Are The Detroit Pistons ELITE? Pistons Jack Joins To Discuss Whether Detroit Is Top-4 Seed!

Are The Detroit Pistons ELITE? Pistons Jack Joins To Discuss Whether Detroit Is Top-4 Seed!

In today’s episode, we are joined by Jack Kelly, otherwise known as Pistons. Jack, to talk about are the Detroit Pistons an elite team for this upcoming season. We’ll break it down today’s episode, locked on Pistons podcast. Let’s go. You are Locked on Pistons, your daily Detroit Pistons podcast, part of the Locked On Network, your team every day. What’s the deal? Welcome back to another episode of the Lockdown Pistons podcast. Per usual, I am your host Cookah Hill. I’ve been covering the Detroit Pistons over the last four years for the Lockdown Network. Been a credential media member over the last three years. I appreciate all of you guys who make Lockdown Pistons your first listen of every single day. The everydayers, the first listeners, I appreciate all the support over the years and continued support. And today’s episode is brought to you by Monarch Money. Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code lockmbba at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year. You’ll hear a little bit more about Monarch Money a little bit later, but let’s get into it. Right into it. Here we’re joined by everyone knows Pistons, Jack, the the best the most famous outside of Detroit fan there is. Everyone knows about Jack, man. We’ve had him on the podcast before. Jack, how you doing, man? I appreciate you coming on. Hey, appreciate you having me on, C. I was thinking earlier today, I was like, this is the third off seasonason in a row I’ve joined the podcast. I think I’ve been on three or four times, but I’m really excited to be on during an off season to talk about a playoff team, a team that, you know, we’ve in the past offseasons, we’ve spoken about the potential, but we’re actually talking about a playoff team. So, I’m I’m really excited to be back and to talk about an exciting team. Yeah, I think that’s definitely a different feeling around here and something I feel like everyone, including myself, you fans, every I think everyone’s getting accustomed to because it has been a while for the Pistons to be as serious as they are right now, which is going to lead us into our first segment where we’re going to talk about the Pistons. Are they an elite team this upcoming year? Should they be considered contenders in the East? Also, we’ll eventually talk about later in the podcast most intriguing players for the Detroit Pistons. And then I want to get Jack’s thoughts on whether the Pistons should extend Jaylen Dur and Jay Naive. feels like the final questions of the off seasonason. So, we’ll definitely get to that. Um, but Jack, let’s go ahead and start with are the Pistons an elite team? So, the Athletic came out with a power ranking. They had the Pistons at the 10th best team in the NBA. I saw it, I was like, “Oh, that’s pretty hefty praise right there.” I thought that was if you would just told me off the top to just say a random number, I don’t know if I would have said 10. But seems like they are some pretty big fans of the Pistons. I’ve seen some ESPN guys talking about the Pistons. I just was listening to Zack Low and um Howard Beck, I believe it was, um talk about the Pistons potentially as a top four team in the East. So, where are you at, Jack, after everything that’s happened this off season? Where do you where do you think the Pistons stand in the Eastern Conference right now? I I truly believe they are, you know, they are they can be a top four team in the East. Like, I think they’re below the Cavs. I’m with people who say they might be behind the Magic even though we got to see what they look like. Um but I think they can be right there with the Hawks, the Atlanta Hawks around that four five. I could see the Hawks finishing four and the Pistons fifth. But um I am surprised to see I will be honest like places like the Athletic ESPN talking about the Pistons in this way. But at the same time, I probably shouldn’t be because I truly think they have some elite facets to their game as a team. Like I think what we saw defensively from them from pretty much January onwards um and that that coincides with Assar Thompson becoming who we’re probably going to touch on in the next segment. But um I think what they can bring defensively can be truly elite and then you mix in where K Cunningham has taken his game to and where he can continue to improve. I truly think I don’t know if I’m ready to say right now that they are an elite team. I think they’ve got to prove a little bit more. But I think when you look at this roster and you look at the young core and the progression I think a lot of us expect them to take this season, like even if like no one takes that big time leap of say Duran, Ivy, or Assaar, I still think they’re all going to get better. Um, and I do think one of them will take a leap, but I I think they can be in that conversation come trade deadline where we’re talking about them as an elite team, but I think they’ve just got to prove it a little bit more, especially with some of the players they lost. Um, I’m a little bit higher on the offseason they’ve had so far, but I understand um those that aren’t. Uh, but I think they got to prove it a little bit more, but I’m I would not be shocked at all to see them finish top four in the East and be a top 10 overall team in the NBA. Yeah, I I I I think fourth and fifth I think between four and six in the East is probably where I would have them. I think that’s where their range is going to be. I would agree that the teams I have above them in the East right now are Cleveland, New York, and Orlando. I I just really love where Orlando did this off seasonason, and they were just destroyed by injuries this past year. So, I feel like even if they I feel like if they were healthy, they would have gave the Pistons a run for their money for that six spot. I really like the Orlando Magic team, and I like Desmond Bane. So, I think they probably will be ahead of the Pistons. Um, but like you said, we do have to see it play out and see how they actually fit and all that. Um, but to buffer the point of how good the Pistons can be this upcoming year, whether they are a fourth, fifth seed in the East, this past year at the January 1st, they had a top five defense in the NBA. They had the seventh best net rating in the NBA at the January 1. And that is basically correlated with Assar Thompson going in the starting lineup. defense completely changed and they became not just again not just one of the best defense, they had the seventh best net rating in the entire NBA. So, how much of that is real? How much of that is sustainable for an entire season? Um, I think the Pistons had Go ahead. Did you have something about that? I I think it is real and I truly do and I know that they kind of tapered off just before the playoffs I want to say in like the last two or three weeks of the season those numbers dip but like I was listening to podcast in January, February and like we’re looking at the numbers that you just outlined like the net rating was like like you said top seven for a long time like I feel like when you and I podcast before like we talk about sample sizes and like how good it is to have this 100 minute thing like or you have this you know 10 game stretch but that was like a genuine like 35 game stretch I want to say which yes is not the biggest sample you want to see more you want to see it from start to finish but like it was that was legit and I think you saw in the playoffs like this Pistons team it’s funny how like I I don’t know with Detroit the successful Pistons teams with the pass like there’s always this like alignment and it’s like we saw in the playoffs like this team’s going to be built on rebounding defense physicality athleticism and of course they’re led by Cade who is like a mcurial playmaking. Like he’s he’s just a superstar. But it’s like this team’s going to be built on like grit, toughness, and like that’s why I believe so much in the defense. You look at JB staff, like that’s who he is as a coach. He had a really good interview uh at summer league, I think, forgetting the podcast, but just talking about that identity and how important it is. And like I truly believe in the defense and I think there’s an offensive upside here that we could see that really propels them to that elite. But I I’m I believe in that stretch we saw that you outlined from January through to maybe early March. No. Yeah, I believe in it too. I think the defense I completely agree with you about this team’s going to be built on defense because I I tr and this may be because I’m too high on this player, but I I really feel like I’m not based off the numbers. I think a SAR in of himself is we’ve seen it now for two straight years because even when he was on the court his rookie year the Pistons were a top defense when he’s been on the floor through two years of his career. So I almost feel like that just in and of himself he’s like a top 10 defense just alone like he can just he just warps the team defense. In December they had the 28th ranked defense. He comes back they have a top five defense. It’s crazy. So, I I definitely agree their defense is going to be maybe if it’s not top five, there’s going to be top 10 defense. It’s going to be a really good defense. Um, and I think it could be top five still. What they’re going to have to improve on is obviously within their half court offense. They were one of the worst half court offenses in the league this past year, but that’s where potentially one of the most intriguing players that we’ll talk about coming up maybe comes into play. Jay and Ivy, hopefully he comes back improved. He can help in that regard. Maybe Assar comes back improved. he can handle the ball a little bit more. Um, but I think this team because of how one, the East is pretty weak right now. And two, because the Pistons are kind of at the perfect time as the East is getting weaker, the Pistons are getting stronger and their young guys are kind of coming into their own. I definitely think they could finish fourth in the Eastern Conference. It’s just going to come down to it’s not going to be because of like I I talked about this in the last podcast, like last year. I think people kind of underscore how much of that season was really like how much credit Malik Beasley really should get for this past year because he really carried the half court offense a lot of the times with just insane shot making the amount the volume and efficiency he had in some of these it was just insane this year it’s not going to be because of Duncan Robinson if they make it’s not going to be because of Caris Levert it’s not going to be because of Tobias Harris it will be because Assar or Jay Ivy or Jaylen Durn or even Kay takes another leap and another step forward. And I think that’s obviously what Trajan wants. That’s what Trajan told us and that’s why he’s had the offseason he had. If the Pistons are going to be good, if they’re going to take this next step, it will be because of the young players. And quite a few of them have given reason to believe they will continue to get better. And I I think they definitely will be in play for the 4C. I don’t know about elite. Like you said, maybe elite maybe is a little strong right now, but hey, it’s in their cards, man. It’s in their cards. We’ll see what they do. It is. And I don’t I I know our next segment is most intriguing and I don’t want to get into it too much, but Assad Thompson even in the playoffs had like one of the best net ratings. And like for the Pistons, like like you said, his impact is undeniable. Like he can like score two points and just what he brings, it’s incredible on the ball, defensively, off the ball. And I’m not even like trying to like glaze him here. Like it’s you look at the numbers him like with Jaylen Duran, they completely proved me wrong. like those two and Zach Low like you listen to the podcast today he was glowing about the chemistry Assar and JD have and I think a lot of it I don’t want to discredit JD here but I think Assar really helps bring the best out in Duran defensively as well in terms of just making his life easier to be honest and allowing him to play to more of his strengths but um Assar he’s he’s special and it’s like he does fill up the box score but it’s also like he he does so many things the Thompson twins are just like I can’t think of players like them in in the past. Like they had the seen him. Yeah. Like there was the Igodala comp for Assad, but it’s like he’s even different to that because they Yeah, it it’s special. It’s exciting. They’re just different athletes, man. They’re just like I’ve only been doing like this draft stuff since like I I got here with lockdown in 2021. And I’m not the biggest college fan, but when it comes around in the offseason, the Pistons were bad. And obviously I had to look at a lot of top prospects. The most fun I ever had was watching both of them a minute and they just I like I can’t imagine anyone else will ever like give me more of a fun time to just like watch as prospects because they were just in like they’re just insane. They’re generational athletes. It’s just the things they do on a court is just unreal. But uh coming up we’ll talk about the most intriguing players and Assar Thompson will be brought up. There is another player that will certainly be brought up and it might be K Cunningham’s backcourt mate. We’ll talk about that coming up. Today’s episode’s brought to you by Monarch Money. Ever wish managing your money felt easier? With Monarch Money, it can. Whether you’re growing your savings or planning a big purchase, Monarch puts you in the driver’s seat. 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Use code lockmbba at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year. That’s monarchoney.com code lockedmbba for 50% off your first year with Monarch Money. So I want to thank you guys again. Make locked on Pistons your first listen every single day. We’re free and available on all your podcast platforms. If you haven’t already, head to the YouTube channel at Lockdown Pistons. hit that subscribe button or leave us a fivestar review on whatever podcast platform you’re listening to this on. That’s another great way to support the podcast. But Jack, let’s go ahead and get into the most intriguing players for the Detroit Pistons this year. I’ll let you go first. It I I’m assuming there’s going to be two players I know we’re going to bring up in this and it’s the two same two players that it seems like everyone’s bringing up. So, I want to let you go first and take it wherever you want to go with this. Okay. I might surprise you a little bit. I want to talk a little bit about Jaylen Duran because I think for me heading into last season when I looked at the Pistons young core and for those it’s it’s Kade, it’s Ivy, it’s Assar, Ron and JD. I had JD at the bottom. I I will be honest and his his second season in the NBA. It wasn’t really good for any of the pisses young core but it just left a lot for me there to think does he have it? Is he going to just be Andre Drummond 2.0 O with like just maybe not having that it like he maybe not be that defensive anchor and he’s still got a lot to prove there. But what we saw from him in 2025 or this year has me so intrigued like his ceiling like the the playmaking we knew about but to see him like that playoff series against the Knicks. Obviously he was matched up on cat which is kind of like the worst possible matchup for him. But I thought as that series progressed he the rebounding the free throw shooting game six I think you were there coup he was knocking down like clutch free throws in a tight game and I know it’s just free throw shooting but like that was huge for me the the the rim protection I thought got better and he obviously he he excels more with the SAR in the lineup but how good can he be because I truly believe as much as when you look at this young core everyone probably some people might say they need a spacing fight they need a facing five. I think Kade thrives the most with a lob threat. Like, and maybe you could say it’s Assar, but I’m not sure about Assar being like a heavy Yushi screener is ideal. Like, I think Kade needs a really good screener. And I think him and Jaylen Duran have a very close relationship off the court as well. And I think JD is super intriguing to me in terms of how real was what we saw from January to April. I believe it’s real, but I think if you look at the first, I want to say month and a half, two months of the season, I think he’s got to come out and show that that is truly who he is. And I I think it is who he is and I think he can get better, but I think he really can like as he gets better, I think he has really solid touch around the basket. Like I’m not saying he’s ever going to be like close to a 20 point per game scorer. Um, but I just think there’s so much potential there and like, um, I don’t want to do the thing where I go, “Oh, he’s only 21.” But I think he is still only 21. Uh, so there’s there’s so much there with him. And I think just for me personally, with where I was at with him prior to last season to now, I’m incredibly intrigued to see where he can get to. Yeah. And I think like you mentioned, you you kind of mentioned a little bit earlier about the duo between him and Assar. I think that’s what I’m most looking forward to figuring out this year is because like you mentioned, it’s not you don’t want to take away from JD because JD did get a a lot better after January. He was much better defensively. He was much more active offensively, impactful offensively than even in the playoffs against what I would say was probably the worst matchup. Was he perfect? No. But he was much better than I think you could expect a 21-year-old to be in his first playoff series. So, this is not to take away from JD, but when you look at, you mentioned the numbers earlier. When you have Assar and Duran on the floor, the businesses have dominated those minutes. Now, it’s a lot of it has to do with the defense, their rebounding, like you mentioned, they’re one of the best second chance point teams with those two on the floor. I believe Clean the Glass had their starting lineup in the half court was bad without putbacks. It was just straight up bad. But once you included putbacks, I believe it jumped up to like the 89th percentile points per possession. So it’s just they dominate in that regard, but once you take Assar off the floor, the the the numbers still suggest, okay, the defense is still working in progress. So that’s what I want to see from Duran. That’s what makes it so intriguing to me is that, okay, Duran, we know that at the very least the half court issue or the half court concerns, maybe there’s some questions about can, you know, can the half court reach top offensive level, whatever, and we’ll see if they can improve and get that. But we know that you two can work defensively. when Assar is not on the floor, are can you hold down the fort? Can you improve your within yourself defensively to where you can help the Pistons defensively without needing, you know, Assar on the floor? Now, that’s not to say you want to put a bunch of bad defenders and say, “Here you go, carry a lineup, but you know, can you you know, can you keep the the fort alive? Can does it not fumble when he comes off the floor?” So, I definitely think that’s the most intriguing part for me with Dur. I think he’s good. I definitely think he’s improved. I just want to see can you get can you show me that you are you are better still when Assar is off the floor. Um the next player I do want to get into because I’ve talked about Assar a ton and I’m sure we’ll get into him but I want to talk about Ivy. I want you to get into Ivy a little bit because I think all my listeners would all obviously call me the Ivy skeptic. You know you don’t get you don’t get a bunch of rainbows and sunshine from me when it comes to Ivy. So, when I have guests on that do like Ivy a ton, I want to make sure we give him his his flower. So, go ahead and and talk to me about Ivy, about why he’s so intriguing for the Pistons this upcoming year. I mean, I think Zack Low said it. He said he’s Jaden Ivy is the most intriguing player in the East for him. Or maybe it wasn’t most intriguing. It was on a podcast a couple of weeks ago. He’s But it’s because it’s who is Jaden Ivy? I love Jaden Ivy and I think we all know the blueprint. I’m glad you asked that question because it really does feel like four years in we like we’re still asking the question who is J and now of no fault of his own really he gets hurt Cade gets hurt second year it’s like we haven’t even despite it being year four you still just don’t even have the sample size with him and it’s just been crazy like there was the Monty Williams thing which we don’t need to go into then even just with the young core as a whole like Kade missed year two Jaden’s rookie season we know what happened to Jaden last season Assar missed you know all the time he missed so it’s just been like hard to get a read and unfortunately Jaden is the the young player that missed the entire playoff run and pretty much 80% of the Pistons really strong part of their entire campaign. I think he’s shown strides to be a really good offball player which fits nicely alongside Kade on offense. He shot I think in those 30 games 45% catch and shoot threes, 41% on five attempts overall. I think you see the vision with him being someone who can drive and finish and bend defenses and become like a drive and kick to the corner and but he’s got to improve the finishing. I think um the Duncan said it and I couldn’t agree more like I think Ji to improve his finishing and he’s just overall finishing the paint needs to like figure out a floater so he’s not taking so many tough looks but he’s the guy who can generate in theory a ton of free throw looks for himself. It’s just putting it all together and like we said like I think like I’m a huge J Ivy fan and sometimes on my videos I get a lot of comments about being a hater and I’m like I I love Ji. Um but his fans are very very strong. Yeah, it’s been really surprising. Like I feel like I try and push the best of a Ji, but it’s it’s it’s just like you just need to see like he he’ll have these 10 game stretches like I think just before he got that horrible injury, he had like an eight game stretch where the percentages were like 60% from the field, 50% from three, putting up 20 a night. Um he will do that. Uh and then it’s just there’s some lean patches. There’ll be a lean week for every two good weeks or the flip side. So, he’s so intriguing because I think from the reason I wanted the Pistons to draft him on draft night and I still remember that that was one of my favorite moments at the draft cuz I didn’t think they were going to get him and it was just like him and Cage in theory complement each other really well on offense in theory but due to context surrounding them, injuries, health and just probably overall development, it just hasn’t clicked. So, we want to see it this season. We want to see I all I want is just like from opening night to the trade deadline them to get 40 to 45 games of just data and I believe it can be good because we just haven’t really been able to see it for so many reasons which we’ve gone over but it he’s so intriguing. Yeah. And for a lot of the things you said and if you guys haven’t checked it out, Zach Lo has talked about the Pistons on his last two podcasts. So make sure you guys go check it out. Um, one was with Bill Simmons, one was with Nikkias. Actually, three. Nikkias, uh, Bill Simmons, and this last one with Howard Beck. Um, Ivy is definitely he’s the most intriguing player on the team this year. Like, I I just because there’s so much unknown with him, and I feel like there’s, you mentioned it. I I wrote a like a 2,000word article on my Substack a few weeks ago, and every you guys all loved it. I I appreciate all the support on there. If you guys haven’t checked it out, go check it out. the most deep indepth breakdown I’ve done and Ivy, not only do I think he’s the most intriguing, I think he’s the most misunderstood player because even on like the Zack Low Show, there were some I think it was Howard that kind of talked about, you know, you know, how much how much time does he need on the ball? Is he going to be able to sacrifice on ball? And I’m sitting I’m like he’s where he’s thrives is off the ball. Like he’s he’s been a really good off the ball player. It’s on the ball where he’s really, you know, not been that great off the ball. I don’t have any really concerns with him playing off the ball with Cade. He plays well off the ball. He’s good at cutting into spa space. He’s good as a catch and shoot uh three-point shooter. He’s good coming off handoffs. He’s good attacking rotating defenses, bent defenses and and and attacking in that way. It’s like what you mentioned that Nikias brought up that when he gets the ball in his hands, can he slow down? Can he make the right decisions in the in between area? Uh, in this article I wrote down, I just wanted to bring up this one number, which is really what I wanted to what I want to see from Jane Ivy. I just lost it. I’m so mad now. I I scroll. Okay. While you look for, I just want to add on as well. I I think Ji has shown improvements with his handle and those things, he just needs to going into year four and when we’re talking contract extensions, like it needs to become like real and an efficient part of his game. Uh, and I just want to add in as well, he last season was extremely clutch. like you can’t discredit that. Not saying you were, but he was making shots down the stretch. So, that’s huge as well to have a player like that. No. Yeah, he was definitely pretty clutch this past year with uh the game winner against the Kings. I forget what the Was it the Raptors? He hit that right that runner off the right uh same foot, same hand finish on the right side of the floor. Incredibly tough. And then that Lakers game, I remember he had a bunch of clutch shots at the end of the game, too. Um, but the number I was looking at was um, so Ivy finished in the 38th percentile as a ball handler in pick and roll possessions, scoring just 83 possessions or points per possession. That’s not even so much where I’m like looking at it. I the scoring he does need to become I think you’re in much very much right I should say when it comes to he needs to add a floater to his game. I think he needs to become a much better finisher. Needs to add a floater. But I just think his his decision- making in the in between game is where he can really take the next level. That’s where he has to improve on. Of the 74 players that have at least four possessions per game as a pick and roll uh ball handler, he ranked 56 in field goal percentage, but he ranked 29th of 74 players in turnover frequency. He turned the ball over a lot. And I think it’s not so much to do with can he get to the paint. He’s an instant paint touch. He can get there anytime he wants. It’s just a matter of the processing when he gets there. Can he make the right decisions? Can he slow down a little bit? Because he always feels like he’s going maybe a little too fast. Can he slow down a little bit? But like you said, he is intriguing. Whether you whether you’re a big fan of Ivy or if you’re not a big fan, he is the most intriguing player on this team because if he hits this team, you know, that that’s another player that, you know, that wasn’t here last year really for the majority of the run that can be here next year and help them take this next step. So, if Ivy can just improve as with the ball in his hands as an isolation score, as a pick and roll ball handler, it’s it’s honestly kind of I I I hate to throw so many numbers out of people, but it’s it’s honestly kind of weird to me that like I think Ivy fits with Cade. Like offensively, I think he very much fits with Kade. Like I all he plays well off the ball. He tacks off the catch really well. Good spacer. But despite that in their minutes, they were minus 4.1 this past year. I know Nikkias and Zack Low brought that up too that they were, you know, it’s hard to like really get a grasp on it, but like you mentioned, we just haven’t gotten a large sample size. We’re going to get it this year hopefully and that’s what makes him most intriguing to me. We’re finally going to get the sample size. Can he take this next step? And can him and Cade be the back row of the future? And if they are, Pistons easily can be a four seed in the East. Can I just ask you one question, Ivy, just to wrap this up? What is like the just with the Pistons specifically to you? What does Jade like the per peak version of Jaden Ivy look like in terms of fitting in with the team and helping this team just win games and be like a consistent Eastern Conference final threat? So for me, what what I believe is the best fit next to Cade, what I would most want next to Kade if it’s if it’s going to be Ivy, Ivy has to become for me, he can’t just be good off of Kade, he has to be good with the ball in his hands. I think that’s the and and we’re going to get to see the sample size this year because they’re giving him another chance at the back point guard position. He’s going to get a lot of those reps, I believe, as the ball handler. So, I think his efficiency has to get much better when he goes inside the three-point line and as a decision maker. I think what the Pistons need is not just somebody, they need somebody else within the half court that can send Kade to the corner and be like, “Okay, I’m going to run the offense. You know, I I I’m going to create a look for the team here.” And then Kade doesn’t have to be on ball as much as he is. Obviously, your best players are on ball. Like that’s gonna happen. But I feel like even to Kade, like to star standards, Kade was maybe on the ball a little bit too much. Like you don’t the turnovers kind of show it. I don’t know if you want him on the ball that much. Ivy has to become I want to see is he going to be consistent three-point shooter. He looked good this past year. But inside the arc, can he be a good finisher? Can he be a good I mentioned earlier he is an instant paint touch. He can get to the paint every single time he wants all the time. It’s just a matter of once he gets there, can he make something out of getting a paint touch? Getting a paint touch is incredibly valuable. It’s one of the most important skills within your half court offense in the modern NBA. But you have to be able to generate something of it. So whether he’s generating a finish at the rim or if he’s making the right reads and actually becoming a good playmaker, that’s where I need to see from Ivy because then like you, you know, like we’re going to see then you can stagger him. The minutes without Cade shouldn’t be so bad. If Kade, you know, is having an off night or if you want to just get Kade maybe some more off the off off the ball looks, maybe a catch and shoot theory, something like that, you can put Ivy on ball, let him run the offense and trust him to create good offense for you within the half court. That’s where I think if you’re going to go the combo scoring guard route, then he has to be able to be an on ball playmaker as well. If you’re going to go that route, that’s that’s what I think. No, I’m I’m with you. And I think like I’m never going to expect him to be elite or to be honest even like a really good defender, but I’d like to see him get to a point where, you know, on and off the ball he can hold his own there consistently. Like he’s obviously got the build for it. We’ve spoken about it since they drafted him, but um if he can improve that side, I think that helps him just fit in with this particular Pistons team as well. Yeah. And lastly, I want to say this about Ivy. Can people please stop saying he doesn’t fit with Kate offensively or he can’t play off ball? That is literally where he is at. I don’t know why. Like I feel like people are just like like they see his speed and how fast he is and how high he jumps and just assume he he’s great with the ball in his hands and not good off the ball. He’s great off ball. That’s where he’s at his best. Attacking closeouts, attacking uh gaps, catch and shooting, off dribble handoffs. Like that’s where he’s at his best. Like I don’t have any questions about that. I feel like people who have questions about that are just I just flatly wrong I to be honest. But um coming up we’ll if if Jack wants to talk about Assara a little bit we will. But we’re going to get into whether the Pistons should extend the two players we just talked about Jaylen Duran. Jay and Ivy they’re both up for extensions. Will they extend them? We’ll talk about it coming up. So I want to thank you guys again. Make locked on Pistons your first list of every single day. We’re free and available on all your podcast platforms. If you haven’t already, head to the YouTube channel at Lockdown Pistons. Hit that subscribe button or leave us a fivestar review on whatever podcast platform you’re listening to us on. That’s another great way to support the podcast. All right, Jack, you want to talk about Assar a little bit or do you want to get straight into the extensions? I I we ran out of time. I I I know I kind of cut you off with a star. No, no, no. I I I I think Assar like I think he’s incredibly special and I can’t wait to see what he looks like after a full normal off season. Like I think we spoke about it earlier, his impact is undeniable whether he’s scoring or not. Even with the how raw his offensive game can be at times like he’s like outside of K like might be the most impactful player on the roster just hands down. So I I’m very excited to see him and yeah uh I think you do a great job of talking about a SARS game. So I’ll I’ll leave that to you. Yeah, I do. Sorry is my guy. I can’t lie. Sorry, sorry, Assari is my guy. I think he I I quick point on Assar. I think something everyone needs to keep in mind as well is that he was dropped mid-season after have dealing with blood clots, having no offseason, having no training camp, was just dropped mid-season to the Pistons and helped change their whole season around. If he did that with no training camp and no offseason, just imagine what he’s going to look like with an offseason, with a training camp, like when he’s able to play 30 plus minutes. Like, I I I can’t wait. I think it’s going to be some really special stuff. Um, and I think that’s why Zach Low has talked about him over and over again the last three podcasts he’s had. Um, it kind of feels like the Detroit Pistons show over there on the Zack Low Show recently. It’s been fun. Um, I’m not used to it, right? Um, all right, let’s get into extensions because this offseason’s pretty much wrapped up. They got Malik or they got they had to move on from Malik, I should say. They got Duck and Robinson. They got Carris Levert. The draft is done. Doesn’t seem like there’s any trades coming coming around the uh horizon. The only thing left or that could be left is an extension for either Jaylen Dur or Jav. They’re both extension eligible. They will be restricted free agents this next summer. Jack, where are you at with these guys? Um, we’ve had some quotes come out um some reports, some rumors come out about where the Pistons stand. I’ve kind of talked about where I’ve heard the Pistons stand with the ex extensions. Where do you stand uh with the extensions for either Ji or JD? I I think if you can get them, this is the easy answer. If you can get them on quote unquote team friendly deals, I would extend both. Now, I don’t think like either of them will probably want to accept what those numbers could be. Like maybe I’ll just start on Jaylen Duran because I think it’s a bit of an easier conversation. Like I think for me, if you could get JD signed to a 4-year hundred million deal, I’m actually pretty comfortable with that. I I genuinely am. I think for what he offers, what he showed, some will say you’re taking a bit of a risk because you’re going off basically a five month sample size. But I think it’s it shouldn’t get lost what he brings is like I think him and K had like the most lobs. Like their pick and roll is one of the best in the NBA. It got taken away a little bit in the playoffs, but like I think the rebounding is elite on both ends. Um I think the passing like I would extend him at 4100. Now whether he wants that I I would have a feeling JD thinks he’s maybe a little bit more valuable um in terms of annual earnings but I I would I would extend him. I I I would but I think I know where you’re at with this but what are what are your thoughts? So I I agree with you. I think JD is the easier one to talk about here simply because you got to see him fair or not. like it’s not fair, you know, we can’t it’s not of his fault, but Ivy did go down, so we just didn’t get to see him. So, I think JD is the easier one to talk about here. I think I do agree with you that if you could get him, if you can get Duran for 25, I think I probably would do that. Um, I think I So, I look at the contracts that have been signed. We’ve seen some extensions from their draft class this summer. Um, I believe Jabari Smith got 22 and a half with uh uh with Houston. Um, I’m assuming JD will look at that and say I want a little bit more than Jabari. Um, so if you can get him for four years 100, I think I probably would do that. Um, I would try to push for 490. That’s that’s my that would be like where I would want him at. But if you can go to 400, then it comes into the argument of, okay, do you do you really fight over this and then risk the chance of maybe the following summer he plays so great now you have to pay? I I don’t let’s just say like 33 a year or so like maybe he plays great and now you have to pay like would you would you rather do that or would you rather pay him four year 100 maybe it’s a little bit of a risk but maybe it could also be like a like a a bargain of a contract a year from now it’s kind of like the stock stock market you’re kind of playing the games here but I would probably feel comfortable with JD at Warriors 100 I think that’s I think that’s fine I think what’s his who was it that brought it up um I think it was Nica Duncan that brought it I the the thing is that you I do still have some questions about the long-term fit like three years from now of Kade, IVSR, Ron, and Duran. Like that’s your core like do you think they will eventually play together? And those kind of questions come in to play when you want to give all of them long-term money, but we don’t need to get into that here. Four years 100, I think I would give JD a short that was a long way of me getting there, but No, no. I I I’m with you. Like I would like to do a little bit less. I I but I still think I think that’s just a a reasonable offer that’s not like like if they went to him and said four years 85 or something like I feel like he would a bit disrespected. So but like I do think whilst it’s still a bit like lower than what JD would want. I could see him maybe taking that. Maybe he’s just not interested at all. But I think if you’re signing on JD, you’re investing in the Kade Assar K uh Kade Assar JD obviously trio and that’s what you’re going to build your team around and I think Ivy can be a part of that and I don’t think that means you don’t extend him because you can still trade these guys ultimately like you’re just locking down that asset the player for additional years. So, um, but I do think in signing JD, it like extending him, it solidifies those three in particular because I think Assar is incredibly crucial to the whole team, but specifically Jaylen Duran’s success. All right. So, where do you stand? Let’s go. Let’s get to Ivy. So, Ivy is also up for extension. I I’ve I’ve spoke about in the podcast, like I said earlier, what I’ve heard the Pistons Well, I’ve heard where the Pistons stand right now in regards to their extensions. Where do you stand now with Ivy this summer? This one’s really tough. I like I would I think a lot of people I’ve heard would say like do the Jaylen Green deal which can you is that was it three years 110? No, three years 100 around Yeah, it was around three years. It was three years I think 33 a year somewhere around there. 33 to 35. I can look it up right now but I believe that’s the the number. That sounds that sounds correct. I man I think he can get to that value but I I’m I would coming off a broken leg. The numbers are 33 36 36. Yeah. Okay. So I think like Ji can be definitely worth that. I’m just it’s it’s really tough. I’m very high on JI so people don’t kill me. But like I’m just like coming off the injury he just had I think he will be fine. I think at the time it was, you know, it was a the leg break. It shouldn’t be seen as a long-term thing. I I think just with all the questions surrounding him, I I would similar like almost try and offer him the four 100 maybe. And I’m not a cap expert. I don’t know how that impacts uh the future, but I think like that’s like a nice bet. I probably don’t think J would want to take that. I think maybe he would want to bet on himself just to prove he’s worth more. But um I I also understand the argument for the three-year contract at around 30 million. It’s it’s just it’s really tough because we just spent 10 minutes almost talking about how the sample sizes and the data it just we don’t have enough. So I almost don’t want to be rushed into a deal with Ji. Yeah, I well I’m I’m I’m more com if I had to extend one I’m more comfortable extending Jay and Duran just because we’ve seen him obviously because we’ve seen him be a part of them turn and again this is no fault of Jay he can’t help getting hurt it’s unfortunate but I would feel more comfortable at this point extending J if I had to extend one I’m probably in the ballpark and I’m probably taking it into the season both of them with Ji this is my concern removing removing my thoughts on wherever we’re at with him as players you know some people are higher Some people are just removing that completely. This off season I feel like has really the moves of other teams have really put um really showed us how the league looks at players like Jane Ivy like the combo guard. The reason why I bring that up, Colin Ston, who he’s much older than Jay Ivy, but I think he’s probably a better scorer than Jane Ivy right now. He’s more efficient scorer right now than Jane Ivy. He’s on an $18 million contract. He got moved with a second round pick for what Nerkich it was or like he he got he had to get a second round pick attached to him and he was an $18 million he $18 million expiring. Then you go to Malik Monk who I think is a really good player like just was like almost won six man of the year a few years ago. He’s making $18 million this year, 20 the following year and no one wants him apparently. Like the Pistons could have had him. They said no. Apparently nobody wants a league Monk. Um, there was another scoring guard that got moved. I forget who it was. Um, was it Norman? I’m forgetting who the the the guard was that got moved also, but Yeah. No. Yeah. I’m just the kind of scoring guards that we’ve seen, they just it seems like the league is putting a deval is like devaluing just the combo scoring guard. And that’s that’s what makes me more hesitant, more than even the again, like I said, more than the where do you stand on him as a player? Where do I stand on him as a player? Just his archetype. It seems like and then obviously Jaylen Green was like used as a just salary matcher basically for for the the Suns trade. Um just it seems like the archetype of that kind of player just is not being seen as ultra valuable. So then if you do give him a higher contract cuz like the the whole idea around this I’ve brought this up before in the podcast is okay well if you overpay him a little bit you can still trade him and you know people you know it is what it is. My question is well if Khan Sexton is having to be attached with the second and just no one wants Malik Monk there has to be something and maybe there’s something else that we don’t know about. I just refuse to believe no one just wants Malik Monk but maybe maybe it is just just the player. If those guys aren’t movable at that contract, how can I be confident that at 25 26 27 that Ivy would be movable if I mean maybe he improves, he’s worth it. That would be the best case scenario. But if it doesn’t, how am I supposed to believe that it would be movable? That’s my concern here. you know, and all those players you mentioned, Malik Monk, Colin Saxon, if we want to throw Norman Pal in there, I think the Clippers moved him because of the contract situation, but like and they want to get Brother Bill, but like all of those guys, are they starters on a real playoff team? like are these scoring guards? If you’re not if you aren’t like a solidified like known starting player that’s like 63 6’4 that can score it’s and Son’s a little bit shorter, but it’s like and Jayen Ivy kind of fits into there right now. We didn’t get to see him in the playoffs. I think he can be better than all those names we mentioned. I think you probably think the same if he hits his if he hits his peak. Um like I think he’s a fringe allstar if he hits his peak, but like he just hasn’t been able to show it. So it’s like it is a bit scary with what how the market looks to commit because I think it’s the salary the annual salary but I think it’s also the years and I’m not don’t report at all. I don’t know anything but I feel like maybe why Traan pivoted from Monk and you look at the deal he gave offered even Duncan Robinson with the partial guarantees. No one wants to with this second apron commit long term to anyone that’s not like going to be I feel like just like a starting like unless they’re like a superstar like a true starting player that can like win new games or be on a winning team. It feels like it’s scary to commit multiple years and tens of millions of dollars to those guys because it’s a bit it’s a lot harder to get off those contracts now like that Colin Ston ones that’s crazy. Yeah. Yeah. And the other player I was thinking of actually was Anthony Simons. Anthony Simons, who is one of the worst defenders in the league. I get it. But like he’s a great scorer. He’s a great offensive player and he’s he’s basically being moved for nothing. And the Celtics still don’t want him. They’re still trying to move him. So that’s just where my concern is. Um again, if Ivy hits and he’s great, then he’d be, you know, 25 million that’s fine and that’s worth the contract. Obviously that that would be, you know, obviously worth the contract. But I think you just for me as I think I would probably go into the season with them and just wait it out and play the the safe game. Um but I think what you brought up is a great point especially with the CBA. I I think Keith Smith said um that a lot of teams are kind of eyeing this 2027 year. Um I forget for what exact reason has something to do with the salary cap maybe not jumping as much as they think it was going to jump now. So teams are kind of trying to keep that long-term salary, you know, clean and they’re kind of scared to commit more money because they don’t know exactly how much is going to jump now. Um, so that’s I mean, and even without that, just the new CPA with the second apron and stuff, it just makes committing long-term money scary. Like if you’re not if you’re if you’re not completely 100% bought in, it’s just scary to commit long-term money and get yourself like kind of, you know, locked into a core that you’re it’s just the second apron in the new CBA. kind it’s just made it a lot more, you know, I think you have to be a lot more careful with each each move you make. Um, and I think that it’s kind of shown by, like you said, the the savviness of that deal he gave Duncan Robinson. That was a really savvy deal. Um, that at the when you first saw it, it kind of looked like, okay, maybe you paid a little much and then it’s like, oh, well, it’s basically non-g guaranteed the last two years. So, great contract. But, um, Jack, is there anything else you want to hit on before we wrap it up here? I think they one of the two gets extended. if you want to go ahead and go you want to pick I think I think Jaylen Duran signs an extension that’s purely just a guess like I just I feel like he does um and I think Ji I think he will want to go and prove that he’s worth more than probably whatever the Pistons offer him. Yeah, I think that’s prediction. I think Yeah, I think I probably align with with your thinking there. I think that’s probably what we’ll we’ll see happen. But I want to thank you guys making lockdown pistons your first listen of every single day. You guys can go follow Jack Piston Shack on Instagram, on Twitter. Jack, appreciate you coming on, man. Always a lot of fun. We’ll try to have you on again before the season starts up. We get a season preview. Um, but again, appreciate all of you guys. May lock and piss your first listen. Hit that subscribe button. Leave us a fivestar review, whatever podcast you’re listening to us on. And until next time, I will see you guys later. Stay safe out there. Until next time, peace out everybody.

Are the Detroit Pistons poised for elite status in the East? Jack Kelly joins to dissect the team’s potential as a top-four contender.

The discussion explores the Pistons’ defensive prowess, Ausar Thompson’s game-changing impact, and the evolving roles of Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. Key topics include Jalen Duran’s impressive growth, potential contract extensions, and how Detroit’s young core could reshape the NBA landscape. Kelly offers insider perspectives on the team’s identity built around defense, rebounding, and physicality.

Tune in for an in-depth analysis of the Detroit Pistons’ path to success and discover why this season could be a turning point for the franchise.

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