Harris
- Isaiah Stewart/Bojan Bogdanovic
- Jalen Duren/James Wiseman
The Pistons could start with defense and then insert shooters as the starters hit the bench. You definitely wouldn’t want Bogdanovic and Joe Harris on the floor much together, as both are sub par defenders, but they give Monty Williams a lot of options and configurations with the young starting five. These are the five players Detroit is hoping to build around, so why not get it started now?
If coach Williams wanted more shooting on the floor to start games, we could see this instead:
- Cade Cunningham/Monte Morris
- Jaden Ivey/Alec Burks
- Ausar Thompson/Joe Harris
- Bojan Bogdanovic/Isaiah Stewart
- Jalen Duren/James Wiseman
This one seems more likely, as it allows the Pistons to spread out their shooting and use Beef Stew as a super sub who plays both big man spots.
There are other options, but they might cause a riot in Detroit.
2 possibilities for the Pistons depth chart with Isaiah Livers out
One of the biggest topics of conversation this offseason is how the Pistons will use their multitude of bigs, especially considering 3/4ths of them can’t shoot at all and none are great defenders yet.
Monty Williams threw gasoline on this fire by saying that he thought JALEN DUREN COULD PLAY THE FOUR, a response that sent Pistons Twitter into panic mode.
I don’t think Duren at the four is something we’ll see, as coach Williams was really just saying that Duren had that kind of athleticism and ability.
But that doesn’t mean we won’t see some version of the dreaded two-big lineups, especially now that Isaiah Livers is sidelined.
- Cade Cunningham/Monte Morris
- Jaden Ivey/Alec Burks
- Bojan Bogdanovic/Ausar Thompson
- Isaiah Stewart/Marvin Bagley III
- Jalen Duren/James Wiseman
We saw enough of MBIII and Wiseman together last season to know it’s likely to be a diaster no matter who the coach is.
The spacing was horrible, but even worse was the effect on the defense, as neither of these guys can step out on the perimeter or chase a quicker forward down the floor on the break.
But with Livers out, this option is on the table for the Detroit Pistons, though I am sure coach Williams will use it sparingly and ditch it completely if it is not working.
Livers may only be a role player, but his absence will affect the Deroit Pistons, who were already low on players who can play the four and stretch the floor.