The Detroit Pistons Will Play Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland Together This Year! | Will It Pay Off?

The Detroit Pistons Will Play Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland Together This Year! | Will It Pay Off?

It sounds like we will be seeing Ron Holland and SR Thompson play a lot of minutes together this season. We’ll break it down today’s episode how important their development is to the success of the Detroit Pistons season. 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, Cook Hill. I’ve been covering the Detroit Pistons over the last four years. Actually entering into my year five covering them for the Lockdown Network. I’ve been a credential media member over the last three years. I want to thank all of you guys who make Locked On Pistons your first listen every single day. We are free to 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. And today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new customers can bet just $5. And if your bet wins, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. Head to fandal.com to get started today. Later on the podcast, I want to talk about the Duncan Robinson and Jaylen Duran duo and how that could be really successful for the Detroit Pistons. And also, I want to talk about Kade potentially not really being satisfied with this past season, thinking he still has some areas that he has to improve upon. I got to speak with him a little bit about that. We’ll play that clip and see what he has to think a little bit later. But where I first want to start with is the duo of Ron Holland and SR Thompson. Now, we have heard some words from JB Biggerstaff at media day, which is where we’ll start. And then in day one of training camp, I can’t wait to get into this because those of you who are loyal everydayers who listen to Lockdown Pistons every single day and for those of you guys who are also subscribers to the Substack, I wrote an article. What day was it? I wrote an article July 25th talking right before free agency started. The article was named halfcourt issues raise inquiries into Detroit Pistons starter synergy and I talked about the questions around the Pistons half court offense with the current guys that they had where they were at heading into free agency and the things I had been hearing heading into free agency and one of the things I talked about in there and one of the things that we’ve talked about on the podcast that I have been hearing is that throughout the offseason I heard from numerous people that there was a a want from certain people within in the organization to see Ron and Assar Thompson play minutes this year. Don’t know how many, but there is there was there was quite a few people that want to see Ron and Assar play together this year. And I don’t mean like last year when you saw them play in like some garbage time spurts or someone gets into foul trouble, you see him for like two minutes or whatever, like legit minutes. Didn’t know if it would actually happen, but that’s why I had heard throughout the offseason. Speedway that all the way to now at media day JB Bigger Staff spoke about how he believes did I say bigger I feel like I just said bigger staff’s name wrong. Did I say that? I don’t know. I I feel like I might have jumboed over that. JB Bickerstaff, if I did say it wrong, on media day said that he believes you will see some of Ron Hanland and Sarah Thompson having the ball in their hands more coming off the bench and being used more as those playmaker scorer types this year more than they were this past year and kind of insinuated in that quote when he started talking about it that we would see some of them together. Now, he didn’t directly say that on media day, but that was the when he was talking about it felt like he was insinuating that we would see these guys together. So, that already perked my ears. I was like, “Okay, that kind of leads to what I had been hearing earlier in the offseason. I wonder if they actually really are trying to play both of those guys together.” Um, then obviously Ryan Holland came up to the to the to the press and he talked about how he really believes he’s improved and he really believes in his shot, all that good stuff. So, you’re starting to hear things that would things that would have to happen in order for these two guys to play together, like Ron Holland becoming a better three-point shooter. You’re starting to see and sorry, Thompson being somewhat of a better three-point shooter. You’re hearing these guys talk about the need to have that. Now, today, day one of training camp, we get this quote from Omari Sopa II, who is the Detroit Pistons beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. He says, “JB Bigger Staff has said at training camp, quote, he’s certain Assar Thompson and Ron Holland will play together this season.” He says, quote, “We’re expecting both of these guys will take steps, and the way that they take steps is if they get opportunities, and just the way the lineups go, they’re going to have to play together more, and I expect them to.” End quote. Is that a good or bad thing? Well, again, they did play some this past year, but it’s on one, such a low sample size, and two, I feel like a lot of it came in non um nonimportant uh minutes, I would say, for the Pistons. It was only 148 minutes, but they did dominate those minutes, but again, I feel like it was mostly garbage time. They dominated. Had a plus 14.2 net rating. They dominated in their minutes. With that said though, there was someone else who gave me a really insightful answer that makes me believe that this plays into the Pistons wanting to play SR and Ron together. And that is what Isaiah Stewart told me. So, let’s hear what he said and then we’ll come back. Before the this past year, the previous two years, you shot around 40% of your shots from beyond the ark. And then this past year, you cut that down. You took a lot more of your shots at the rim. Had your best finishing season of your career. Is that where you see yourself more like or do you see yourself stretching your game back out to the three-point line? Where do you feel like you’re most comfortable at now? Yeah. Um, no, I feel like bringing in that three ball um um you know, could help us. Um you know, it’s something that coach has uh you know, spoke to me about. So, um you know, obviously still still continuing to um you know, do what I’m great at, but you know, I feel like it’s a weapon, you know, when um you know, obviously season ago, I shot, you know, almost 40 from from three balls. So, uh, I feel like it’s a weapon, especially when we play against certain teams, uh, different coverages. So, um, you know, I look forward to bringing that back. Um, you know, being able to hit that shot and help our team out. So, yeah, Steu, I know you mentioned, so I think that plays a huge part in them being able to play Ron and Assar together. I look, as much as I love Ron and as much as I love Assar, I just really struggle at this point to really see them being able to play Ron, Assar, and Dur together. Now, unless Assar and Ron or at least one of them really have improved as a shooter, maybe that can happen. Maybe it can happen. If you want to be hopeful with for that, go ahead. I am going to I I’m going to be very doubtful that you can run those three guys together with how minimal spacing you are going to have with them. What I do see happening, which is what I wrote about in that article on July 25th, is that the reason why you heard the Pistons interest in some of these stretch five options, was because they wanted to get these minutes of Ron and Assar. And some of the belief was if you played them with a guy who could shoot at the five, then it would bring the adequate spacing you’d need to have both of those guys on the floor together. Now, if Stu is going to go back to shooting threes, which I also had heard he wants to do before his quote. I had heard last year he wanted to do it, but it was something more that the coaching staff was they wanted him to be closer to the rim with the way they wanted to play. They wanted him to roll a lot more. They wanted him to play around the rim, but I had heard that this is something Stu wants to keep doing and he believes is a lethal part of his game and wants to get back to like he said in the clip. I fully believe that Steu is going to go back to shooting threes. And if he can shoot at the clip he was a few years ago, like he said, almost 40%. He was around 38% a few seasons ago from three on decent volume. If Stuke goes back to popping off picking off pick and rolls and pick and popping, if he goes back to spacing from above the break, if he goes back to spacing in the corner, if that’s what Stuke I goes back to doing for the Pistons within the half court offense, then you can play maybe a Cade and you can throw if you want to throw I out there, go ahead. But I was more so thinking like if you just gave them the most spacing possible with those two guys because those two guys along with Stu will carry you defensively. You’ll have a monster defense with just those three guys. Now you just need the spacing around them. So you go Kade, Duncan Robinson, Assar, Ron, and Stu. Now Steu’s spacing out. You believe in Ron’s development as a shooter somewhat, but you really are trying to buy into the defense. You’re trying to buy into the more ball handling. You’re trying to buy into the transition attempts and then hoping that they improve as shooters. I think that could be a lethal lineup. but only if one Stu is going back to shooting threes like he mentioned here or if Ron or Assari have actually developed as three-point shooters. But I think one thing is for certain and this is something I’ve talked about throughout the offseason on the podcast. And again, I wrote about it a few times over at the Substack. If you guys aren’t subs over there, actually don’t sub just yet. I’ll do you guys a solid. If you’re not subbed over there already for your best coverage of written coverage you’ll get for the Pistons this upcoming year and you’ll get film breakdowns that I do. Wait till next week. I’m going to have a 50% off deal for one week heading into the season to get everyone started for this year. So wait till then. I’ll do you guys a sign and let you guys know about that. But my point is is that one thing’s for certain. This team heavily believes in the future of Ron NSR. Like those two guys as a future tandem for this team being a big part of what they do. They believe heavily the coaching staff, the front office, they look at those two guys and that’s something I heard throughout the whole offseason is that if you pick two guys this this front office outside of Cade are just so incredibly high on it is Ron and it’s Assar Thompson. And they seem to believe that Ron’s made the needed steps. They really seem to believe that Asar’s made the needed steps. If they can get Stu to shooting threes again and he starts shooting the way he was, I think you can run those two guys together. The defense, I think, would be fantastic. You just have to get the Ryan amount spacing around them. And JB speaking highly right now of the improvement from both Assar and Ron. It’s hard to talk about it now because we just don’t see it. We haven’t seen it yet. But if they’re telling the truth and they actually have improved that duo right there, I’ve said it over and over. I think that’s the the future of the Pistons wings if they actually improve how they’re supposed to. So, I think it could be really really fun to see them this year, but you’re going to need those things that we talked about in order for this lineup to actually succeed. If Ron I will say this, if Ryan has actually improved to a point where he’s a respectable shooter, then maybe you can play him with Duran Assar. You can play those three guys. I just think that it’s probably unlikely to expect Ron to reach the level of shooter he would have to get to to provide the amount of spacing you need with those three guys. But that’s where I’m at right now. Let me know comment section down below or over on Twitter, Cookahill. Do you guys believe in the Assar Ron Holland duo? Do you guys think the Pistons should experiment with them immediately this season? And what kind of lineups would you want to see around them? Let me know all that comment section down below or on Twitter, Cookio. Coming up, the Jaylen Darren and Duncan Robinson duo is something I talked with both of them about at media day. I’m excited to see it. We’ll hear what they had to say and we’ll break it down coming up. Today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. The NFL season is here and FanDuel has an offer that you don’t want to miss. Right now, new customers can bet just $5 and get $300 in bonus bets if you win. That’s right. Pick a bet, put down five bucks, and if it hits, you’ll unlock $300 in bonus bets to use across the FanDuel app. I love how FanDuel gives me so many ways to play. I’ve built parlays, tried player props. I’ve even followed live lines. That was a few years ago. That was my favorite way to go. I’d wait see the the guys that or the teams that in the NBA or even in the NFL, but really the NBA, wait for them to fall down like 10 points and like, “Okay, I think they’re going to make a comeback. Let’s go ahead and take advantage of that.” That was my favorite way a few years ago, but I I I like the same game player props right now. Um, it makes watching football even more exciting when you’ve got a little something riding in on the action. Whether you’re a casual fan or love diving into the stats, which you guys know I do, FanDuel makes the game day experience so much better. So, what are you waiting for? Visit fanuel.com to download the FanDuel app today and get started with FanDuel. So, I want to thank you guys again. Make Lockdown Pistons your first listen every single day. We are free 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. Now, last episode I didn’t mention this. I I purposely didn’t say anything because I wanted to see if anybody would notice. But obviously the background completely different. I told you guys we would have the background set up for the start of the season. Brand new background. I think it’s I think it’s teed. I think it’s great. I I I think the background is amazing. I think it looks super dope. Way better than what we’ve had so far. And I just want to make sure I shout out my wife because she is 100% responsible for everything behind me right now. She she’s an interior designer. That’s the perk I get. And she loved going through the comments of the last episode and seeing all of you guys saying, “Hey, the background looks great.” Even a few of you guys were like, “We know Megan helped you do that.” We know Megan did that. Tell her we gave her props. So, and she was loving it. She was going through the comments and she was absolutely loving hearing all that and seeing it and was happy to see that people knew it was her. So, um, I had to shout that out and appreciate you guys for giving it the compliment. She was very happy about it. Um, all right, let’s get into what I want to talk about with Jaylen Dur and Duncan Robinson. Duncan Robinson was obviously brought in to the Detroit Pistons for to replace I should say the type of shots that Malik Beasley took for the Detroit Pistons on Once Malik Beasley had this whole situation come up with the investigation and the Pistons had to pivot. I said on the podcast that you’re not going to be able to replicate the amount of threes that Malik Beasley made. Even Malik Beasley probably wasn’t going to be able to replicate that. what he did this past year on the amount of threes he made, on the volume and the percentage he he hit him at that it was a historic shooting season. It was historic. One of the greatest shooting seasons we’ve ever seen. It was going to be hard to find anyone to replicate that. But what you could do is replicate the type of shots he was getting, the type of shots he was taking so you can run the same type of actions and have the same type of gravity within your half court offense. And the best possible solution at the time was the sign and trade for Duncan Robinson. and they brought him in. And I think Duncan is going to do great. I think he might be better than Malik because of a few reasons. And we’re going to hear from them uh both Duncan and Jaylen Dur here in a second. But Duncan has improved vastly as a playmaker and as a ball handler. And that’s something that I feel like the Pistons were missing from their shooters that were coming off the DHO. guys who could make a read if the big comes up too high that could then pass it off to Duran or throw a lob to Durn or make the right read out of it. Duncan has really gotten to a point in his career when he’s really good at making those reads and he’s very capable of making these reads off of straight line drives um and coming off a handoff. So, I think that’s going to be really lethal for the Detroit Pistons. We know that Jaylen Duran loved operating in DHO’s this past year. So, I want to go ahead and play what Jaylen Duran had to say when I asked them about this duo. Um, I have two Jaylen Duran clips here, so hopefully this is the one and we don’t have to test it out like we did last episode. So, hopefully this is the one we’ll talk about coming up. Kind of building off of the Duncan Robinson point earlier. Uh, I I talked to him a little bit ear asked him a little earlier about his connection with Bamabio and and Miami, how they ran a lot of DHOs’s. You’ve obviously become such a great passer in DHO and kind of creative with how you set your angles and how you get your shooters open coming off the handoffs. Is that something that you’re excited about? And is there something that you and Duncan have talked about how you think his playmaking can maybe unlock some things for you? Is that something you’re looking forward to this year? Yeah. Uh it’s funny. I I told him that. That was one of the first couple things I told him. Like when you come off that that screen out of the corner and guys used to step up and used to throw that throw that to Bam. I want that same lob. So I just told him that jokingly. But n man, I I know what type of like I said shooter Duncan is. And for me, it’s about just learning where he’s comfortable as a player to be able to, you know, screen from, get him open, and actually find him, you know, in short roll situations. Just I do that with all my teammates though, just figuring out the best way I can help them grow and they can help me grow. I feel like that’s what it’s all about. JB, you had a So, I think Jaylen Duran, like he said, now I’ll go ahead and let you guys in on something. We’re going to have a film breakdown um in a few days here. I’m already going through all of Duncan Robinson’s assist to kind of draft up the breakdown and show what Jaylen Dur’s exactly talking about here. How Duncan used to get Bam out of bio a lot of easy looks at the rim because of his gravity as a shooter and his ability as a passer. And I know Jaylen Durn’s excited about that because while Malik was a fantastic shooter and THA was a good shooter, neither one of those guys were very good passers, very good playmakers, were able to make the next read. If they got the ball, they were shooting the basketball. They weren’t making reads off of that. And for Malik’s case, he was such a great shooter this past year. You dealt with it. It was fine. Like you you lived with it. But Duran didn’t have that guy outside of really Cade. It would come off DHO’s. And earlier on the year, Ivy, he would come around a DHO and be able to make, okay, coming up too high. I’m throwing this to to Dur. I’m giving him an easy bucket at the rim. And we know Kade does it a ton. But if you have multiple guys are able to create these easy looks within your offense, it makes you so much harder to guard. So I know Jaylen Duran is super excited for it. And I think it was something I really focused on with a lot of my questions and a lot of my coverage throughout the offseason talking about is that the Pistons are a really good transition team, very good in transition. They’re a very good fast break team. They were a very good defensive team. Scored off turnovers, all of that. But they were not a very good half court team and they were one of the worst the worst actually half court offense in the playoffs. And they have to find ways with the a little like I don’t want to say unorthodox. You’re starting to see teams go to bigs a little bit more or maybe play two non-shooters a little bit more nowadays. You’re starting to see it with some teams. Even though I wouldn’t say two non-shooters more, usually it’s two guys that aren’t really known as shooters. At least one guy can hit a catch and shoot one, whatever. But you guys get what I’m saying. With the Pistons playing a lineup like that, they have to get creative within the half court about how they’re going to do it. And we’ve talked about Sar becoming more of a ball handler, and that’s something he worked on. But this is another area where you can find other ways to get easy points in the half court. I also want to play what Duncan had to say about this and how he’s looking forward to this duo. What Jaylen Dur’ll play that and we’ll come back. Duncan, so much of your offense in Miami came off DHOs with Bam Adabio, whether you’re coming around for a DHO for a three, movement three, getting top block and cutting back door and getting a layup at the rim. So much of that was your offense and now you’re coming to the Pistons where Jaylen Duran loves to run a lot of DHOs. They did that a lot this past season. Have you gotten the chance to talk with JD about that at all? if you have, how do you think that can really impact an offense that got majority of their points in transition off turnovers and maybe needs to improve a little bit within the half court offense? Um, yeah, I mean JD is a super dynamic player. I I think having played against him for the last several years, uh I obviously knew that, but then being here and and being in the gym with him, you know, dayto-day leading up to to training camp, I’ve learned that even more. Uh he has a great disposition about his willingness to work. And I think terms of his like development, I think the sky is really the limit. Um I’m really excited to build that that connection with him and Stu. I’ve never been around people that are such willing screeners. Um, I mean, Stu is literally gotten mad at me in pickup that I’m not using the screens enough. Um, just the ultimate like selfless trying to get guys open. So, that’s that’s been uh just awesome to be a part of just in this short sample size that we’ve had. So, I’m excited to build that connection. You know, my goal is obviously to be a weapon coming off the screens, but then ultimately to help them, you know, be the best version of themselves, too. getting the ball back to them, letting them be playmakers in their own way. So, I’m excited to build that connection. It’s not going to be something that happens overnight, you know, it’s something that you build and work on, but I have zero doubt in my mind that uh you know, it can be a dynamic combination for sure. And I completely agree with that. I I like I think Duncan and Dur are going to have such a fantastic time. I think Dur’s really going to love playing with Duncan because like I’ve said numerous times this offseason is that Malik and THA when they would come off these DHOs’s they were they were only coming off looking to shoot and even when they would get top locked which top locking in in basketball is an offball shooter and and and the defender decides to guard them by having their back to the to the ball and get on top of their on top of the guy they’re guarding and deny them from the ball instead of trying to chase around them or or are you like playing the arms game with them off ball, they just completely get on top of them, lock them up and stop them from being able to come up top for a DHO. And Malik and THA when that happened, they really were I don’t want to say useless, but like they didn’t really they they weren’t engaged in counters to that kind of defense. Now, the Pistons did start to run some inverted pick and rolls um at the end of the year when they would get top lock. They would have him run him right into Jaylen Dur’s defender. Then Durham would come around off a pick and roll and get to the basket. something I talked about with Duran this past day uh two days ago and he’s looking forward to doing more of that. But what Duncan does so much so much better from an offball player’s perspective is that obviously can come off and hit movement threes. But Duncan when he gets denied when he gets top locked, he keeps moving. He immediately goes to a back door and he’s ready for a finish at the rim. He had his best finishing of his season of his career this past year and it’s because he gets easy back door layups like that. He keeps moving. Even if he doesn’t get the back door cut, he rotates all the way to the other side of the floor. keeps running around, run some action on the weak side, like he just keeps on moving. And another thing that that Duncan talks about here is that it’s on him to also create opportunities for his big man. That’s when the playmaking, that’s where the the lobs, when the center comes up too high. I think one action that you guys are really going to love to see from Duncan and Duran this year if they are able to replicate any of the the chemistry that he had with Bam over in Miami is when Duncan would come around a DHO from Bam and he would take maybe one dribble off of it and they do a good job of defending it but he knows his defenders trailing him a little bit so he has an advantage in that degree but if he raises up he might get a side contest instead of just raising up for a shot he knows that his defender’s momentum’s taking him away from the ball. He throws it back to Bam, engages in a chase action, which chase action is when you throw the ball and then you chase wherever you throw the ball to obviously chase action. So, he would throw the ball right back to Bam and chase after and then engage into another DHO. Whereas now that opens up two different things that if your defender, the guy who was defending Duncan is now completely out of the play and now he’s like, “Oh god, he threw the ball back. Now I have to run as fast as possible to get back to Duncan.” What that causes is two things. One, Duncan either is going to get a much cleaner look off the handoff to get a three or two, the big defending Duran is going to notice that, okay, my teammate is now trailing. They’ve gone with this chase action. I have to step up and then what does that open up Dur to go for a fake DHO and engage in his good uh ball handling and ability to get to the basket. That’s something that Malik Beasley and THA just weren’t doing. They weren’t as good of movement players, offball movement players, as Duncan was. and I think that’s something that he’s going to bring to the Pistons offense. I really think that could really unlock some things for them. So, I’m looking forward to seeing I think it’s gonna be a really fun duo to watch defensively. We’ll see what the Pistons is able to do, but offensively, I think it’s really going to work out. I think it’s really going to take or help take Duran to another level within the half court offense. So, let me know in the comment section down below over on Twitter, Cookah Hill if you guys are excited on watching Duncan Robinson and Jaylen Duran this upcoming year. And do you guys think this duo will really work out for the Detroit Pistons? Let me know again comment section down below or over on Twitter. But coming up, the Pistons franchise player K Cunningham is not satisfied with where he is at within his offensive process. You may not understand what I’m talking about there. You guys will when we play this clip from what he had to say coming up. This episode is brought to you by Pelon. Pelon is shaping the future of fitness with the brand new Pelaton Cross Training Tread Plus powered by Pelaton IQ. It’s their most advanced equipment yet designed to give you real-time guidance and endless ways to move. Whether you’re running, lifting, or crossraining with your favorite instructors, this is training re-imagined. Pelaton is built for breakthroughs with tools that help you plan, stay motivated, and reach peak performance. The swivel screen is a gamecher. You can go from running on the tread plus to strength training without missing a beat. And the personalized class recommendations keep you engaged. You get workouts tailored to your vibe and energy level each week. So, let yourself run, lift, flex, and push forward. Explore the new Pelaton Crossraining Tread Plus today at onepelon.com again to try out the Pelaton cross trainining tread plus with Pelaton. So I want to thank you guys again. Make lockdown pistons your first listen every single day. We are free to develop 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. But let’s go ahead and wrap this podcast up with our final segment here talking about Kade Cunningham, the franchise player. And this is kind of like a two-part story here. Um, last season I was able to ask Kate, I would say like around January or something, midway through the year. Um, I asked him after a game about how he was cutting out a lot of his mid-range shots and getting closer to the basket, taking more pull-up threes, and he was going to the hook shot more, which we’ve talked about a lot on the pockets. who was the best non- big in the NBA on hook shots this past season, how much more shots he was taking in the paint, all that. And it led to his most efficient season. I asked him about that if it was a point of emphasis to improve his shot diet. And he talked about, yeah, you know, I talked with some of the analytics guys and you know, they really don’t like the mid-range shot. I know I like it, but I got to pick and choose where I want to go to it. I feel like I’m maturing in this area and kind of taking better shots for my team, etc. He talked about it. So, entering this year, I wanted to go back to that and ask him, hey, we talked about this this past year. You did a pretty good job with it. You had the most efficient season of your career. Do you like where you’re at right now, or do you feel like there’s still some more ways that you can improve upon that? Is there other areas you’re still looking to get better at? Are you trying to get more shots of this? What? Like, where are you at with your offensive process? So, I wanted to play his answer and I’ll give my opinion after this. Okay. Uh last year we spoke about you tuning your shot diet a little bit during the season and at the end of the year uh now that the season’s over obviously this past year you shot career low and long twos this past season. You took way more shots in the paint than you ever had in your career heading into this year. I know you spoke about how that was a little bit of an emphasis for you going into last year. Do you like where you’re at right now in your offensive process heading into the this season or is there still some tuning that you’d like to do with it? Yeah, I mean there’s still tuning for sure. Um, it’s still not perfect. So, you know, it’s definitely work to do. Uh, I did like the fact that, you know, I got those long two numbers down. That’s been like a, you know, things go go bad, I know I can get to that shot. Um, so early on whenever, you know, it was hard to find points, I think I just search that stuff out more. Now with a more efficient offense, you know, it’s it’s important for me to get more efficient shots for us and it’s been easier for me to do that. So, um I think as we continue to get better offensively, you know, everybody’s shot diet will clean up and be where we needed to be and um you know, me having the ball in my hands. I think that starts with me as far as making sure that I’m seeing the right things and attacking whenever I need to and stuff. So, um it’s all a it’s all a balance. You know, sometimes it’s sometimes you need more on one day than you do on another day. But, uh, I think just having the right mindset and approach going into each game allows me to find the balance better each game. So, that’s a lot of words to say. I think I’m at a solid spot, but I’m continuing to get better with it. Kade, two two things. So, I loved hearing that from Kade. I this is I’ve spoke about this since Cad’s rookie of year and I talked about this with Ashton, why I had him on the podcast. I talked about it with Canon, why I had him on the podcast, his brother and his trainer. I’ve talked with them about this off camera. Like I I’ve one of the reasons why I’ve had such massive respect for for Cade’s camp for Cade. Obviously, he’s a great player. That’s main reason he came and saved the Pistons after years of struggle. But the reason, one of the reasons why I’ve had such major respect and believed in Kade no matter what was because they’re so self-aware as Kade as a player and his camp. They’re just very self-aware and acknowledge places that they have to improve upon and are willing to call themsel call himself out and say, “I’m not good enough here. I have to be better here. This is where I have to get better at.” That that is one of the if you talk to people across the league, you talk to trainers across the league, that is one of the toughest barriers to break down with NBA players. A lot of NBA players, you talk about some of the players that don’t get better, you want to ask them why, you talk to people around them, it’s that they don’t, some of them just aren’t. And you have to be arrogant to a certain degree. You have to be delusional to get to where they’re at. Like that is part of what makes them special. But it’s also what sometimes stops players from getting to another level because they feel like, I’ve gotten here doing it this way. Why would I change? I know what I’m great at. you didn’t play, etc., etc. Kay’s very aware. He’s very self-aware and he’s very smart and he listens to the people around him and and he’s willing to self-criticize himself and get better. All that to say this, I love the fact that we got the answer from him because his shot diet this past year was one of the most was probably the biggest improvement he had this past season. And going back to an argument we had in the offseason about Kade versus Paulo Ben Carro, I’ve said this over and over again, it’s not close. And the main reason why it’s not close is because Kade is such is just such a smarter basketball player than Paulo. Paulo takes so many of his shots, pull up long twos, pull up contested midies, all and it’s why he’s not as efficient despite the fact that he’s a better finisher than Kade, despite the fact he gets more free throws, is because such a large portion of his shot diet is just terrible shots. Whereas Kade this past year walked in and realized, okay, this is not the best shot to take. I need to improve at getting to the basket. I need to take more shots in the paint, take advantage of my size a little bit more, draw more free throws, and then like he mentioned in that clip, when we don’t have anything going, it’s late shot clock, I know I can get to that shot, and then I’ll go to that. Like, I know I can get there. It doesn’t have to be the first option. I know I can create better shots, but if everything blows up, I know I’m a good enough shot maker to where I can get to that shot. I feel comfortable with it. And that’s what makes you dangerous. So, based off all of that, I do agree with him. I think he is in a a nice spot in regards to his offensive process. There’s one area though that he said it himself that he doesn’t believe it’s perfect yet. He can still tune it a little bit. If I had to give my opinion on what area he still needs to improve upon, it’s I would like to see him increase and improve his pull-up three-point uh frequency, the volume that he’s taken of those. I think he can still turn even more of those long twos. I think he could turn even more of those into pull-up threes. I think he can shoot an even better percentage on pull-up threes, especially with how much they talked about his conditioning. I don’t know if we actually talked about that in the last episode, but one of the main like narratives or the main points made about Cade from both Trean, JB, and Cade, all of them emphasized that he worked a lot on his conditioning. He talked about how he even trained in some martial arts this past offseason to work on his conditioning to where he’s ready deep into games and deep into the season. But I do feel like that hampered him a little bit when it came to his outside shot. So that’s the one area that if I had to say anything about his how he’s his he’s taking his shots in his offensive process, I would say take more pull-up threes and just be more consistent with that. The more he is able to hit pull up threes and the more he takes defense have to come play up higher, it’s going to open up and that that’s going to open up even more space for the guys around him. His gravity would be even more felt. It’s going to be even harder to guard him. That’s the one area I love how many shots he’s taking at the rim. I love how many shots he’s taking in the paint. I love the fact that he’s taking a lot more post ups. I love the fact that he’s taking advantage of his height and his touch on these hook shots. I love the fact he’s still getting to a short mid-range shot, which is a much better shot to take. He was one of the best in the NBA this past year in short midies than the long twos. I love all of that stuff. I love the fact he’s trying to get more free throws. All of it. He’s doing such a great job with that. I would just say take more pull-up threes. Take them or hit them more consistently and then you really become just a lights out scorer that’s going to be impossible to guard. So that’s all I’ve got for you guys today though. Thank you guys for making Lockdown Pistons your first listen of every single day. Free to develop on all your podcast platforms. Hit that subscribe button to YouTube channel. Leave us a fivestar review. Whatever podcast platform you listen to us on. And until next time, I will see you guys later. Stay safe out there and peace out everybody.

PISTONS’ YOUNG CORE SHINES: Holland-Thompson Duo, Duren-Robinson Chemistry, and Cunningham’s Evolution

Detroit’s future takes center stage as the Pistons explore exciting player combinations. Ku Khahil analyzes the potential of Ron Holland and Ausar Thompson playing together, dissecting J.B. Bickerstaff’s comments and the duo’s impact on spacing. The episode highlights the budding partnership between Jalen Duren and Duncan Robinson, featuring insights from both players on their on-court synergy. Cade Cunningham’s offensive improvements take center stage, with the star guard discussing his refined shot selection and areas for improvement.

Please tune in for an in-depth look at the Pistons’ strategic moves and player development that could reshape their upcoming season.

SUBSTACK: kukhahil.substack.com

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

5-Hour ENERGYEnough with boring, flavorless caffeine, it’s time to give your caffeine a flavor upgrade with 5-hour ENERGY®️ shots. Get the favorites you love or be bold and try something new in-store and online at https://www.5hourENERGY.com or Amazon today. 

PelotonLet yourself run, lift, flex, and push forward. Explore the new Peloton Cross Training Tread+ today at https://www.onepeloton.com.

Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNBA at https://monarchmoney.com/lockedonnba for 50% off your first year

FanDuelRight now, new customers can bet just FIVE dollars and if your bet wins—you’ll get THREE HUNDRED dollars in bonus bets to use across the app. Download the FanDuel app now by visiting https://FanDuel.comto get started

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)
Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOPistons?sid=YouTube

Locked On NBA League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft, WNBA & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNBA

#DetroitPistons #Pistons #NBA