What’s the Pistons’ Plan? Latest Free Agency Buzz 👀 + Cade Disrespect | Pistons Jack Reacts

What’s the Pistons’ Plan? Latest Free Agency Buzz 👀 + Cade Disrespect | Pistons Jack Reacts

Welcome back to the Pistons Shack YouTube channel. On today’s episode, we’ll react to the Pistons releasing their full preseason schedule. We’ll talk about some of the latest free agency buzz in the NBA and as it relates to the Pistons and specifically Malik Beasley and we’ll also finish the episode talking about where Kate Cunningham ranks in the Eastern Conference and why I have an issue with one particular ranking. So, let’s get to it. [Music] Earlier today, the Pistons released their full preseason schedule. A few days ago, over the weekend, uh, a couple of games came out in early October. Uh, but we now have the full schedule. As you can see on the right of screen here, the Pistons PR released the four preseason games that the Detroit Pistons will be playing in. As you can see, they will play Memphis on October 6th, the Bucks October 9th, on the 14th of October, Cleveland, and then they’ll play their one home preseason game against the Wizards on October 16th before presumably the regular season starts typically, I feel like the regular season starts pretty much close to exactly a week after that final preseason game. So, similar to last year, I I would say the Pistons uh first regular season game will be on October 23, 24, something like that. But we are officially, at least for me, it’s August 6 right now. We are pretty much exactly two months away from Pistons Barcel returning which sounds like a long time and August is going to be a bit of a dry month as it typically is but you know time moves pretty quick and um the countdown is officially on to Pistons basketball training camp kicks off in I think it’s late September and we’ll go through to like the first week of um October. That’s when media day typically is. Media day is typically in that first week of October. So, uh, we have probably another four to five weeks, I want to say, of where it’s really we’re in the doldrums. Um, but look, I’m I look, it’s nice to have some official dates to look forward to. I know for uh Pistons fans living in Detroit, they’re a bit disappointed that uh there’s only the one home game, but and and it looks like it’s at Little Caesars. I think in the past couple of years, or at least a couple of times in the past five years, the Pistons have played out at Michigan State. Uh, but it looks like their only preseason game in Detroit or in Michigan will be at LCA against the Wizards. So, as normal, like there’s not a lot like I think the main thing I’m looking for in preseason is the starting lineup and rotation, but I do think uh a lot of the starters will only play, you know, a half here or there. I wouldn’t be surprised after the first couple of games if we don’t see Cade, if we don’t see um Tobias, even guys like Jaylen Duran. But uh it’ll be really exciting to see Jay Nvy back out there. Um I posted some footage today of him at his youth camp uh dunking, running around. Um not full five on five stuff, but his leg looks fine. He was getting up, dunking the ball, like I said, running around. So, um that’s good to see. Plenty of exciting to stuff see there. I think one thing I’ll be keeping my eye on is um as it pertains to the rotation is Ron Holland in particular where he plays his minutes. I think we’re all starting to think now that he’s going to play some backup four minutes and I’ll get into the roster um in the next segment. But um that’s a preseason schedule. Comment below if you’re going to go to that game in Little Ces or maybe you live near Memphis, Milwaukee or Cleveland um and you’re going to go to those games. Um, but obviously I’ll be watching from here in Australia. But, uh, very exciting to have some dates to look forward to. And the countdown is officially on for Pistons basketball. Like I said, exactly two months away. But let me know what you’re looking for in preseason. I think another player is maybe Bobby Clintman. I don’t expect him to be part of the rotation, but maybe this is his chance along with someone like Marcus Sassa and even Dannis Jenkins to be honest to maybe carve out some sort of role for themselves consistently. But um that’s my thoughts on that. Love to hear your thoughts below. Moving on, I wanted to touch on some free agency buzz in general. Um earlier today, uh Shams tweeted out that the Celtics had traded George’s Nyang and I think a couple of seconds to the Jazz. They cleared some space and then they also with that space they cleared they signed Chris Bucher, a name that I know a lot of Pistons fans including myself have wanted the Pistons to sign to fill some back up four minutes but he is officially off the board the Toronto Raptors kind of stretch big. Uh, so a little bit I’m not disappointed. I’m not surprised the Pistons. I feel like Detroit could have added him this whole time, but he will be suiting up for the Celtics, which leads me to bring back up Malik Beasley. And obviously I spoke about this on the subscriber only stream but I haven’t done a video on this but Patrick Beverly uh recently um on his on the Pat Bev podcast said uh he ran into Malik Beasley in Paris and um quote Pat Bev said as you can see on the right I was kind of hesitant you hot right now man you got the feds on you and everything but he seemed confident good demeanor and he said he’ll be back on a team next year. Uh, so I only bring that up because with someone like Chris Buchchet now off the market and to my knowledge, the Pistons, they they have two roster spots. I’ve spoken about this a lot and I believe that the Pistons I I don’t think we’re going to see them sign one of these other backup fors like Precious Satur. I really don’t think I don’t even think we’re going to see them sign up a point guard uh like a Malcolm Brogdom. I think now what I I’m starting to believe and have kind of felt this way for the past week. I think they’re keeping that I think they’re going to keep a 15th roster spot open no matter what like they did last season. And I and take that maybe to the trade deadline. It just gives you some more flexibility. Uh and then I also think with this 14th roster position I think so that has to be filled before opening night. But I think they are honestly keeping that free in the hope that Malik potentially um I think they’re keeping it free for multiple reasons. But I think one a reason is to maybe see if Malik can be cleared and you could easily add him on a vet minimum. And to be honest like getting Malik Beasley on a vet minimum would be another amazing deal with how well he played last season. You could get into like, oh, does he fit now with Robinson, with LeVert, with maybe Ivy coming back with, you know, Ron needing more minute. But I think at the end of the day, if you can add Malik Beasley in the situation he’s in where he will be desperate to play for an NBA team to re um I guess earn the value he made last year. Um I think you just add a player like that and make it work. But um it’s interesting. I do think these things take a long time to play out. So, I’m still very unfortunately for Malik. I do find it still very hard to see him being not only on the Pistons, but an NBA team at least to start the season just with, you know, seeing the Terry Rosier thing. Like, I believe the NBA wrapped up their investigation, but the feds are still investigating him. So, just seems like these processes take a long time and get drawn out. Obviously, Terry Rosier will continue to play for the Heat because he’s contracted. Malik obviously doesn’t have an NBA contract, which is why he will probably not be playing until this is cleared. So, uh, but I do think for the Pistons, it’s like they feel like they obviously have their nine-man rotation set and they feel like whilst I think they still need a backup for because if you have an injury to Tobias or he misses time, I would be a little bit concerned there. um at least while they’re healthy. Um and Tobias has shown to be a player that does stay healthy and can play a lot of minutes and a lot of games. Um maybe they’re just thinking we’re kind of set right now. We don’t need to add a player that wants to feature heavily in the rotation. So, um we’ll just sign someone later in September, early October. We’ll sign someone just before training camp and let’s just see if Malik miraculously could get cleared. But that’s my thoughts on it. Let me know your thoughts. We’ve spoken about this a bit. I know a lot of fans for the most part I think would happily have Malik back if he was cleared, but I have seen some who are against it entirely. But let me know your thoughts. I’ve I’ve said my piece. And let’s close out the show now. Um NBA.com recently wrote an article with the top 10 players in the Eastern Conference. They ranked them and the rankings were as such. They had Giannis one, Jaylen Brunson two. I have no issues with that. Donovan Mitchell three, Paulo Benerro four, Kade Cunningham number five, Joel Embiid six, Moy seventh, Jaylen Brown eight, Kenne Towns ninth, and Trey Young 10th. So for me entering this upcoming season, I would personally put Kade third. I would have him behind Brunson and Giannis. I think I just think after I went to how many I went to four of the six playoff games and even if I wasn’t there just watching it on TV I had to give props to Brunson. I have to put him ahead of Cade right now and it’s more so about Brunson and how he just closed out those g every game at LCA and I was there for all of them. You kind of had this sick feeling even if the Pistons were up six or up eight or up double digits. You just knew as soon as it hit the fourth quarter, Brunson was going to start making tough shots. Pull up midies, fadeaway midies, pull up threes, and obviously close the series out with the most deadly pull up three of them all. Absolute heartbreaker, but I just, you know, he took that team to the conference finals. I think he’s it’s just I have to put him ahead of Kade right now. Even if I think Kade will be a better player long term and is, you know, on paper like with the skill set he has at his size is a more a player that a lot more GMs would draft. I think Brunson just after witnessing that I have to put him ahead. But where I want to talk is the paralo over Cade. I can see why they have Donovan Mitchell ahead of Kade. Um, whilst I would have Kade slightly ahead of Mitchell because I think Kade has more value in the playoffs with his size, his 2-way ability, his playmaking, Donovan Mitchell clearly a much better scorer right now, but um I think Kade will be better than Donovan Mitchell this season. Paulo and Kade, as you can see here on the right, I just I don’t understand it. I assume like let’s just go through some numbers first and I’ll give my opinion. K Cunningham last season he gave you 26.6 rebounds, nine assists, four and a half turnovers which was pretty high, but you’re also third in the league in assists. So that’s kind of what comes with it. He did so on 47% from the field, 36% from three, 85% from the line. Key here, remember these efficiency numbers because then we go to Parlo. He gave you 25 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three turnovers to five assists as well. He had 45% 32% from three and only 73% from the line. And then when we look at because I know a lot of people like well Paulo does a lot he he gets a lot of his stuff in the mid-range that’s why his Phil Gobs is a little bit low because he struggles from three. Well when you look at the two-point percentages Kate was slightly a better two shot better from inside the arc. 52% from two-point land 51%. Now I know they’re basically the same but it’s like well if you’re going to tell me Paulo’s better inside the three-point line. He’s not. And then if you look at long twos for those that say well Paulo’s got a really good me game. He gets the dribble pull up. It’s automatic. Well, he only shot 37% on long twos, which is a pretty bad number. Cage shot 44% on long twos. So, whilst Paulo gets the line a lot more, he doesn’t convert. And the three-point shooting, whilst 32 to 36 might not seem like a lot, it kind of is. Like, if you’re above 35% on volume, that’s pretty decent. For Kate, of course, we want to see him get closer to 40, but um Parlo was at 32%. So, that’s just last season alone. I know like when we look at the accolades, K one allstar, paro all one all-star. K has the AllNBA nod. Parlo does not have that. Um Paulo has been to playoffs twice. They took Cleveland to seven games in a five seed versus four seed series. They lost and then last season they lost to the Celtics in five games as an eight seed. And then Kade obviously last year had his first playoff appearance and took the Knicks to six games. So, I’m assuming that Paulo’s ahead of them because of the playoffs or maybe because in theory, like they’re trying to say he’s 610. I mean, in the blurb here, it says that Paulo is a 6’10 forward who excels everywhere offensively. Like, I actually think he doesn’t excel everywhere offensively. uh poor free throw shooter, high turnovers, not a good three-point shooter, takes a lot of mid-range shots, like I just said, doesn’t convert them at a great percentage. So, I whilst I think his game, he kind of reminds me right now of like Camelo Anthony, a bigger, more strong version of Melo, but a guy whose game when they have it going, it’s absolutely beautiful. Like watching Paulo pull up, knock down threes at that size with his jumper, it’s pretty smooth. It’s fluid. Of course, I can see why people think that because he is a great scorer and but I think when you it’s just not that efficient and uh you know like Melo, he was very good at getting his teams to the first round but they rarely passed. And I think Parlo plays with France, he plays with Jaylen Suggs and obviously Kade finally got a good sorting cast around him last season and we saw how it worked. But um you know it’s I know the Magic had not much shooting but yeah and then like I just think Kade gives a little bit more defensively than Paulo but Paulo is a better rebounder and is taller. So I just think Kade should be above Paulo. I I really do. I’m biased but uh I can see why if you just watch them in a game go against one another why someone’s going to pick Paulo. But when you zoom out and look at the body of work, um I know Parlor has been awesome in the playoffs, particularly that seven game series against the Cavs, but we just saw Kade take the Eastern Conference finalist to six games. And to be honest, I feel like if they have Stu, they win that series or at least take it to seven. Parlo took a four seed Cleveland team who were who were decent. I’m not going to put them down too much, but took them to seven and then they got, you know, the door they lost in five to the Celtics. So, um, look, for me it’s Kade. I do think it’s close, but I just think Kade’s a better player right now. More well-rounded player, more efficient, much better playmaker. And then I think defensively, they both aren’t, you know, great. But I think Cade a little bit better, weak side, rim, protector, that kind of stuff. But that’s going to do it for today’s episode. Let me know your thoughts. Who’s better? I’m probably a lot of people probably think I’m just being incredibly biased, but I think Kade should be above Parlo. Where do you have Kade ranked in the East? Please let me know. Let me know your thoughts on anything else. But until next time, as always, go Pistons. [Music]

The Pistons’ 2025–26 Preseason Schedule is HERE — but that’s not the only news…

In this episode of Pistons Jack Reacts:
→ I break down what Detroit’s next free agency move could be.
→ Discuss the growing buzz around Malik Beasley’s situation and whether the Pistons are waiting it out.
→ And react to NBA.com’s Eastern Conference player rankings — where Cade Cunningham was underrated once again.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments — are the Pistons gearing up for a late offseason move?

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