Jalen Duren Has Gained NBA Defense’s RESPECT! The Detroit Pistons Need Their Big Man To Adjust!

Jalen Duren Has Gained NBA Defense’s RESPECT! The Detroit Pistons Need Their Big Man To Adjust!

Jaylen Dur had a fantastic start to the season, but is it possible the defenses are starting to figure him out a little bit as of late? We’ll break it down and talk about today’s episode, Locked on Pistons podcast. 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 Locked On Pistons podcast. Per usual, I am your host Cahill. I’ve been covering the Detroit Pistons for the last four years. Be a cadet media member over the last three years. I appreciate all of you guys who make Lockdown 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. Whatever podcast platform you’re listening to us on, that’s another great way to support the podcast. Also, guy, thank you guys for helping make the Lockdown Podcast Network the number one sports podcast network in America. We all appreciate all of you guys’ support. Um, later on we will discuss should Jay and Ivy start over Duncan Robinson moving forward or when should that change eventually happen, if it should happen at all. And then I want to talk with Matt who we have on the podcast. You guys have not watched on YouTube. Matt Griffin, friend of the podcast is on. I’m going to tell them a trade that I am now. It’s not simply, oh, maybe they should do it, maybe they shouldn’t, blah, blah. Like, I have a trade that I’m completely on board with them doing. I want them to go make. A lot of you guys have been commenting on the YouTube, commenting on the podcast saying, “Cool, you keep talking about they want you they should make a trade for this, that, they need this. Tell us a name.” Well, I got a name now. I’m completely behind and I’ll let you guys know who it is uh later on. But Matt, let’s talk about Jaylen Dur because that’s your guy, man. You you’ve been you’ve you’ve really become a a big Jaylen Duran guy. And look, people try to say I was a big Jaylen Duran guy because of what you said about the podcast. And I I look, I’ve always been super high in his offensive game. So, but I feel like even you have taken it to the next level. You’ve been you’ve been like next level with his w with how you feel about him. So, >> just give his game to the next level. >> Just give a quick explanation. Speaking of that, just before we get into some of the recent games, just quick explanation, like not too long, just quick how you feel about his overall season so far. I know we talked about it last week, but just give a quick explanation for anyone who didn’t hear it then. >> Yeah, I mean, like you said, we talked about it last week. I don’t know how you could give it any grade below an A, right? Uh it I know that we’re going to talk about how, you know, the numbers in particular have tapered off a little bit recently. And that’s fair, but I mean, I don’t know how you couldn’t be super excited about his season. He just turned 22. Uh obviously walking double double, we we I know that you’ve talked at extensive lengths about kind of this uh this new dribble drive game that he has, this new face up game. We He’s sprinkling in jumpers, and I feel like I know it’s not true, but I feel like he’s shooting 80% on them. Um he’s one of the best role threats in the league. He’s gotten better as a screener, gotten way better as a defender, incredible offensive rebounder, which was put on display last night. Obviously a really good passer when you consider how young he is and obviously just you know his physical talents like um I do I do still think the world of him even if even if it doesn’t quite look like he’s making an allNBA team anymore. >> Yeah. So before we get into where I believe maybe defenses are starting to attack him differently, he’s struggling with it. Overall, I agree with you. A season, I mean, this game against Dows, we saw him hit like two jumpers. Like, he’s doing more things offensively than any of us have seen him do, and he’s doing it pretty successfully. Um, like I’m like you mentioned, I’ve talked a lot about his dribble drives. Um, his roll threat, something we’ll talk about later in the third segment. You’ll see I grabbed a a screenshot from a game and we’re going to talk about it. But, yeah, his gravity as a roller has been crazy this year. He’s been tremendous. um >> the hands >> overall he’s yes that he doesn’t drop many passes at all. He’s been very he’s been very good and he’s one of the reasons one of the biggest reasons why the Pistons are first in the East right now. But I do want to talk about that I do feel like you’re starting to see a little bit more challenges come his way as of late and I don’t think he’s adjusting to them quite as quick as maybe some fans would like to see him adjust to them. Um, I I I know you have some things that you’ve seen, but I want to start off with what I’ve what I’ve seen and I want to hear from you. Um, teams are sending bodies at him and he’s struggling to handle it right now on the rolls. Um, he’s there, like I said, there’s a screen grab I’m going to get later. There’s multiple bodies in the paint and he’s not making the pass as quick as he used to. I would say like maybe even two years ago, earlier last year, he’s not making that pass as quick as he usually did. Um, but really I think the biggest problem that he’s running into right now that’s, you know, causing him to have some, and we talk about he doesn’t have as crazy of games lately, like last six games he’s still putting up 13. I mean, this isn’t crazy numbers, but it’s not like he’s been awful. It’s 13 and eight. >> Right. Right. >> He’s still productive, >> right? But he’s bringing the ball down a ton. He’s getting ripped up a ton. He’s He’s getting He’s getting the ball knocked away from him a ton, especially against Boston. That was a problem both times against Boston. It was even a little bit of a problem against Dallas. Um I thought uh Milwaukee gave him some issues with that as well. I I feel like he’s not What’s happening is is that he’s not used to this type of attention the defense is giving him. He was taking advantage of defenses not really expecting to be much of anything as a threat himself. And now defenses are adjusting to that. They’re prepping for him and getting ready for his drives and swiping down at him and sending bodies at him and it’s it’s causing a little bit of frustration and and turnovers, some tough shots he’s trying to take. I mean, this game against Dallas, he was eight of 20 from the field. So, I’m not worried about him. I do think that defense have adjusted and he’s struggling at least recently, excuse me, to really find a counter to it. So far, it’s only been six games, but I think at the very at the very least, we’re witnessing defenses clearly have adjusted to him or putting him high in the game plan now. Like it’s no longer he’s sneakily at the B like he’s he’s at the top of the game plan feels like now. >> Yeah. I think I mean a lot of what you just talked about I think we hit on in the last show that I did with you when we talked about the what the 25 game checkin it was or the 20 game checkin quarter season check-in. Um, yeah, he’s it’s this is the sign of growth, I think, and it it is not going to be perfectly linear. It’s not going to come without hiccups. You’re right, he is he is higher on the opposing team scouting out. There are more bodies being sent at him when he drives that because teams know that that’s a threat. They know that they can’t leave their center on that island, you know, all game or else it it could get pretty dicey. So, you know, it’d be great to see him deal with it better. I I it makes sense to me that there are hiccups as this is starting to to become a trend I guess as he is starting to receive more attention and you know like you said it felt like the passing was maybe a bigger sticking point or a bigger part of the cell to us like this time a year ago or even two years ago. I I would have thought maybe if you if you said, “Hey, there’s going to be a world where Duran, you know, begins to really kind of take strides as a faceup creator to the point where teams are sending extra bodies at him, teams are sending help at him.” I would have thought that’s no problem. Like, he’s such a great passer that he’ll he should be able to figure that out quickly. Maybe it isn’t. Maybe it hasn’t been enough time. Maybe, you know, if it takes him 20 games to figure that out, is that figuring it out quickly? I mean, I would still say so in the grand scheme of things, right? He’s he’s 22. Um he’s got a lot of basketball left to play. Like you said, this is not, you know, he wasn’t playing point guard necessarily in high school. I know at Memphis, like he’s he’s just so young in his basketball journey um in that sense and in this sort of new skill tree, I guess you could say, that he’s unlocked. Um I’m not I’m not worried about it. And I the thing on top of all of that is I don’t really think he’s playing poorly. Like I think that the rebounding last night, I mean, we talked on our last show that we did together about, you know, when he gets an offensive rebound, it feels like it’s less frequent that he’s hitting that kickout pass that he’s finding an open shooter. I mean, he probably found four or five of them yesterday, I felt like, and I think Kade probably break three or four of those um open catches jumpers. Like it he I think the process has still been fine. Like you said, the the turnovers are ramping up a little bit as he’s getting as he’s dealing with that attention. Yes, the the drives have looked worse, but I think his game still looks as exciting as it did to me a month ago. >> Do you think that there’s anything the Pistons can do to kind of help him out or do you think this is kind of one of those things that you just have to let it ride out? It’s just he’s going to have to learn and pick it up as it goes or do you think there’s a there’s a way that the coaching staff can put him in a better position or where do you stand with that? >> Yeah, I mean I don’t know. I think that it’s I think you just kind of got to ride it and and let him figure it out as much as he can. Uh, you know, yesterday you’re being guarded by Anthony Davis, who I think, you know, the box score doesn’t look great, but I think defensively Anthony Davis was phenomenal last night. Like super impressive. >> Um, and Flag was as well. So, I hit my I’m sorry if that hurts. >> But, uh, their their front court was really impressive defensively. Flag was super aggressive as a helper, too. So, I mean, that was that’s just like worst case scenario, I think, if you’re Dur and what what you have to deal with on a night in nightight out basis. So, I mean, I think that you just kind of got to let him figure it out, like we said, like, you know, you you had to just let Kade kind of run pick and rolls through the fire a little bit, right, to to get to where we are now, where it feels like the right decision is being made all of the time. Um, so I I say just let let it ride. >> Yeah, I’m with you. I I think they’re creating advantages within the half court. They’re creating advantages for others. Uh Kade I think is doing such a good job of orchestrating the offense and handling what defenses are throwing at him, which is opening looks up for Jay and Dur to then make the right read off of it. And look, like I’ve said many times, we’ve seen him make these reads before. We saw him do it in the playoffs. We saw him do it last year. I think it’s just going to take some adjusting for him. It’s something he’s I I don’t think he’s doing very well right now. But like you said, he’s very young and early in the season, this is something that young players are going to deal with. They’re going to deal with, oh, I caught everyone off by surprise. now defensive are paying attention to me and it may struggle for a little bit. Maybe not as successful as it once was at the beginning of the year, but doesn’t mean he can’t get back to that. He just has to, you know, watch film and get back to it. I’m sure the coaching staff is talking with them about it. I’m I’m sure that they are aware of it as well. So, look, he has so much talent and and and has been so good this year that I I’m not like long-term concerned about it at all, but uh you do with it it I’ll say it is pretty frustrating at times to see him catch the ball in the middle of the floor and see Duncan wide open in the corner and him not be able to make that pass or like yesterday against the Mavs, you mentioned it. Cooper was playing super aggressive as a helper and there were a few avenues or a few outlets that he had because Cooper was really flying in as a weak side guy to take away any look he had off his drives and he just wasn’t really seeing it quick enough. But like you said, it’s something that he’s going to have to deal with and he’ll he’ll develop as the season goes on. It was but it can be frustrating in the in the middle of the game. It definitely can be. Um >> yeah, >> coming up, talk about Matt’s favorite player, Jay Nivy. Should he be starting over? Should should Dane Ivy be starting over Duncan Robinson? Should it happen now? Should it happen eventually? And what does it look like? We’ll talk about it all coming up. Today’s episode is brought to you by Door Dash. The season’s heating up and Door Dash has a way to keep fans in their bag the whole way through. Whether you’re watching highlights, the tunnel fits, or just your favorite player, Door Dash makes the entire season more fun because every player has their bag. And with Door Dash, fans have one, too. Door Dash keeps your snacks stocked, your g or your gear fresh, excuse me, and your watch party vibes absolutely on point. Those late night interviews hit and suddenly you need chips at midnight, Door Das is built exactly exactly for that. If the group chat says pull up, Door Dash makes sure you show up prepared snacks, cups, even a charger for the friend who’s always at 2%. I may be that friend. From tip off to overtime, stay in your bag and order on Door Dash. 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So take control of your finances and cancel your unwanted subscriptions with RocketMoney. Go to rocketmoney.com/lockdon today. That’s rocketmoney.com/lockedon. Again, rocketmoney.comlocked to take control of your finances and cancel your unwanted subscriptions today with RocketMoney. So, I want to thank you guys again making locked on Pistons your first listen 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 Locked on 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 if you want to take your fandom to the next level, you can join a Locked On Discord that has a Locked On Pistons channel that me and Matt are both in. You can also listen to the Locked on Pistons podcast ad free. No ads. I know that would be great for all. I know you guys would love that. Also, you guys will be able to join and see uh merch store. You’ll be able to get exclusive access to locked merch and plenty of more stuff. If you want to check out any of that, you can get it for just $5 a month. Check it out over at lockedonpistons.supcast.com. But all right, Matt, let’s talk about Jay Ivy, who obviously is a hot rod of a topic in this community. Um, yesterday, I mean, actually, let’s go backwards a little bit more. Before yesterday’s game against Dallas, I came on the podcast after the game against Boston. It was like, okay, I think we’re inching towards the minutes restriction kind of being lifted off or at least being uh extended a little bit because it was the first time he crossed over 20 minutes. Against Boston, he played 21 minutes. It’s the first time he passed 20 minutes in this in a game this season. And this game against Dallas was his How many games he played? Um, how many games has he played so far this year? Uh, 12 games. He’s at 12 games now. So, after the Boston game, I was like, “Okay, we’re looking. He might be, you know, the minutes restriction might be going away a little bit.” Then against Dallas, he only played 14 minutes. And that wasn’t a minutes restriction thing, I don’t believe. It didn’t look like it. It doesn’t make any sense that it would be. The previous three games, he played more than 14 minutes, and he was It’s going higher and higher and higher as the games went on. He did not play more than 14 minutes in this game against Dallas. I’m going to assume it’s because JBF decided to go with Dennis Jenkins who was having a great game in that LA in in the fourth quarter and he decided to sprinkle in a little bit of Marcus Sasser as well. Javvante Green, we know that he tried to sprinkle in um Caris Levert was also playing quite a bit. Um so it looked like that ended up eating in the Jane Ivy’s minutes. Now, later on that game, or really earlier in the game, I should say, Duncan Robinson bumped knees um with somebody, ended up missing the rest of the game. So, I said yesterday on the podcast, this could be a chance for Ivy to take advantage. If Duncan Robinson ends up missing a game, I’d assume that they probably would start Ivy, and could he go into the starting lap, play a really great game, and be like, “Hey, this is my chance. I this is what I should be doing. I should be a starter. You guys have to make a decision.” Sure, it could have been, but I heard I have heard today that Duncan was practicing today and he was moving fine. It didn’t look like that he was, you know, dealing with any. So, I don’t know if that’s going to be the case now. So, now we should just move and segue to the part of the conversation of should I just start over Duncan even if Duncan’s healthy? Where where do you stand with this? >> Absolutely not. >> Absolutely not. >> Can you explain why? >> I I think I could explain why. I mean, well, I I guess first I’ll explain why from the Duncan portion, who has gotten abused defensively a couple times this season, especially by the Boston Celtics, uh, most notably. Speaking of the Boston Celtics, Jay Ivy F fared very well defensively in that game. So, hat tip to him. Um, but I think like when you see what Duncan one when you just see how well that lineup has performed or even just the foresome of K to Sardurn and Duncan, I don’t really know how you can you can justify getting away from that. I mean, you’re first in the East, right? Relying on those guys to the degree that you are and and have Duncan doesn’t feels like he can’t miss open three right now. I I feel like man like actions for him on the weak side just just they just cause so much chaos for the defense. They I feel like >> real quick >> real quick to back you up. You mentioned the the starting lineup. The starting lineup is plus 9.01. They have an offensive rating of 119 and a defensive rating of 110. >> Go ahead. >> There you go. Which are both which are both great. And I mean but again like Duncan shooting gravity I mean it just it’s just kind of so OP. like that that one skill is so beneficial to a team that we’ve we’ve talked about desperately needs three-point volume. Not necessarily just for sort of the math element of it, but just so that Kade has some space in the middle of the floor. Duran has space in the middle of the floor. Assar can roam uh the baseline from time to time. Like Duncan does so much work for making all of that possible and giving Kade the amount of space that he has, which is not a ton. Um, and defensively, I mean, Duncan, again, there’s nights where it’s just it could not be worse, for sure. But he is largely in the right spot. Like, he he gets the most out of himself. I think that he’s talked about it. Um, and he’s he’s referred to himself as a defender like he just wants to be annoying. He knows he can’t really be good at defense or good at on ball defense, but he just wants to be annoying. I think he is annoying. He takes charges, um, communicates. Like, so I I mean, they’ve just been too good. And Ivy has not been anywhere near good enough to justify um changing that. I mean, the turnover rate is just way too high still. He’s he’s got less on ball responsibility and the turnovers have stayed a massive problem. He still hasn’t finished at the rim. Those are the two biggest, you know, worries I think for for Ivy coming into the season. They have not changed. Defensively, there are nights where it looks better. There’s nights where it looks really bad. He doesn’t create turnovers. Um, I I just don’t think there’s just not enough there for me for me to justify saying that he should really take anybody’s spot in the rotation right now. Um, he’s he makes catches shoot threes still, which is great. He still rebounds the hell out of it, which is great. I’m not saying he’s useless, but again, just not not good enough for me to for me to call for anybody’s minutes. >> Yeah, I I think if they benched if they benched Duncan for Ivy, I think that would be insane. Um, like you mentioned, Dunc they’ve been so good with that starting lineup. so good that they’re first in the East, everybody. Like, >> yeah. And Tobias is not being >> first in the East in conference. Exactly. >> So, like they’re winning games at a very high mark because of how well Duncan’s fitting with them to take out that player and to sit him. I feel like would just like you must not be doing it because you think it makes you win because they’re winning right now more than anyone else in the East. Like, why mess with that? That’s that’s like the most basic reason for why like I don’t understand why you would do it. Starting line’s been great with them. And then I brought up Duncan’s regular onoff just himself. He’s been fantastic when he output teams by 7.4 points per 100 or not per 100 possessions but yeah by 7.4 per >> yeah 7.4 points per 100 possessions. My goodness. Um >> but I mean that’s just what the team does pretty much right. >> Yeah. Basically >> so is that so on off nothing or close to nothing because I think I mean Ivy we’re killing teams. Oh, okay. Fair enough. and Gav is plus 1.3 maybe, >> right? Um, so like you mentioned, I I’m going to read some numbers here and I I look, I’m not saying here saying that you should judge Ivy off of this. He’s still warming back up. Like I like I’m not saying they shouldn’t play him, but in order to to bench Duncan in favor of of uh in favor of Ivy, Ivy needs to be playing at such a level that it’s like, okay, we have to play him. And right now he’s just like he hasn’t gone to that point. You mentioned the the shot creation and and and not having the ball in his hand as much but the turnover rate still being as high. Like just to give you guys an idea, 35 this is from Jasper on Twitter. He tweeted this. I’m going to use his tweet here. 35% of his field goals were assisted on the first three years in his career. This year it’s at 71% and despite that he still turned the ball over at an extremely high rate for someone that doesn’t have that much of a a high usage on ball. he’s still turning the ball over a ton. Um, and when he has been asked to create some and have the ball and like we’ve talked about this on the podcast a few times where I’m like, “Hey, just stop. Just keep him off ball. Keep him off ball because every time he’s tried to create like he he’s losing the ball and and it just hasn’t looked great.” So, I’m not saying that this should be the final, you know, like get rid of Ivy, it’s over. I’m not saying that’s it right now, but like all I’m saying is for everyone that’s out there trying to say start him over Duncan, I don’t see what the argument could be at all for starting him over Duncan. I honestly think this is an insane conversation for a team that’s risen to first in the East with Duncan in the lineup with how great Duncan’s been. Like Duncan hasn’t just been good. He’s been fantastic in his role and he’s been one of the very best shooters in the entire NBA. I don’t see how that’s even a discussion. Now, what I do want to make a discussion though, Matt, is so Ivy only played 14 minutes though and in this past game and he was behind Caris, he was behind Dannis Jenkins. Do you think that he should be getting more minutes than those guys? Like, should they have been closing with him yesterday against Dallas? Like, what where does where are we at right now? We’re 12 games in and he’s still not really passing 20 minutes. Should we be seeing his minutes go up? Should he be taking Caris’s minutes? Like, what’s what do where do you think we stand right now with Ivy? I’ll reiterate, I don’t think you should be taking anybody’s minutes right now. Uh I think well I will attribute a little bit to to last night’s minute disparity that Danis and Sasser like they were on the court when the run was made and a lot of times coach I mean I don’t think that coach went into the night thinking he was going to play Danis as much in the second half as he did. Well obviously especially because of the injury and the and the sargony toss. Um, but I think that run just the coach just stuck with the lineup that was working that well um getting getting into the fourth quarter. So, I mean that’s probably a little bit of the picture, but no, I I don’t really think that Ivy there’s any reason that he should be playing more than Caris or Danis personally. I think that Dennis’s ball handling in particular is like such a necessity when Kate is off the court. Um, and they’ve done a pretty good job. He’s he’s done a pretty good job in particular just holding the four down when that is the case because we don’t have like a we’ve got combo guard I mean Caris espec will handle the ball quite a bit we’ve got combo guards but we don’t have another point guard and Danis other than Dan so I’m happy with him in the rotation plays deep still pretty sound on offense I mean the shot obviously is not going in as much as it did when when Jake and Sanity was going on but he he’s still been steady I think and I’m still happy with his minutes and I mean Caris Caris is a a little bit of roller coaster ride, but there’s enough good there for me to think that I’m I’m again still happy with what he’s done. >> So, I think the argument that a lot of a lot of Ivy fans have seen is it’s it’s Caris that they’re really upset about is that’s playing over. Do you do you think that I you don’t think Ivy should take any of Caris’s minutes? And if not, why? >> Well, I’ll say that. I think they definitely shouldn’t play together. I’ll say that. I think, you know, if if anything else, I I think Carris is I just think Harris is better right now. But play pick one of pick one of the two. It just feels like those minutes together have been have felt particularly redundant and and it feels like the offense has not looked great. >> I can back up that number for in the 114 minutes Ivy and Caris have played together. Uh they are being outscored by 1.24 points. So >> it’s something that not a lot of lineups getting outscored on this team right now. That’s why I was just about to say three minutes. >> Yeah. Um so yeah, that that backs it up. I hadn’t looked at that. Thank you. That uh so you got to pick one. And I think I mean Caris I just think gives you a little bit more on both ends right now. Um defensively could guard up a little bit when it it does feel like I mean I think I think Harris is fine defensively. I feel like people I there are bad moments but I think like he also can sit down and get stops in a way that not a lot of you know combo guards can. Um and he can kind of guard one through three sort of. Uh so he he brings some value on that end even if it’s not you know he’s certainly not making anybody’s all defensive team but uh and offensively he is just a better shot creator and he he makes enough catch and shoot threes too so I don’t see why why you wouldn’t >> yeah I I think the Pistons find themselves and we’ll wrap it up here and before we get to the trade I’m talking about here but you find themselves in a situation where they’re so good and they’re winning so many games with what they’ve been doing and now you’re also trying to bring a guy back in, but you don’t want to disrupt the winning that you’re doing because now it’s not just that you’re sixth, seventh, eighth seed. You’re literally the top of the conference. So, it’s like you don’t like you’re at a there you go. Yeah. Six, seven. Uh you’re literally at the top of the conference, Bill Zoomer. >> And you don’t want to come on. uh top of the comment and you’re like you can’t like you can’t ruin you you don’t want to take a chance at ruining it to try to get someone else involved but you also have to get this guy involved because he’s important to whether he’s important immediately to the future in one way or the other his outcome is important so like you need to figure out answers with that they and then like Ivy and Caris don’t play well together because I feel like they’re kind they’re kind of wanting to do some of the same things at least Ivy is trying to do some of the same things and neither of them are like a point guard either But then like you mentioned like Caris has just been so like Caris gets gets and there’s been moments like I’m not like everyone knows I was not a big Caris. >> His mistakes are loud. He suffers from his mistakes. He has the loudest mistakes on the team and and you just >> that’s just going to >> when he does something stupid it’s like oh my god what is wrong with you? But then you look at what he’s done for the season. Like he’s hit multiple clutch baskets. His shot creation has been great for them. They didn’t have that off the bench last year. He’s legitimately one of the only other shot creators they have right now. He’s averaging nine and a half on 58 true shooting. He’s shooting 41% from three for the Pistons. He’s only averaging 1.3 turnovers. Like it’s like >> Yeah. >> And I do think that he’s been impactful defensively, too. Even though he has some moments where it’s like, what were you doing? There’s other moments throughout the entire game really. I feel like he’s playing well defensively. So, it’s like you want to get more from Ivy, but like okay, then who are you taking minutes from? If you take minutes from them to give Ivy a chance to play more and kind of get accustomed, are you going to hurt the overall team if he’s not playing as well as maybe you’d like him? It’s it’s a tough situation to be in, I think, because you don’t want to you don’t want to sacrifice wins and you don’t want you don’t want to put a guy in a position where he feels like maybe he’s sacrificing wins because he’s struggling to get back. I don’t know. Uh but yeah, I don’t think you can start him over Duncan. But we’ll see if he slowly starts to take more and more of Caris’s men. He has gotten closer and closer to 20 outside this last game. So, we’ll see what it looks like on Saturday. Um, but coming up, I have a trade. Everyone’s been asking, “Stop talking about the guy that they need, the type of player they need is tell me what player it is that you want them to go after that you actually have identified.” I’ve I I found the player. I’m putting myself behind it, and I I’ll be This is This is it. So, we I’ll tell you guys who that is, what the trade is coming up after the break. Today’s episode is brought to you by, if I can find it real quick, Gusto. Uh, let’s be real. No one starts a business for the joy of calculating tax withholdings and managing your business, your payroll spreadsheets. That’s where Gusto comes in to take the stress off of payroll benefits and HR so you can focus on running your business of supporting your team. Gusto is the all-in-one remote friendly payroll and HR platform that makes managing your team simple, transparent, and fast. Whether you’re hiring, onboarding, or paying employees, Gusto helps you do it all from one place without the hassle or hidden fees. Gust’s automated tools like offer letters, onboarding materials, and direct deposits save me hours every week. And knowing you can reach certified HR experts anytime gives you real peace of mind. So try Gusto today at gusto.com/locktonba and get three months for free when you run your first payroll. That’s right, three months of free payroll at gusto.comlocktona. One more time, that’s gusto.comlockton MBA. You get three months free when you run your first payroll with Gusto. So, I want to thank you guys again for making Lock on Pistons your first list of every single day. We are 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, man. I’m going to talk about the player that I think they need to trade for. I’m completely behind going after them, going after this player and saying I think they make them so much better. Um, first I want this is why I want to start off with doing it though before I say the player. I have I want to build the argument here. So I’m not allowed to play clips on the podcast, right? But I can play because I don’t want, you know, the NBA, you know. Yeah. No no fun league coming over to the NBA. Um, but I can take screenshots. So I want to put this screenshot up. And Matt, what do you notice from this screenshot in the game? What do you think I’m about to talk about here? Your mic’s muted. Your your mic’s muted. Your mic’s muted. >> Oh. Oh, I did it. Oh, you’re right. >> Yeah, you did it. What are you talking? >> Go ahead. >> Kade Kade is being trapped and he left the floor, I assume, to try to make this jump pass over to Jaylen Durren, but the Mavs have a lot of size. >> But he did pass it to Dur. I remember that. I do know that he did not pass it to Dur. Right. >> Correct. Correct. Correct. That is true. So, I’ll tell you guys what’s happening here. Kade runs a pick and roll with Jaylen Dur on the right side of the floor. The Mavis trap. On the weak side of the floor, they have Tobias on the wing. On the strong side, they have Assar cutting along the baseline and Duncan in the corner. So, what happens here, I’ll explain it best for you guys listening on the audio platforms who can’t see it. Tobias’s defender, Cooper Flag, rotates down to Jaylen Dur to take away that role. Assar is going to be cutting along the opposite baseline which forces his defender PJ Washington to pay attention to him. So you have good spacing on the strong side. You got Duncan holding his defender and then you’re forcing Cooper Flag to have to pick his spot. Either leave Tobias and go after Durn or leave Durn wide open for a lob. If PJ Washington goes over and tries to tag on Durn, then Assara gets a lob. Like it’s it the Pistons have a good situation here. This is what they want. Kade is gonna make this pass to Tobias Harris and Tobias misses. That’s the outcome that I want to play. Tobias misses the shot. It’s a wide open three above the break, right? It’s on the left wing. It’s wide open three. He misses it. We can take the screenshot away. Now, this is the problem, Matt. I bet you didn’t know this, but I’ll let you know. Tobias is shooting 30 30% on above the breakthroughs. You want to know what percentile that is in the NBA? >> Uh, I don’t know. 28th. >> And it’s 19th percentile in the NBA. >> Wow. >> He’s shooting 30% on above the breakthroughs. He’s 19th percentile. Last year for the Pistons, he shot 31% on above the breakthroughs. The year before that, he shot 32% with Philly. All of these, he’s in the 30th. >> That’s not his game. That’s not his game. Yeah. >> And thank you. That’s where I’m about to go to next. Tobias’s game is not three-point shoot. He does not want to shoot threes. And in a lineup where Cade, Assar, and Duran are your main guys, you need your four man to be someone that wants to shoot threes. Not someone when they catch the three, they’re like, I got to take it. You want someone to catch this ball and be like, “Oh my god, I can’t believe the defense just gave me this look. I this is like this is like my life. I’m so happy.” Like that’s what you want at the four position. And that’s just not what Tobias is. and especially above the break, which is where the Pistons have. We’ll bring the screenshot up for those you guys on YouTube. This is the situation the Pistons find themselves in so much because of how they guard Cade, how they guard Duran, how they guard Assar. These these above the break threes from your fourman is is so much of their offense that is available, but they can’t take advantage of it because they don’t have someone on the floor from the floor position that wants to let it go like that. Matt, just give me a second. I’ll keep it going. Uh, where do you think the Pistons rank in above the breakthroughs? >> Percentile. >> Or actually, not even percentile across the least. >> Percentile. There’s 30 teams. Um, >> yeah. Right. Exactly. Exactly. >> I mean, Kade, most of Kad’s catches shoot threes are above the break. >> Correct. >> He’s like 30% which we just learned is like 19th percentile. Uh, I’ll say in above the break threes, they rank 26. attack. They’re better than that. They’re 20th. So, they ranked 20th in the NBA in above the break catch and shoot threes. Not or not catch and shoot, but just overall above the break threes. They’re including pull-ups, I’m assuming, in that. Um, they need someone that can shoot threes, man. The four pos they need someone at the forward position that can let it go. They need someone at the four position that is especially not someone who’s good from the corners, not a PJ Tucker. They need a guy who above the break is just making teams pay because I believe I’m sure I I’m I’m sure you’ll probably agree with this, but I believe the gravity from someone who can hit above the break threes like that is different from someone who can just hit catch and shoot threes. It spreads the floor out way more and provides a different level of spacing for your team. The Pistons need that, especially with how teams want to guard him, guard the cade, guard the pick and roll with Duran. how Assaar is cutting along the baseline opens things up like that’s going to be open so much but they don’t have someone they can take advantage of it. You want to know a player, Matt, that is currently shooting 42? >> Why are you smiling like this, man? >> 40 42%. And above. >> You make it seem like there’s going to be a like a troll player. Like you’re going to bring up somebody >> Oh, >> somebody disgraced. >> I mean, don’t know. I You guys who knows what you guys could think player. Uh, you want to know, would you think a player that’s shooting 42% above the break threes could be, I don’t know, pretty impactful for the team? >> It could be. Or they could suck. That could happen, too. >> I don’t I don’t want to trade for Steve Novak, you know. >> All right. Here’s the player I’m behind. >> Channy Fry. >> Matt already Matt already knows who it is. It’s It’s >> Oh, yeah. >> Go trade for MPJ. >> Trade for MPJ. He’s in the 81st percentile and above the breakthroughs on listen to the >> Who just wants a podcast? Who just wants who just wants some unlocked Pistons to be clear? >> I mean, if he came on locked up, that would be great, too. >> The MPJ uh >> I mean, look, that would be great. >> The podcast that he brings. >> I mean, look, listen, like I said, if MPJ all of a sudden said, “I want to come on lockdown pistons,” we would say, “Welcome on board.” Uh, but uh listen, MPJ is I feel like exactly what this team is needing. He’s shooting 41% on above the break threes. This is with a volume. Uh he’s in the 73rd percentile in volume from above the break as well. So this is an insane volume and able to shoot as well as he is. We all know how great of a season he’s having overall. But I believe that what he’s doing is scalable down. We’ve seen him scale down and help win a championship for Denver in in with Joic. Obviously he’s playing with Jokic, but he’s playing with Kate. It’s not like he’s playing with another trash guy. He’s playing with another top 10 player. It’s not he’s going to be clearly trash, >> right? He’s clearly scaled. He can scale down and in the positions that Cade opens up, that Duran opens up, Assar opens up, he would he would just feast on it. He would just He’s an offball player. He’s not someone that needs the ball in his hands to isolate or anything. All of his work happens off the ball. And Matt, this is something I want I’m gonna say for you because you me and you have talked about MPJ before and you kind of bring this up and try to trash it a little bit. But guess who brought you know who I listen to bring up this exact point? You want to know who I listen to that brought up this exact point I’ve made to you about MPJ multiple times that you’ve tried to poo poo? My friend uh friend of the podcast Jason Tim who’s a part of the volume. I I think you know who Jason is. Um has his own podcast. Lakers guy. Um I forget what >> he’s the guy who says like Shay sucks, right? >> No, but he is the guy that that complains about the the the um >> he’s like a Luke >> flop the flopping. >> No, I I mean I think he likes shake, but he’s not >> he just doesn’t like the flopping stuff. Whatever. Oh, yeah. No. Yeah, Luke overshake. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Um but he was talking about MPJ. He was talking about the Pistons. Actually, he was watching one of the Piston guy. I think two days ago he was talking about Kade being a top 10 player, MVP kind of guy, whatever. and he said, “I really think MPJ would be the perfect fit for this team.” He brought the offensive stuff I talked about, you know. But then defensively, you want to know what he brought up that I’ve brought up to you multiple times that you seem to say I’ve just made up in my head, but he said he spoke about how yeah, he may not he’s not going to be as good on ball si. He’s not as strong. I obviously >> he’s a much better defensive rebounder. He’s a much better defensive rebounder. And oh my god, he’s actually a pretty He’s actually a pretty decent >> we side rip protector when you have Oh. Oh, I was told by Matt that I just made THIS STUFF UP. >> I’VE ALWAYS SAID THAT. I’VE ALWAYS SAID THAT. I’ve always said that. I’ve always said that. >> So, >> at the end of the day, and I and then I’ll leave I had to build the argument for everyone listening as well. So, I I’ll let you go. I just had to build the argument to wrap it up here. I think not only is he a perfect fit for what the Pistons absolutely need, I think he he would elevate this team to like I do think if they got MPJ, I’m taking him to Eastern Conference Miles. I think they can make the I I think he’s really good. I think he’s really what they need. The last thing I’ll say, everyone thinks that he’s on this big contract. He’s not. He’s only getting paid 38 this year, 40 next year, and he’s off the books. He’s on the contract for this year and next year. So, if it didn’t, let’s just say if it didn’t work out, we know Traan loves flexibility. he could get off his contract literally next year he’s expiring or you can just ride it off or if you play if he plays really well you can extend a guy who’s playing extremely well at 28 years old next off seasonason maybe for a lesser number maybe for a better like you have flexibility it’s not one of those contracts like Lor’s where it’s on the contract for three four more years or anything like that it’s this year next year and then you can like you have the flexibility to choose what you want to do with them when you like when you get them you’re not stuck here so all that if you want ask me what does a trade look like? We can eventually get to that, but um I did talk with some Nets guys to figure out what it is they would want. But Matt, what do you what do you feel? Just go ahead and give your thoughts on that. Go ahead. I know. >> Yeah, I mean I I wouldn’t say that. I Hey, he is he is the perfect fit. My I my number one contention has always been I don’t re I don’t completely understand why the Nets would feel the need to trade him. um or particularly to us for for like the picks or the pick that we could offer just given that there’s just not very much upside to to a Pistons pick right now. Um but with all that being said, no, I think that you’re right that he would fit in like a glove. Like he does kind of just address our need immediately. And I think like I think it makes way more sense to trade for him than marketing for example largely because of the points that you laid out about his contract. And if you trade for marketing friends, we’re probably not going to be able to pay SR unless we’re a unless we can get rid of marketing before that day comes. And we definitely wouldn’t be able to pay Holland. So that’s completely off of the table to me. But regarding MPJ, like I don’t know. I don’t know that I would give up the whole, you know, wagon for him necessarily. Even if you felt like confident that he would resign, I I do think that there are still limitations to his game that that maybe manifest themselves more in Denver. But there’s clearly more to him than I thought that there was in Denver just really as a passer. I I think nobody could ever dispute that if he took 12 threes a game, they would start being like bad threes or like his percent. Like I always said, why doesn’t he take more threes? That was that was really my big piece of contention in Denver is like why isn’t he taking 10 or 11? Now he is new. Obviously nobody can contest him. Um, so that it’s not like the volume or the percentage has dropped off and I mean they run feels like they were on a set forum every every play down. Him and Markin both kind of share that in common and that that’s where another I guess red flag sort of pops up for me that two terrible teams the the two like crazy high volume efficient scores in basketball on like the worst teams. the two offball ones on the worst like clear it’s not translating to anything like these guys that are just kind of they have good offensive coaches that run a lot of structured offense and these guys are the best play finishes on the team and so they’re featured to the level that they can acrew 27 28 points per game and it is it’s valuable and it’s it’s very impressive but I don’t know that you’re getting the marketing I don’t know that you’re getting the MPJ that you see in this context if they are asked to come be a second and a half or third option Um, I mean, we saw Cam Johnson had a just had a career year in the sort of MPJ role last year. He’s getting all-star buzz like MPJ is right now, right? Like, so I have my questions about what it all kind of means for for these guys in in said situation. Bridges also, of course, had his his career year in sort of a similar situation, but did it differently than than Camman uh and PJ. I say all that to really say at the end of the day, though, I mean, like you said, this team needs shooting really badly. He’s a very good rebounder. He’s not He is I He’s definitely not a good defender. I’d say that he’s a below average defender, but there is value in him as as like a weak side rim protector. I mean, that’s kind of I feel like we’re we’re killing it with that like of all things on defense. I feel like we side rip protection, we’re we’re straight. Um but whatever. He he can he can do that. And uh I would love to have him. I mean, if it took one first, he he is frankly I think an annoying idiot, but if we if it took one first and and you know, a couple sweetener players, I’ I’d totally pull the trigger. >> All right, so I before we wrap up, I know we’re getting late into the podcast. I want to bring all these points up. I know the next question from people is, okay, what’s the trade look like? There’s two different trades. I talked with some Nets people today, figure out what the trade would look like. First one is obviously the Jade and IV Tobias in the first. That’s the first one that everyone’s going to circle around. That’s the trade package that everyone’s throwing out for anybody for the Pistons. Um my understanding is and not not talking with someone in the front office with the Nets, but like Nets people in the community that cover them. U they don’t believe the the Nets are going to want Ivy if the Pistons were sent. They don’t think they would want Ivy. They don’t need them. So if you did that, maybe you could like a three team trade or something, but I doubt you’re doing all that for MPJ. So, the next trade that they told me that the Pistons could do that would be interesting to them is if they took expiring contracts like MPJ and or not MPJ like Tobias and Caris and attached multiple future first and you just kept Ivy. I don’t know if any I I feel like I feel like there’s people in the community that would rather do that than trade Ivy. And I think there’s a lot of people in the community that would rather just trade Ivy and like so I’m interested to see how many of the fans that listen to this fault on which side like would you rather if you are on board with MPJ and if you’re on board like trading for would you rather do the Ivy Tobias first package and see if that would work or would you rather take expiring to just attach two first round picks for whatever to go after MPJ attach maybe two future first not this year’s first but two like 27 29 first or whatever for him for with like expiring deals. That’s the two deals I heard talking with some Nets people that they can only see the Net the only two ways that they see the Nets maybe getting on board with it. Um, and then the last thing to wrap it up is you mentioned the whole, you know, you mentioned how they’re playing and them not being a very good team. I don’t know if you’ve I mean I’m sure you’ve probably heard this, but there’s been some noise apparently in the Nets community and from people who cover the team that they are winning too much recently. last 15 games they’re seven and 11 over the last 15 games and apparently they’re doing really well with NBA >> and yeah and and D was about to say Danny Wolf is playing really well. >> No, they’re playing huge. Yeah, they’re they are they are starting to win. >> So So there’s some people apparently in the community like over the last 15 games they’re winning MPJ’s minutes when he’s on the floor. >> I just had it. It just disappeared. They’re winning his minutes by 2.1 points. So, like there’s a lot of people apparently that are like, “Look, you got to move them.” Because you asked the question like, “Why would they want to move him?” It seems like they think they’re going to win too much, like not be a bottom. >> Well, don’t worry. Cam Thomas is coming back and all the losing will begin again. >> Fair enough. Fair enough. But that’s why I think they maybe could want to move another I saw some other Nets people talk about if they could get another first now, they can say they got two first with Cam Johnson at the end of the day and that would be a really good whatever. Um, but like the mo the bigger part is they think they might be winning too much and they want to be like the worst team, second worst team to get a top odd. So I think that’s why they would move them. I want I that you guys can write it down. You know, it is what it cuckill go get him. I think he’s a perfect fit on the team. Um, but we’ll end it there. Matt, thank you for coming on the podcast, man. You can find Matt over on Twitter, Griffon. Let me know what you guys think in the comments section down below or over on Twitter. And until next time, I will see you guys later. Thank you guys for making lockdown piss your first listen of every single day. Hit that subscribe button. Leave us a fivestar review. Till next time, see you guys later. Peace out everybody and stay safe.

Jalen Duren’s hot start has opposing defenses scrambling—are the Detroit Pistons still unlocking his full potential? Ku Khahil and Matt Griffin dissect Duren’s evolving offensive role, the challenges he faces with increased defensive attention, and his impact as a dominant threat. They highlight his recent struggles with turnovers and matchup adjustments, asking whether this is growing pains or a sign of long-term issues.

Debate heats up over Jaden Ivey’s minutes and whether he should replace Duncan Robinson in the starting lineup for Detroit. The conversation spotlights lineup chemistry, rotation choices, and Caris LeVert’s steady play off the bench. The hosts propose a game-changing trade target—Michael Porter Jr.—and break down the ideal four-man fit to maximize Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, and Duren. Get critical insights on the Pistons’ strategy and possible moves as they chase Eastern Conference supremacy.

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