On the most recent episode of The Zach Lowe Show, host Zach Lowe and guest Kirk Goldsberry discussed their top candidates for Most Improved Player next season. As expected, some Pistons appeared in the conversation and the two could not stop talking about the potential for growth of Detroit’s young core.
Both Lowe and Goldsberry are veterans in the NBA journalism space. Lowe has been covering the league for 15+ years and Goldsberry is a former executive for the Spurs and Team USA Basketball. It’s very exciting to hear them mention not just one Piston in the conversation, but multiple.
Detroit Pistons: Primed for Multiple Breakouts
The first Piston to come up was Ausar Thompson. Lowe listed him as an obvious candidate for MIP after Goldsberry chose Ausar’s twin brother, Amen Thompson of the Houston Rockets. The rationale for Ausar’s continued breakout is clear.
He showed his impact on the Pistons last season as his minutes ramped up in the second half of the season, but still has yet to get a fully healthy season. He also looked much improved compared to his rookie year despite suffering a blood clot injury in the offseason in between.
The Pistons expect him to take yet another leap after a healthy offseason and establish himself as a true rising star in the league. He is already arguably the Pistons’ best defender and elevates the entire team on that end of the court, but an offensive leap could also be coming.
Another name that came up in the conversation was Jaden Ivey. Again, the rationale for his MIP campaign is clear. Last season, Ivey looked like one of the league’s most improved players in his 30 games played. His jump in outside shooting helped keep the Pistons’ offense afloat and he upped his scoring efficiently.
The Pistons are now thrusting him into a spot where he can showcase his growth even more. Not only will he be the starting shooting guard alongside Cade Cunningham, he will also share backup point guard duties and often be the primary ball handler on the court.
If Ivey can take a leap in terms of playmaking and defense on top of maintaining the shooting he displayed last season, he will instantly be a top contender for the Most Improved Player award. This growth will also help catapult the Pistons offense to the level that is needed for playoff success.
Finally, Jalen Duren’s name came up as a physically imposing big with room to grow. I’m more skeptical of Duren’s capacity for growth at this point in his career, but holding steady on his offensive production while improving his defense will still have a huge impact on the Pistons’ ceiling.
The national media buzz around multiple members of the Pistons’ young core has fans tremendously excited. Even if all of these leaps don’t pan out right away, the mention of three separate players shows that the Pistons as a whole are primed for big improvements.