Most of the talk around the Detroit Pistons so far this offseason has revolved around which young players they should keep and whether they need to swing for a big trade.
Probably the most devastating part of the injuries to Jaden Ivey and later Isaiah Stewart was that we didn’t get to see the young core play much together and not at all in the playoffs, which cost the Pistons valuable data.
They may have to be patient to see what they have, but time is in short supply, as both Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren are eligible for extensions this summer and it’s tough to guess what either one of them will or should get.
There’s also a strong argument for just letting them play out their current contacts to become restricted free agents, though you then risk losing them for nothing or being forced to pay more if they have big seasons.
It’s a tough position for Trajan Langdon to be in, as he has to get it right if he does decide to make a move involving one or more of his young guys.
This was the crux of a recent episode of The Game Theory podcast, where hosts Sam Vecenie and Bryce Simon broke down the Pistons’ offseason.
One of their main debates was whether Detroit could ultimately thrive with both Duren and Ausar Thompson, two non-shooters, in the starting five, and if not, which one of them should go.
Here is a quick summary of their argument:
-The Pistons have too many non-floor spacers.
-Duren and Thompson often occupy the same space.
-If you ultimately don’t think Thompson and Duren are a fit, then how much are you comfortable paying Duren?
These are all fair questions, ones that the Pistons will have to answer quickly if they want to lock Duren into an extension this summer.
But I do think the idea that Thompson and Duren “can’t” play together is overblown.
Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren: Two non-shooters in the starting five
If we look at just the playoff numbers, there is nothing to suggest that Duren and Thompson can’t co-exist.
They were both part of a starting five that had a +15.6 net rating against the Knicks, by far Detroit’s best lineup.
As a duo, the two were +8.7, and Thompson was the only player on the Pistons to have a positive net rating with Duren. For all of their alleged chemistry, Cade Cunningham and Duren were a –4 in the playoffs.
The Pistons did start to figure out the Knicks’ defense by using Duren as more of passer out of the short roll, with Thompson cutting to the hoop behind the defense for easy dunks.
This is one way the two can be effective, especially if Duren continues to improve as a passer.
There is also a chance Thompson eventually evolves into a better shooter, though I certainly wouldn’t bank on it given what we’ve seen so far. This is also true of Duren, who would open the offense up considerably by adding a 12-15 foot jumper to his repertoire, again, not something I expect to happen anytime soon.
The questions around Duren and Thompson are fair ones to ask, especially when you consider that it will to be tough for the Pistons to keep all of the young players they currently have on the roster.
There are painful decisions ahead, but the Pistons don’t need to make them right away and should have more information at their disposal when it comes time to make a choice.