The Pistons are still trying to come to terms with restricted free agent Jalen Duren to keep him in Detroit. Even though the negotiations have been frustratingly longer than many had assumed, Duren will almost certainly be back with the Pistons. There simply doesn't seem to be any market for him elsewhere, and the Pistons can't afford to lose him.
Assuming that this is the case, what does the Pistons' depth chart look like for next season? After all of their offseason moves, who will be in the rotation as they hope to make a deep postseason run?
Pistons depth chart as things stand now
PG | SG | SF | PF | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cade Cunningham | Duncan Robinson | Ausar Thompson | John Collins | Jalen Duren |
Daniss Jenkins | Isaiah Joe | Ron Holland | Javonte Green | Paul Reed |
Ebuka Okorie | Kevin Huerter | Taurean Prince | Tolu Smith | |
Chaz Lanier | Gary Harris |
Two-way players: Elijah Harkless, Isaac Jones, Ugonna Onyenso
Notice that there are 16 players on the depth chart. This means that at least one of these players will be gone between now and the start of the season. The most obvious candidates are Taurean Prince and Gary Harris.
The Pistons will almost certainly move on from one of the two veterans, depending on who is more tradeable. Otherwise, they may have to cut them. Given how crowded the shooting guard rotation is in Detroit, parting ways with Harris might make more sense. Alternatively, they could move on from both and fill the final roster spot with someone else.
Who will actually be in the rotation?
Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, and Jalen Duren are obviously all locks to start. John Collins might be considered a lock as well, given how he will be the third-highest player on the team and that there are no other traditional power forwards on the team.
The fifth starter will likely be between Duncan Robinson, Isaiah Joe, and Daniss Jenkins. Since the Pistons won 60 games last season with Robinson as the starter, keeping that continuity makes a ton of sense. Detroit needs an elite shooter in that spot, and Robinson fills that need. Joe, an equally dangerous shooter, could very well earn that spot in the training camp and preseason.
Regardless of whether they start or not, Joe and Jenkins will both be two of the first players off the bench. They will have a chance to close games for JB Bickerstaff.
After those two, Paul Reed is the backup with the most guaranteed path to minutes. Ron Holland, considering how much the Pistons prioritized him this summer and refused to trade him, will almost certainly be in the rotation early in the season. If he fails to take a step forward, he could fall out of favor, but he should be the ninth man in the rotation in the season opener.
Bickerstaff ran a ten-man rotation for most of last season. This means that one more player will likely be getting consistent minutes. If everyone is healthy, this will likely be between Kevin Huerter and Javonte Green.
If Huerter is making shots, he will get minutes. Otherwise, Green should get the final spot in the rotation, especially since he has Bickerstaff's full trust, playing in all 82 games last season.
In the long, grueling NBA season, both players will get plenty of chances. Even players further down in the pecking order, like Ebuka Okorie, Chaz Lanier, and Tolu Smith, will get opportunities. If they impress in their limited chances, there is a path to playing time for all of these players.
This is obviously not the final Pistons roster. There are still moving parts, including Jalen Duren. But this is the most likely depth chart and rotation for Detroit early in the season.
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