Detroit Pistons

After the Detroit Pistons suffered their 14th straight loss on Monday at home against the Washington Wizards, head coach Monty Williams did not hold back his displeasure with the teams abysmal effort.

"That wasn't fight on the floor," Williams said during his post-game press conference, per ESPN. "That wasn't Pistons basketball by any stretch of the imagination. That's what this is -- we have to have people that honor the organization and the jersey by competing at a high level every night. I'm not talking about execution, just competing. That wasn't it, and that's on me."

The Pistons have not won a game in the month of November and fell to 2-15 with Monday's 126-107 loss in a matchup between the two worst teams in the NBA. The Wizards, who improved to 3-14, hadn't won a game since Nov. 8 but had one of their best performances of the season with seven players scoring in double figures.

Before the game, Williams said he loves working with the young roster in Detroit and there was a players-only meeting on Friday with "accountability" being the main topic.

The 52-year-old was singing a different tune after the loss, saying he was "very" disappointed and calling the Pistons' spirit during the game "poor."

"It's just a level of growing up on this team, maturity, understanding what game-plan discipline is--all the stuff we talk about all the time," he said. "It's enough talking."

The 14-game losing streak is the second-longest in Pistons franchise history behind a 21-game skid between the 1979-80 and 1980-81 seasons. Detroit's schedule isn't getting easier anytime soon, so the players will have to figure things out quickly if they hope to avoid making history in the worst way.

The Pistons will return to action on Wednesday at home against the Los Angeles Lakers (10-8).

Detroit Pistons big man Jalen Duren left his team's home game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday evening with a right ankle injury.

Omari Sankofa III of the Detroit Free Press offered more context on the ailment:

Duren (right ankle) won't return tonight. He's already missed a few games with ankle soreness. Wonder if they'll shut him down to let him heal fully

— Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) November 11, 2023

The right ankle issues forced Duren to miss a Nov. 1 matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers and a Nov. 6 contest against the Golden State Warriors.

When available, the 19-year-old Duren has been sensational. He entered Friday averaging 13.9 points on 63.8 percent shooting, 11.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists over seven games.

Duren played 23 minutes before exiting with 5:42 remaining in the third quarter. Marvin Bagley III replaced Duren in the lineup.

Bagley started for Duren during both of his previous absences and figures to get the call once again if he's held out for any period of time.

The 24-year-old entered Friday averaging 10.6 points and 4.8 rebounds in 18.9 minutes per game. Look for big man James Wiseman to get some minutes off the bench as well.

Detroit's next game will be Sunday evening at the Chicago Bulls.

Detroit Pistons rookie Jaden Ivey is "struggling" with a viral illness, according to the Detroit Free Press' Omari Sankofa II.

Monty on Ivey: “He’s better. He’s had a viral thing going on. It affects people differently. Cade’s been under the weather for about a week and a half and he’s been pushing through it … different guys have had it on the team. (Ivey) was struggling for a while.”

— Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) November 10, 2023

It's a tough blow for the Pistons as the 21-year-old had been having a solid season, averaging 11.8 points and 2.5 assists per game, and has proved to be a nice piece alongside Cade Cunningham.

With Ivey sidelined, midseason signing Kevin Knox is set to get more playing time. Knox played 42 games for the Pistons in 2022-23 and averaged 5.6 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.

The Pistons selected Ivey with the fifth overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft. He was widely considered the best point guard in last year's class.

In 74 games during the 2022-23 season, Ivey averaged 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.2 assists while shooting 41.6 percent from the floor and 34.3 percent from deep en route to being named to the All-Rookie Team.

Detroit will need Ivey to remain healthy if it hopes to reach the playoffs for the first time since the 2018-19 campaign, though that's easier said than done as it is 15th in the Eastern Conference with a 2-7 record.

The Detroit Pistons and forward Kevin Knox reportedly agreed to a one-year contract Wednesday.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Knox would return to Detroit, where he spent 42 games last season before being traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. The Blazers waived Knox in October when the finalized their roster for the 2023-24 season.

No terms of the deal were made available. It's likely Knox's deal is for the veteran's minimum and possible it carries only partial guarantees.

A 2018 lottery pick, Knox played his first three-plus seasons with the New York Knicks before bouncing around to the Atlanta Hawks, Pistons and Blazers since midway through the 2021-22 season.

The Kentucky product has largely been a disappointment, posting career averages of 7.5 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. His promising rookie campaign was the only time Knox averaged double figures or played more than 20 minutes a night.

The Pistons are off to a 2-6 start and are once again looking like one of the worst teams in basketball. They've given up 120 or more points in four of their last five games, all losses, and are clearly in need of some defensive presence on the perimeter.

Knox is a plug-and-play 3 who knows the system and can help Detroit deal with the rash of injuries on the wing. Alec Burks, Joe Harris, Monte Morris and Bojan Bogdanovic are all out of the lineup.

Knox's understanding of Dwane Casey's system on both ends of the floor made him a natural first choice given all of the injuries and the short turnaround on the schedule.

The Detroit Pistons will be without Bojan Bogdanović for at least the first month of the season.

Per an official announcement from the team, Bogdanović was diagnosed with a strained right calf and will be reevaluated in four weeks.

The @DetroitPistons today announced the following injury updates: pic.twitter.com/PjyZ8dBcuI

— Pistons PR (@Pistons_PR) October 24, 2023

Head coach Monty Williams previously announced Bogdanović would miss their season opener on Wednesday against the Miami Heat.

Bogdanović didn't play in any of Detroit's four preseason games. Williams said the team was being "really cautious" with the 34-year-old due to his recent history of lower-leg injuries.

"He's been on the floor doing a little bit, but not enough where he can get in a game. We just want to be as careful as we can," Williams said prior to the Oct. 8 preseason opener against the Phoenix Suns. "The calf is a tricky thing and I think he's had a history of calf injuries so our guys are doing the best we can to, not bring him along slowly, but bring him along so he can be effective when he gets back out there."

Bogdanović dealt with right calf soreness at times last season. He missed the Pistons' final 19 games due to bilateral Achilles tendinopathy.

When Bogdanović was able to play, he was terrific for the Pistons in 2022-23. He averaged 21.6 points per game on 41.1 percent three-point shooting in 59 starts.

Detroit gave Bogdanović a two-year, $39.1 million extension in October 2022 that ties him to the club through the 2024-25 season.

Injuries were a big problem for the Pistons last season. Cade Cunningham only played 12 games due to a shin injury that required season-ending surgery.

Losing Bogdanović for an extended period of time to start this season is a huge blow for a Pistons team that is trying to take steps forward after four consecutive seasons with 23 or fewer wins.

Depending on what happens when Bogdanović gets reevaluated, he could make his season debut on Nov. 24 when the Pistons play the Indiana Pacers in an in-season tournament game.

The Detroit Pistons plan to be better in 2023-34.

After finishing last season with a league-worst 17-65 record, that's not a high bar to clear, but there are several reasons for Pistons fans to get excited about a potential bounce-back campaign.

With Cade Cunningham returning after undergoing surgery on a shin issue that has reportedly bothered him since high school, No. 5 pick Ausar Thompson is coming out of a highlight-studded Summer League campaign and Jaden Ivey looking to build on a 16.3 point-per-game rookie season, Detroit is going to be led by a top three with the potential to be great.

Here is the schedule the Pistons' trio of high draft picks will be facing in their first NBA season together.

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2022-23 Pistons Schedule Details

Season Opener: Wednesday, Oct. 25 at Miami Heat (7:30 p.m. ET)

Championship Odds: +50000 (bet $100 to win $5,000), per FanDuel

Full Schedule: The full schedule is available on NBA.com.

The @DetroitPistons entire 2023-24 schedule can be seen below: pic.twitter.com/RDaY66c66I

— Pistons PR (@Pistons_PR) August 17, 2023

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Top Matchups

Houston Rockets

An ankle sprain ended Amen Thompson's Summer League before he could face the Pistons, so this will be the highly-anticipated first NBA meetup between Ausar and his brother.

After playing on the same Overtime Elite team in 2022-23, Amen (No. 4) and Ausar (No. 5) became the first twins in NBA history to be selected in the top five of the same draft, per ESPN Stats & Information.

The Thompson brothers more used to playing on the same team than against one another. After winning a high school championship together, they only separated for their first OTE season before reuniting on the same team. All eyes will be on them when they meet again on opposite sides of the court.

San Antonio Spurs

Like the Pistons and Rockets, the 22-60 Spurs hope to be a better team next year. The key to that improvement will be how quickly No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama can adjust to the NBA.

The 7'5" rookie spent the 2022-23 season playing in the highest level of French basketball, so he has experience competing with professionals. If Wembanyama is able to apply that skill to the North American big league, containing him will be a major test for a Pistons squad that boasted one of the worst defenses in the NBA last season.

Charlotte Hornets

Another league-bottom team looking to bounce back in 2022-23, the Hornets matchup will help answer one question: which rebuilding team is closer to taking the next step?

In addition to pitting two of the league's tallest players against each other as Mark Williams and James Wiseman clash, the game will represent a matchup for Thompson and Brandon Miller, the player selected three spots above him in the 2023 draft.

Chicago Bulls

The Bulls-Pistons rivalry went decidedly Chicago's way last season. The Bulls won all four games, including a 103-81 season finale won on April 9 with limited use of Chicago's starters.

Despite those wins, it was a frustrating season for the Bulls, who blew their chance to play-in to the postseason. There are rumors that leading scorer Zach LaVine could be traded this summer. If Chicago enters a rebuild next season, this matchup could present a chance for the Pistons to build team morale with a rivalry win.

Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James, known in Detroit for destroying the Pistons' 2007 title hopes, dominated in this matchup last season. He and Anthony Davis combined for 69 points as the Lakers defeated the Pistons 124-117 on December 11.

Next year, this matchup could become more interesting. These are two teams in very different places. The Lakers want another title in the final years of their stars' careers. The Pistons are trying to develop stars in order to get back to the postseason. These games will present a must-watch test for Detroit's young stars.

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Season Forecast

Detroit has not won more than 23 games in a season since Andre Drummond led the team to the first round of the playoffs in 2018-19. Whether they can top that number next season will all hinge on Cade Cunningham.

Cunningham, who averaged 19.9 points in 12 games last season, will reportedly be ready for 2023 training camp. If he is healthy—potentially for the first time in his Pistons career, given his lingering shin issues—he could combine with Ivey and Thompson for the most potent Detroit offense in years.

Questions still surround the Pistons' defense and depth. Thompson will need time to adjust. The team's improvement might not be enough to get the Pistons a postseason berth, but it should be enough, if players stay healthy, to earn more wins under new head coach Monty Williams.

Record Prediction: 34-48

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Golden State Warriors and Team USA head coach Steve Kerr was hugely impressed with Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham's performance during scrimmages Friday ahead of the FIBA World Cup.

Cunningham was part of the Select Team brought in to scrimmage with Team USA, and he had a significant hand in the Select Team winning both scrimmages that were open to the media.

In anticipation of potentially facing a Slovenian team led by Dallas Mavericks superstar guard Luka Dončić, Cunningham played the role of Dončić during the scrimmages and did it well.

Per ESPN's Tim Bontemps, Kerr liked what he saw out of the 2021 No. 1 overall draft pick, saying: "Cade looked great. The injury is clearly behind him. It's just great to see him healthy, and he's a guy who can really control a game from that point guard spot with his size and physicality, and it's good to see him looking so healthy."

The 21-year-old Cunningham was limited to just 12 games last season due to a stress fracture in his shin. Friday marked Cunningham's first competitive basketball since November, and he didn't seem to miss a bit.

Cunningham confirmed that he felt great on the court, saying: "I feel healthy again. My leg isn't a problem for me right now. So I think that's the biggest difference, just that I can just play freely and not think about my body too much."

Prior to getting injured last season, Cunningham was possibly trending toward his first All-Star selection in only his second NBA season with averages of 19.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game.

If the Pistons are going to improve in 2023-24 after finishing with 23 or fewer wins in each of the past four seasons, Cunningham will be a big reason why.

His return, along with the selection of Ausar Thompson in the first round of the 2023 NBA draft and the continued development of Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren could make the Pistons a difficult team to play against in the not-too-distant future.

Team USA got a firsthand look at how tough Cunningham is to handle, and it may have presented them with the wake-up call they needed ahead of the World Cup.

The Americans, who are looking to bounce back from an all-time worst finish of seventh place at the last FIBA World Cup in 2019, will get their 2023 tournament started on Aug. 26 against New Zealand in the Philippines.

A pair of young players coming off devastating injuries headlines the USA select team that will train with the men's national team ahead of the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren lead off the list of 14 players who will practice with the team in Las Vegas from Aug. 3-6. The 2021 No. 1 pick, Cunningham was limited to 12 games last season due to a broken leg. Holmgren, who was drafted second overall last year, missed his entire rookie season with a broken foot.

A roster of 11 current @NBA athletes, along with three veterans of the NBA, @nbagleague & USA Basketball, have been named to the 2023 USA Men's Select Team.

The Select Team will practice with 🇺🇸 #USABMNT from Aug. 3-6 in Las Vegas.

— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) July 24, 2023

"We are confident that our USA Men's Select Team will do a great job helping prepare the men's national team for the 2023 Men's FIBA World Cup," USA Basketball Men's National Team managing director Grant Hill said in a release. "We have a good mix of young NBA players and those who helped us qualify for the World Cup, all of who will play a huge role in our success in Manila, as we continue to develop the national team pipeline for years to come."

The select team will be coached by Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosely and his staff will include Indiana Pacers assistant Tim Boylen and Purdue men's basketball coach Matt Painter.

The FIBA World Cup is set to begin on Aug. 25 in the Philippines. Team USA will play its first exhibition on Aug. 7 against Puerto Rico, while its first tournament game will be on Aug. 26 against New Zealand.

The Detroit Pistons have been engaged in trade talks with the Dallas Mavericks this offseason, and they reportedly offered a former first-round pick in a potential deal that didn't go anywhere.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, negotiations "were sparked by the Pistons' determination to ease a backcourt logjam by trading Killian Hayes and gained little traction."

The seventh overall pick in the 2020 draft, Hayes has not made much of an impact since he entered the league, but he is coming off his best year as a professional.

The 21-year-old started 56 out of his 76 appearances and averaged career highs of 10.3 points, 6.2 assists and 1.4 steals. However, his efficiency left much to be desired, as he shot just 37.7 percent from the field and 28.0 percent from three-point range.

As Stein noted, the Pistons likely deemed Hayes expendable because of their crowded backcourt. 2021 No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham is expected to be fully recovered from a broken leg when the 2023-24 season begins. 2022 No. 5 pick Jaden Ivey is likely to start alongside him after earning a spot on last season's All-Rookie second team.

The Pistons also acquired veterans Monte Morris and Joe Harris this offseason in trades with the Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets, respectively.

While Detroit appears to be determined to move Hayes, Dallas doesn't sound like a potential landing spot. The Mavs are known to be "among the teams with a longstanding interest in acquiring" Pistons veteran sharpshooter Bojan Bogdanović, per Stein.

However, Dallas' "trade priority at this point of the offseason is still believed to be an upgrade at center." The Pistons are also holding firm on their asking price, as they are "seeking no less than a future first-round pick" for the 34-year-old.

It remains to be seen if either team will be able to get the deal they desire completed this summer.

It's time to get excited about the 2023-24 Detroit Pistons.

Pistons rookie Ausar Thompson put on a show with a dominant double-double during the Pistons' 79-73 Summer League win over the San Antonio Spurs Thursday night.

The Spurs were missing first-overall pick Victor Wembanyama, who was shut down after two Summer League games.

That left all eyes on the Pistons' No. 5 pick. Thompson responded by stuffing the stat sheet with 18 points, 14 rebounds and two assists.

Thompson's performance was highlighted by an eye-catching dunk on Dominick Barlow.

Ausar Thompson ROSE UP 😤

(via @NBA)pic.twitter.com/GG2fEVaXuI

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 15, 2023

Thompson's dunk earned reactions from NBA fans across the league, many of whom were shocked by the evidence of the G League product's vertical.

Wow im kind of speechless from what i just saw. Had no idea Ausar was capable of making plays like that

— Grif (@PistonsStrong) July 15, 2023

https://twitter.com/balloonloon7/status/1680032019965698048

Naw Ausar Thompson different. He did that from standing still to straight up in the air.

— Big Ham 🔨 (@HAM65_) July 15, 2023

Ausar got crazy vertical 🤣🤣

— Teo (@DetroitTeo) July 15, 2023

Holy Ausar

— Carson Parker (@Carsonparker23) July 15, 2023

Thompson also helped his teammates score Friday night. Had they converted on more of his deft passes, it seems likely he could have racked up more than two assists.

Ausar always finds the open man fr pic.twitter.com/ZOJhsZhg2K

— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) July 15, 2023

Viewers were convinced by Thompson's performance in Friday's game that this passing success could translate to the NBA's regular season.

Ausar’s vision is impeccable

— Malcolm Elliott ★ (@MalcolmMusic) July 15, 2023

Ausar looks like the best athlete on the court by far

— Two Dolla (@2Fresh4Haters) July 15, 2023

https://twitter.com/DanCampbellGOAT/status/1680028259059134464

Ausar is so, so good

— Ali (@asultan91) July 15, 2023

Ausar is just like in a complete different tier from everyone that’s currently on the court. It’s honestly refreshing.

— Eli (@EliBashiNBA) July 15, 2023

https://twitter.com/RegularCee/status/1680027757588144128

Ausar cold af. I eat all of my words about trading the pick

— Drew Prince (@creativedrewP) July 15, 2023

AUSAR IS SO GOOD BRO

— Danny Bucket x 3 (@Pistonsbucket) July 15, 2023

Aye if Ausar supposed to be the lesser player out of the twins, boy oh boy.

— James Cash (@CaptainJackk_) July 15, 2023

Ausar’s passes in transition are going to be its own highlight reel this season.

— Ku (@KuKhahil) July 15, 2023

Ausar has made several “wow” passes on this game that have netted him nothing, but in every instance he read the play perfectly and made a split second decision.

— Keith Black Trudeau (@Charlottean28) July 15, 2023

https://twitter.com/SanksRanks/status/1680027904925913088

Ausar Thompson got me ready to bet on him to win ROY

— Reem 🎃 (@ReemChamberlain) July 15, 2023

The Pistons really hit on the Ausar pick 🥶

— Kaleb (@KalebBaublitz) July 15, 2023

https://twitter.com/FlossOnEm/status/1680039652692983810

Ausar Thompson is becoming one of my favorite players

— justahuman (@PlatinumCadinha) July 15, 2023

https://twitter.com/Zach__Quinn/status/1680039649136324608

After watching Thompson double-double with his Summer League teammates, fans started to imagine what it will be like to watch him play with 2021 No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham.

After a 2022-23 campaign cut short by leg surgery, viewers are ready to see Cunningham bounce back next season. They think Thompson could be just the player to make that happen.

Ausar is going to make Cade reach his full potential 👀

— 🔥 🎥 (@TonyBasketball2) July 15, 2023

Ausar Thompson was the secondary ball handler Cade needed all this time

— J (@j4pres) July 15, 2023

https://twitter.com/FlossOnEm/status/1680026255515688962

cade cunningham having the ball in a fastbreak with jaden ivey, ausar thompson and jalen duren all running ahead of him will be a scary sight

— jeff (@DedicationHoops) July 15, 2023

Naw Cade and Ausar Backcourt gonna be insane 😵‍💫

— Triple Double Twin (@Jovzilla) July 15, 2023

Cade Cunningham Most Improved Player.

Ausar Thompson Rookie of the Year.

It’s official.

— Danny (@dajosc11) July 15, 2023

Ausar Thompson is so damn impressive. These twins are going to be so fun to watch for years to come. Pistons have a bright future.

— Larry Golden (@_LarroHoops) July 15, 2023

Ausar Thompson has successfully re-excited me for the Detroit Pistons.

— Matt Hartwell (@matthartwell_) July 15, 2023

The Pistons finished with the worst record in the NBA last season. Having watched Thompson play in the Summer League, and anticipating what he might look like alongside a healthy Cunningham, fans have every reason to hope for a very different outcome in 2023-24.