LAS VEGAS — Losing Malik Beasley’s three-point shooting will be a huge blow for the Detroit Pistons, but Chaz Lanier is shaping up to be a perfect project replacement who should work beautifully next to Cade Cunningham. He’s the exact type of player the Pistons should be looking to surround their franchise cornerstone with.
Lanier’s performance in Summer League thus far hasn’t been anything groundbreaking, but he’s played just well enough to leave Pistons fans hopeful for the future. And the level of confidence he has in his three-point shot is enough for the Pistons to feel good about him as a project moving forward.
He’s certainly someone who could replace Beasley’s minutes down the line.
What has Chaz Lanier done in Summer League?
Through his first two Summer League games with the Pistons, Lanier didn’t shoot incredibly well. He averaged 12.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists while shooting just 36.0% from the field and 33.3% from deep-range.
However, perhaps the most important stat of the bunch is the volume of threes he attempted. Lanier took 9.0 threes per game through his first two contests, and he didn’t slow down on Tuesday night, either.
In his third Summer League game with the Pistons, Lanier got active once again. He got up 12 three-point attempts, making four of them, ending the evening with 12 points, one rebound, and one block.
Lanier has been an incredible three-point threat for years now. In his final three years of college ball, two with North Florida and one with Tennessee, he shot the lights out. As a fifth-year senior with the Volunteers, he shot 39.5% from distance on 8.2 attempts per game.
If the Pistons continue developing him and he stays confident in his three-point shot, there’s no reason he can’t be the guy to take on the Beasley minutes down the line. And with Cunningham leading the way, the Pistons need shooters like Lanier surrounding him to keep the floor open.
What should the Pistons do for now?
As Lanier continues to develop, the Pistons have done a great job of adding stop-gap shooters to the lineup. Though Beasley almost certainly won’t be back, they inked Duncan Robinson to a contract, bringing his shooting into the mix.
Caris LeVert also joined the squad, giving the Pistons a nice blend of shooting and shot-creation alongside Cunningham.
Lanier may not end up playing significant minutes this season, but with his shot, he looks like a solid bet to replace Beasley’s production at some point.