The Pistons are already loaded at the shooting guard position, but Chaz Lanier is making his argument to add even more depth there. Lanier has shined in his last two games during the Las Vegas Summer League while showing off the outside shooting that originally got him drafted in 2025. Even though Lanier lacks the additional playmaking that Detroit needs off the bench, his shooting might be so good that the Pistons have no choice but to play him more minutes next season.
Chaz Lanier is trying to change his NBA trajectory
In his rookie season, Lanier saw very little meaningful action for the Pistons after being a second-round draft pick. He played just 34 regular season games and averaged only 2.4 points per game in those appearances. And as an older rookie (he was 23 when he entered the league), Lanier must know that time is quickly ticking on his NBA future if he can't find more minutes next season.
Lanier has smartly used the summer league to showcase exactly why he was drafted. In his last two games there, he scored 25 and 24 points, respectively. Those games also ended with him knocking down at least 7 threes in each outing, He's using his quick trigger to get his long-range shots off in a hurry and rack up makes while the defense is unprepared. Lanier might never be a go-to scorer for the Pistons in the regular season, but he's showing how he can contribute as a role player to help address a key need.
Last season, Lanier struggled to get on the court for other reasons, namely his defense. He will need to prove to the Pistons, especially head coach JB Bickerstaff, that his defense has improved enough to be credible at the NBA level. If he can do that and find some opportunities to display his shooting prowess, Lanier might still have a chance to save his Pistons career.
The Pistons still need more shooting
Detroit has made it a priority to add more shooting with most of their transactions this offseason. The two biggest additions in that department were John Collins and Isaiah Joe, both of whom shot over 40% from deep last season. But a team that will likely roll out two non-shooters (Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren) in its starting lineup could always use more shooting.
Lanier is also showing another important aspect of shooting besides accuracy: raw volume. He's put up a staggering amount of three-point attempts in summer league so far, and he'll be most effective in the NBA if he can carry over that fearless release. Whenever he touches the court, Lanier needs to wreck havoc for opposing defenses by weaponizing his immediate shooting threat. Fortunately, he's showing signs of doing just that in summer league so far.
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