The Detroit Pistons didn’t make it to the knockout stage of the NBA Cup, which means they will have a mini break this week, as their next game isn’t until Friday at home against the Hawks.
This little break in the schedule makes me wonder if some coaches will start playing their backups in NBA Cup games just to get the break. It’s not like there is any real reward for winning, so you could argue the losses were worth the extra time off.
This pause in the schedule will give the Pistons time to evaluate where their players are and make necessary adjustments to the rotation. Here are some things we can expect to see when the Pistons get back to action on Friday.
Jaden Ivey will be playing more
Jaden Ivey has been on restricted minutes since returning from a broken leg he suffered last season, but that should be lifted soon as he continues to inch closer to 100 percent.
Ivey has played well in his last few games, including dropping 10 points in just 16 minutes in the last game, showing the scoring burst and outside shooting the Pistons have missed this season. Even as he works his way back into shape, Ivey’s 3-point shot has been there, as he’s shooting nearly 42 percent from long range.
It’s a skill the Pistons desperately need, as Cade Cunningham has struggled from long-range leaving Duncan Robinson as their only real 3-point threat.
We should see Ivey closer to 20 minutes per game once they return and he’ll be back in the starting five at some point, or at least playing starter’s minutes, soon.
Those minutes have to come from somewhere, so coach JB Bickerstaff should be using this time off to figure out his rotation.
The Pistons rotation will start to tighten
I’ve set a deadline of mid-January for the Pistons to lock in their rotation, as it’s the halfway point of the season and they’ll need to start honing their roles for the playoffs.
But coach Bickerstaff played 13 guys in the last game, so that tightening may need to start sooner, and we’ve already seen signs of it.
Daniss Jenkins barely played in the last game and his time in the rotation may be coming to an end soon. Chaz Lanier was assigned to the G-League, so even though he wasn’t playing much anyway, it gives JB one less option.
We know Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland and Caris LeVert will be three of the bench players coach Bickerstaff uses, but any other minutes are still up for grabs. The frontrunner is Javonte Green, who continues to play well this season. I keep thinking his rotation time is going to get cut, but then he has another double-digit game with multiple steals and doesn’t look like he’s going anywhere.
The aforementioned Jenkins and Marcus Sasser will likely be fighting for whatever minutes remain, but at some point, coach Bickerstaff is going to have to choose a 9 or 10-man rotation and stick with it.
The Pistons can enjoy the time off, get healthy and have some time to strategize after a much-needed mini-break at the 25 percent point of the season.