Pistons Look Real Vulnerable in PreSeason!!

Pistons Look Real Vulnerable in PreSeason!!

cops. Yo, these Pistons, um, this is a conversation. This is a real conversation. I’m not sold. I’m not sold. Uh, after preeason, after preseason, I’m I would say not just like disappointed, but I’m actually concerned. I’m actually concerned. and and and and let me just start with this. Kade Cunningham looks amazing. He looks like he’s ready for an MVP level season. If we get 70 to 75 games out of him, I think he’s going to be a top three potential candidate for MVP just because of the load he will be carrying this season. I say that to say I don’t know who helps him carry this offense. I know who can help carry the defense. Sar, Isaiah Stewart, right? Maybe some Ron Holland sprinkled in there. Kate will do his best. Duran will do his best. JB will have the schemes. He get a lot of effort. That’ll help the transition offense, right, to get some easy buckets. And when it comes to half court offense, I don’t know who helps him carry this load. Duncan Robinson looks like he’s going to be starting for the foreseeable future for the next month. And I don’t know if I expect more than 10 to 12 points per game out of him. Maybe a couple of rebounds, a couple assists. And but I if I’m honest, when I go through this roster and I want to go through the first I want to go through the people who look like they’re ready, look like they’re ready to go for this season. Like look like they’re coming in, hey, I’m about to take a jump. I’m about to be a contributor for a playoff expectation winning team. I’m going to start there and then I’m going to go through the list all the way to the people who I’m like, I don’t know. I don’t know at all or expect much of anything from. So when I start talking about Duncan Robinson, you’re you’re going to hear the tone kind of change a little bit. But let me be clear, Cade is going to look great. But we will be leaning heavy on Cade. Cade is a guy who can get you 30 40 points in a game. I wouldn’t say per game. I don’t think he’s that level volume score. I don’t think he has the endurance for that, especially over the course of a season, but he can get you 30 to 40 in a game on really good efficiency and absolutely sway the game. Just pull and take the game over like a Luca might, Anthony Edwards might, uh maybe a John Morant might, even a Stephen Curry. Just a barrage of of scoring that’s just unstoppable in playmaking, right? Making others better. Cade can do that. He’s going to be big time at that. Like I said, if we get 70 games out of him, 75 games out of him, he’s a top three MVP candidate. So, I’m not worried about Cade. I got him somewhere averaging between 27 and 30 points per game, maybe six and seven, like six rebounds, seven assists, right? really good efficiency or good enough 36 35 to 36% from the three-point line uh close to maybe 45 to 50% from the field. Really good free throw shooting, etc. That’s what I see from Kade. Now, let’s get to the rest. Tobias Harris, he looks strong. He looks like he’s ready. Looks like he’s ready. The the consmate professional. Everything he does is above average, right? Maybe not great, maybe not all-star worthy, but above average. That’s what Cade I’m sorry, that’s what Tobias Harris is across the board at 6’9, 7 foot2 wingspan, good strength, good agility, mobility, uh lateral movement, good on defense, good hands, makes good decisions, does just does a whole lot of things well, right? The whole jack of all trades full quote. Listen, listen to the full quote, right? Better than the master of one, right? The full quote. Tobias Harris looks great. What’s up, K Crusaders? Good to see you in the chat, brother. Uh, sucks about Ivy. Hopefully he gets back healthy. Yep. Yeah, I’m about to get in that. I’m about to get into that. Uh, he becomes hopefully he becomes like what Jaylen Williams is to SGA. That might be a longer road than what we expected. I was hoping for a strong preseason that led directly into an early season for Jaden Ivy that was going to already have its learning curve. And I might as well jump into Jaden Ivy now. Tobias Harris I’m not worried about. He’s he’s coming in. He’s looking ready. Um Cade Cunningham, he’s going to be an MVP candidate hands down. Probably top five for sure. Top three by the end of the season. Jaden Ivy. I feel for him. I really feel for him. Um, he bet on himself. He bet on himself and so far it’s not paying off. Starting the season injured. Now you’re creating an injury history. you’re creating a pattern which in the shrewd business world of the NBA under this monopoly, right? Um there’s a lot of leverage organizations have and they are petty as hell when it comes to their business practices. It’s petty as hell despite their abundant resources, right? They have a salary cap here, but they’re making usually three to five times that in totality. Not just basketball related rel related income, but also their investments based upon owning the land of their their stadiums and coliseums, the money they make with that, outside of that, around that, the notoriety of owning the team, right? They make three to five times what they pay the entire team, but they still want to put a salary cap. It’s kind of offputting. And then and then when it’s contract time, they’re going to be petty with you. Well, what about this? What about that? So, Jay Nivey’s gonna have to deal with that. And and I feel for him. I I truly do. Uh because he definitely is a deserving talent. I think had he signed a contract this off season, he could have gotten probably anywhere between 28 and 30 million. I think he was pushing for 35, which I wasn’t mad at. Which I wasn’t mad at. This injury is going to hit him. I don’t think that they are going to rush him back. I don’t think that the Detroit Pistons are going to rush him back for a kind of an underhanded reason. The longer he sits out, the less his value. the longer it takes him to get himself going. The longer it takes him to get himself going, the less likely he will have a level of performance over time that justifies the contract he’s looking for. What ends up happening is that by the time March comes around, February, March into April, and he’s just barely starting to play well, he would have to have a spectacular playoff run to get that 35 million or more. If he had had a strong preseason, if Jaden Ivy had had a strong preseason into the early season, he would have been making a strong case for that 35 plus million dollar contract he’s been looking for. I’ll just leave it at that. But here’s the big hit to the team to the to the Detroit Pistons. Here’s the big hit. Who helps carry the offense? Assar Thompson does not look ready to be a consistent offensive contributor. But even more concerning, the veterans don’t look ready. The veterans don’t look ready. If I’m honest with you, these veterans do not look ready to be consistent offensive contributors to a playoff team. Yeah, I agree. I feel the national media will have more reason to push that idea that Kay needs a legit co-star. That is a great point. Lori Markin and that cost hit feels more and more imminent potentially even though I’m still hesitant to move on from Tobias Harris. Um but it feels more imminent. If I’m honest, when I’ve been looking at Duncan Robinson, I’ve been really concerned that he hasn’t had a really strong preseason showing. If I’m honest, also keep in mind this is his first time being traded or not traded, not resigned. What’s good, Andreas? It’s good to see you, brother. Duncan Robinson looks like he still has hangover from leaving the Miami Heat. like he’s still not fully settled into being a Detroit Piston. like it’s kind of still surreal for him that he spent so much of his career in Miami and when it came time to the resign they were like ah right that’s the shrewdness of the business but these are still people right similar to Dante Devenzo and Julius Randle getting traded from the Knicks to the Minnesota Timberwolves there was a hangover period I think there’s a hangover period for Duncan Robinson right now because he does not look ready he does not look ready. He’s not moving with that pop like he’s had a great off season of training. He’s not moving with that sense of urgency to prove something to himself. Remember, he’s been on a team that’s gone to the NBA finals multiple times. Perennial playoff team winner allNBA players playing with Bam Adabio, Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro was an all-star last year, right? One of the best coaches in the game with Eric Spolstra. Heat culture. Now he’s on an upstart Detroit Pistons. Not even on a really long-term contract. All right. I think there’s a hangover going on. He does not look ready to me. He’s not moving his feet. He’s not moving his feet well. He’s not getting a shot off quickly. He doesn’t look accurate. I’ve seen air balls from him in the preseason. airballs on shots that he’s accustomed to making and knocking down with regularity throughout his career. His playmaking has looked pedestrian, like he’s unsure of himself. His body language, his body language has not looked like he’s been really engaged, like he’s somewhat checked out. Now, Carris Levert, Caris Levert has always had a long injury history throughout his career in the NBA. Always. Um, unfortunately, it looks like Father Time is catching up to his body. He looks old and slow. He looks old and slow. He’s 31 years old along with Duncan Robinson. Not on the right side of 30. And I maybe there was the idea that they were going to come in with that pop like Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley did. But keep in mind those guys were fighting for contracts. Fighting for contracts. Neither of those two had the type of esteem that these other two have. Caris Severt, six-man on a playoff team, starting at times for playoff teams, whether it’s the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers. Duncan Robinson consistently high contributor on playoff teams. Um Tim Jr. and Malik Beasley were journeymen fighting and clawing to stay in the NBA. And and and let’s be clear, they still are despite last season. They had a lot to prove. They also came in with very little expectation. Carver and Dunan Robinson have expectations. Tim Jr., Malik Beasley set a bar. This is what we need from y’all as veterans. And so far, Caris Svert and Duncan Robinson have been pedestrian. They haven’t shown me the leadership. They haven’t shown me the hey young rooks jump on my back. Let me show you how this is done right now. Chaz Laneir looks like a better shooting option than Duncan Robinson. If I’m honest with you, they’re going to Dannis Jenkins because Caris Levert does not look like he can be a consistent facilitator of offense like he used to like he used to look like. So, when I see these two veterans, I’m not confident at all from how they’ve played in preseason, from what I’ve seen in their body language, from what I’ve seen in their uh consistency of play, their uh level of I want to say exactness, but their sharpness, they haven’t looked sharp. Their body movements, their scoring, their defense, their speed, they haven’t looked energized. I don’t see it. They’re saying all the right things because they’re veterans and they know what to say. I get that. But they don’t look ready. Once again, I’m looking at Kate Cunningham is going to have to carry this. One player though that I am somewhat confident of is Jaylen Duran. He’s having the preseason into regular season that I had anticipated from Jayen Ivy. He might look a little rough and rusty for one game, but he was supposed to come back game two, three, four, excuse me, and just run the show. And just run the show. That’s how he was supposed to come in. Supposed to look dominant, ready for the regular season. And then we look at other guys, but he’s been hurt. And it looks like the fact that they had to do surgery. Let’s be clear, there is no such thing as minor surgery when it comes to being an athlete. No such thing as minor surgery at all. if he’s having surgery on his knee and in four weeks he will be re-evaluated. That’s language for saying he might be out till December. He may be out until December. Where do we get those additional consistent 18 to 22 25 points per game? Jaylen Duran, he looks ready and maybe he will be featured all the more. Maybe he will be featured all the more. Maybe he’s going to be 18 to 22 points per game cuz that’s where this team is going to need him to be. A dominant scorer, a consistent, persistent scoreer. That’s what we are going to need from Jaylen Durren to help carry some of this load from Kade Cunningham because I don’t know who else is going to provide it. Tobias Harris 14 points 15 points per game probably at best. Assar Assar has looked like he spent all summer in the gym by himself with one or two trainers or coaches shooting over cones or an outstretched hand working on moves by himself. And it looks like more and more where he probably should have been was over at Rico Hines over at Rico Hines where you can train and work on your development with coaches but then you’re in highly competitive play against other NBA players. That is what would have been preferred because his rhythm, his feel looks worse than what it looked like last season. How many times can you attempt to drive to the basket and then look absolutely lost at what to do next? Against the Washington Wizards, he drives baseline against CJ McCullum. CJ McCullum is 6’3. Really? He’s 6’2ish. Really good pair of shoes. CJ McCullum might hit 6’4. 90 lbs at best. Probably 180 lbs. Maybe 185. Assar Thompson had no idea he had an advantage over him. drove all the way to the basket, then passed the basket to the other side, and then just passed the ball out like he didn’t know what to do. Assar Thompson has a problem. He doesn’t he doesn’t have a developed feel for scoring. He has a really good feel for for facilitating. Great knows for the ball. He can react, see the ball, respond, and split-second timing, block shots, steals, deflections, dig down on drives, getting uh a rip, then getting out in transition, catching lobs, great nose for the ball. That hand eye coordination is phenomenal. But as a shooter, as a scorer, pedestrian at best. like he looks he looks like he shouldn’t be attempting shots. Like even when you saw someone like Kobe Jones come into the game, the shots he went to look like, oh, he’s done these shots before. He’s done it at a high level. He knew what shots to go to to get his shot. He got into the game. Bryce Williams, also somebody else. Even Dannis Jenkins, little straight line drive, shoulder bump, step back into a shot. Looked like he’s done that a million times. It looks smooth. It looked ready for an NBA level. And I’m going to get to Dannis Jenkins as well. I there I can’t think of too many shots I saw from Assar Thompson in this preseason that looked smooth, that looked fluid, that looked confident, that looked ready to be relied and depended upon truly. And it’s really concerning. It’s really, really concerning. Assar Thompson is going to get 28 to 30 plus minutes a game. Here’s something else that concerns me about Assar Thompson. His conditioning. His conditioning. Like, he barely started to show me in the second half against the Wizards in game four of the preseason that he’s figuring out how to pace himself in a game. Assar Thompson, you’re not Scottie Pippen Jr., right? You’re not a guy trying to prove himself that needs to pick up full court every single play is pressuring guys at half court who aren’t even uh trying to score. You’re trying to get steals on guys, putting yourself out of position, putting yourself in a position to get cheap calls, cheap foul calls on you with zero consideration for the rest of how you’re supposed to play, right? We still need you to facilitate, get rebounds, help defender, on ball defender, get out in transition, off ball movement, right? like all these other parts of your game that are really important for our offense and our defense to function. You seem to throw out the window because you want to pressure somebody. You are you trying to steal the ball from Donovan Mitchell at 40 feet out. Why? Why, bro? You’re in year three. Year one, okay, you’re trying to prove yourself. Year two, you’re trying to get yourself back into a rhythm. Okay, I get it. You’re in year three, bro. You’re starting. You know, you’re starting. Why are you still putting yourself in these positions? Fouling out of a preseason game. Don’t you know we’re going to need you? Like, like I need to see a switch, right? Kawhi Leonard can play even at his best at at the top of his powers. Knew when to apply pressure. Knew when those moments were to get into you, to bug you, to reach for the ball. It was well timed. It was deliberate. Assara Thompson just looks like he’s just on go non-stop. And then after four minutes on the court, he’s walking. exhausted, burnt out. Somebody’s got to talk to him. Assar Thompson doesn’t look ready to be relied upon, relied upon for 33, 35 minutes a game, which we’re going to need. In fact, if I’m honest with you, we might need him more off ball in terms of defense as a helper where he can be completely disruptive and then selectively putting him on the ball at the end of shot clocks, especially at the end of game situations. Sure, because he picks up too many fouls and that’s really concerning in year three. Someone else I want to get to, Ron Holland. His jump shot looks a lot improved. Still looks a bit lost at times. Still looks like he doesn’t know what to do. Still getting called for a travel. Getting happy feet. Not settling down. Put the ball down before you take your steps. I feel like this team would have been 10 times better had they gone back to Rico Hines. like they did last year and played as a unit together. Cade, Ivy, Assar, Duran, Ron Holland, like get out there and play together. Marcus Sasser, get out there and keep building chemistry because when I look at the chemistry between teams like the Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks, the New York Knicks, even the Boston Celtics, even the Milwaukee Bucks, AJ Green, Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr. look seamless, like they knew where to find each other, where to be on the court, how to play together. They look like they knew exactly where to be, what to do. This team does not. Outside of Kade and Duran, that that chemistry looks amazing. Kade and Duran’s chemistry looks amazing. Looks amazing. Looks amazing. Outside of that, outside of that, I don’t know. I don’t know. Here’s the thing. And I said I was going to get to Dannis Jenkins. I know y’all want to talk about Dannis Jenkins. Look, Paul Reed, inconsequential, really solid role player off the bench. He’s more of a deep dive break in case of emergency. Um Isaiah Stewart, you know who he is. 24 years old, still shows the pop. I appreciate the improvements in his game. invaluable to this team. The culture, identity, defensive pedigree. Great. Okay, let’s move on down. Javvante Green looks strong. Looks strong. Looks strong. But he’s like Paul Reed. Inconsequential. If you’re depending upon those two to help you in wins in the regular season as primary contributors, especially on offense, you’re in trouble. You’re in trouble. Bobby Clement, I wanted to see more minutes from him. Duran has and Cade has and Tobias Harris has. Outside of them, who else? And I’m speaking to uh my man Hey Joe. Hey Joe baby in the chat. Speaking of you. Um who has looked good outside of those three? Outside of Kade Durren and Tobias Harris who has looked good who Benchm Kade gonna uh have to score 30 a game and create everything. It’s too much. Oh facts. I don’t think Kad’s body is built is built to do that. I don’t I don’t I don’t think he’s he has a Brandon Roy type game. Uh yeah, Chaz Chazir has looked way better on defense than expected, but Chazanir is also playing against second string, third string guys. It was supposed to be Jaden Ivy and then Duncan Robinson and then Chaz Laneir as a third string guy. Now he looks like we’re going to have to rely upon him as a second string guy. It’s going to be interesting and you can’t necessarily factor in what he’s going to contribute because you don’t know. You’ve never seen him in an NBA game, which is the point of this video. I’m concerned who can I rely upon for what? Because remember, you got to score 100 what? 110 points in a game. Usually the first one there is going to be the winner of the game in the NBA. How are they going to get those points? I don’t know. I’m looking at Bobby Clement should have had more minutes, especially in this in this last game. Maybe he’s hurt. Maybe got some he’s banged up a little bit. Who knows? Uh, Chazineir has had some really rough shooting outs, but he looked a lot better against the Wizards, but the Wizards suck. I don’t think that’s a mean thing to say at this point. So, the fact that the Wizards could push the Pistons the moment Cade is not dominating kind of gives you a prequel of what this season is going to look like. If Kade is not looking all worldly, this team is going to struggle. I don’t know who’s going to be that running mate. I don’t Maybe hopefully hopefully and I’ll do a video about this probably tomorrow. Hopefully Jaylen Duran hopefully Jaylen Duran turns a page. Can he become young Alonzo Morning where his offensive motor runs high just as high as his defensive motor and he’s getting you points 15 20 plus points per game along with the 10 plus rebounds and blocks, great screens, rolling to the basket, etc. Can he have that type of impact? if he can sign him, resign him. 35 million easily, maybe 40, and I’ll talk about that later. What Duran needs to do this season to get that money. I said I was going to get to Dannis Jenkins. Let me get to Dannis Jenkins. Dannis Jenkins has been the Detroit Pistons having to break the glass in an emergency. Starting Dannis Jenkins for games, giving him long stretches of preseason is a sign that they are in an emergency situation. No Jayen Ivy probably for the first at least month and a half of the season. Remember, it’s four weeks until re-evaluation. Four weeks until reevaluation. That’s mid November to get reevaluated. That’s not ramped up for gameplay yet. surgery, recovery, rehab, re-evaluation. Yeah, I think Ivy’s cooked for a while. I’m not expecting anything from Jay Ivy this calendar year. I expect him back in December. That’s my timeline for him. Marcus Sasser feeling some tightness in his hip is concerning. When I saw him play, he looked sharp. When I saw Sasser play, he looked sharp. The shot wasn’t necessarily dropping, but it looked sharp. His movements, his control, his balance, his awareness, his play style looks sharp. It looked ready to contribute. And if I’m honest with you, we will need Marcus Sasser. Let me be clear. I will do another video after Duran on Marcus Sasser with Jaden Ivy out. This team needs Marcus Sasser. They don’t just need Marcus Sasser. They need Marcus Sasser the Great. They will need University of Houston Marcus Sasser. Ah, excuse me. NBA summer league Marcus Sasser. I’m going to grab some water real quick. They will need Marcus Sasser balling out something to prove. They will need Marcus Sasser chip on his shoulder. Show me the money. Marcus Sasser. That’s who the Detroit Pistons need. If there was ever a time for Marcus Sasser to be ready to go, It’s now. It’s now. It’s now. It’s now. Almost. I don’t want to say now or never. The team needs you now. November, December. They need you. And they don’t need a facilitator. They don’t need Yo, what’s good? Oh, you Oh, you Hey, Sandro. What’s good, man? Hey, you already see the heading. I’m concerned. I’ve gone down the roster list outside of Kade, Tobias Harris, Jaylen Duran. Nobody else looks ready. Right now, I’m talking about Marcus Sasser. The Detroit Pistons are going to need Marcus Sasser to be not just a bucket. They will need him to be a volume scorer. They will need him to be Lou Williams with the Clippers, with the Hawks. Why uh they not ready to some man? Have you seen preseason? Have you been watching preseason? If you’ve watched preseason, outside of Kade’s spectacular play, Kade has looked spectacular. I think we’re all excited about that. We should be. We should also be concerned when Kate is not on the floor. when Kade is not dominating. I don’t know where we generate offense from. Benchm 640, what’s good? What do you think about making a big swing earlier than the deadline? A guy I really like and I don’t know if I could pry him loose, but if LaMelo is hurt again, Brandon Miller. We’re not getting Brandon Miller. You can like him. I like him. He’s about as untouchable as as it gets, especially on that team. Hey, Joe, baby. Uh, I mean, think of it this way, Ross. We finally have our first round pickback. Hey, look, let me be real with you. Uh, I’m not saying that the Detroit Pistons can’t tread water until Ivy gets back. We will need spectacular defense. This team is going to be I’m trying to think of an example. The best example I can think of is Allen Iverson with the Philadelphia 76ers. They will be Iverson and the Pips. This will be Cade and the Cade brothers, right? Howard Eley and the Eley brothers type of deal. We We’re going to have to get on his back. We’re gonna have to get on his back. It’s going to be Kate or bust this season. Let me see. What are we talking about in the chat? Uh, Houston last year without Fred Vanley where they were just jumping fools. Facts. Facts. Um, Benchm 640. I heard some Hornets uh talking about if if LaMelo’s hurt again, trading everyone including Miller getting enough picks Peterson deba and go from there. Yeah. Yeah. I I don’t think that uh Charlotte touches Brandon Miller. The young guys, I don’t think they touch them. Um Charlotte’s pretty much standing pat. Uh, but I’ll say this with this roster as currently constructed, the these Detroit Pistons as currently constructed, they are not built to compete for a playoff run. Let me be clear about that right now. I’m not saying they’re not going to get better. I’m not saying Assar is not going to take some steps. Uh I’m not saying that Duran is not going to continue to ascend or even that Ivy is not going to come back get himself going after the trade deadline. Um I’m not saying that at all. I’m saying right now as currently constructed from what I’ve seen in preseason, the veterans don’t look ready outside of Tobias Harris. Caris and Ducker Robson don’t look ready. Ivy’s out for at least a month and a half. Remember, it’s four weeks until re-evaluation. He’s still got to ramp up, get his legs back after already being out for 6 to 8 months, right? Um, Assar Thompson does not look ready. Still looks lost at times. Still looks uncertain of himself. Still looks like he’s out of rhythm, out of sorts. Still getting caught in the wrong place, wrong time. bad files, etc. Caris is looking like father time. The injuries are catching up to him. Marcus Sasser with the hip issue. Dennis Jenkins looks inconsequential. Looks like he’s out there trying not to mess up. He doesn’t look like he he can consistently create his own shot. Uh looks really good against third stringers. Looks like a G-League beast. Dannis Jaggins does not look like he’s ready for heavy NBA minutes at all. At all. Uh I’m trying to go through the rest of this roster. Bobby Clintman, I think we need to experiment some more with him. I think he’s one of those guys you can plug in amongst starters and he’ll look really good. He plays the game well, right? Slides in seamlessly. Not overly tough, overly athletic, overly anything except for as a shooter. I think Bobby Clement can contribute, but what can we we rely upon? And when I look at the rest of the East and I look at the continuity of some of these other teams, the chemistry, how well they’re jelling, when I look at how well how cohesive the Orlando Magic look, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, Atlanta Hawks, even the Pacers looked cohesive. The Miami Heat h still look a bit disjointed. They’re still figuring out their point guard issue. When I look at I’m not going to say the Washington Wizards, but how did they tie that game up with starters out there? A lot of these teams in the East look like they’re more ready for the regular season than the Detroit Pistons. Look, I’ I’ve been on here far longer than I intended to. Um, I want to know what you all think about the preseason. What do you think about this roster as currently constructed? What do you think about how the regular season’s going to look starting next week? Get at me in the comment section. If you enjoyed the video, like, subscribe, hit the bell for notifications. Uh, my word of the day, remember, boundaries are a loving act. They’re the space in which you can love you and someone else at the same time. Boundaries are a loving act. They are the space in which you can love yourself and someone else at the same time. Not push them away, not reject them. Be in a space of love for both. That’s what a boundary is. That’s what a boundary does. Set your boundaries. Love, live, laugh, have an amazing day. I’ll holl at y’all next time.