The Detroit Pistons’ lone rookie is set for some time away from the team. The Pistons announced on Sunday that guard Chaz Lanier has been assigned to their G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise.
Lanier, the 37th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, has seen limited time out on the court since joining the league. Largely thanks to excessive injuries to the Detroit roster, Lanier got some solid run in November, but as the team’s health has improved, his minutes are drying up.
In 13 appearances, Lanier is averaging 3.3 points and 1.1 rebounds on 32.4% three-point shooting playing just over 10 minutes per outing.
Lanier became an elite shooter in college and came in considered a more pro-ready prospect at 23 years old — turning 24 this month.
The Pistons have expressed a lot of confidence in his offensive ability, having a mature game and having excellent instincts for his movement on the court.
“There’s a maturity to his game,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said last month. “His teammates know he’s capable, so they find him. He’s got a grown-man game and plays at a grown-man pace, not like other rookies who kind of can get sped up. He’s really comfortable in his skin and comfortable in his game.”
However, in-game contributions have been limited in part due to the excess of players already in the Detroit rotation.
As players, like Jaden Ivey, return from injuries, the Pistons are needing to cut down on usage elsewhere. Even running a 12-man rotation, as Bickerstaff has committed to doing for the time being, Lanier as a second-round rookie is among the low men on the totem pole.
The Pistons enter a small midseason break for the NBA Cup knockout round as the top team in the Eastern Conference.
Rather than Lanier, who has played in just one of the last eight games, sticking around and sitting on the bench, he’s going to have a chance to get some minutes in the G League.
The Cruise announced on Monday that Lanier would be available for a home game Wednesday against the Cleveland Charge and a road game on Friday against the Iowa Wolves.
With the Pistons’ next game set Friday against the Atlanta Hawks, that means this move is certainly focused on getting Lanier more time on a court going up against live action.
Whether the assignment goes longer or not will be the question for Lanier and his immediate future. The Pistons can recall him at any time and as a rookie is allowed to be assigned to the G League an unlimited number of times.
Despite coming in with a mature game, the Pistons don’t really have the minutes for Lanier right now and he needs to keep getting more comfortable against a higher level of competition, particularly as a defender.
Lanier’s already spent more time competing for the Pistons than last season’s second-round draft pick, Bobi Klintman, did as a rookie. But it’ll be good for Lanier to get more consistent time on the court, even if its a step down from going up against NBA talent.