The Detroit Pistons filled their 15th and final roster spot with Isaac Jones last week. The 25-year-old big man has yet to make his Pistons debut, and the front office has already made more tweaks to the roster. On Monday, HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported that the Pistons were releasing Colby Jones and signing Wendell Moore Jr. to a two-way contract.
Pistons Cut Colby Jones & Bring Back Wendell Moore Jr. on Monday
This will be Moore's second stint in Detroit after he spent the first half of last season with the team before his release in February. He was traded to the Pistons from Minnesota during the 2024 NBA Draft, and the former Duke standout appeared in 20 games for Detroit. He even got a start in the first game after Jaden Ivey suffered his season-ending leg injury.
Moore joins Daniss Jenkins and Tolu Smith as the three two-way players on the team. The 24-year-old hopes to have a chance to crack the rotation after impressing early in the G League. In two games with the Maine Celtics this season, Moore averaged 21.5 points on 60.9/33.3/80.0 shooting splits in 27 minutes per game. He also filled the box score by adding eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, and two blocks.
If Moore can make enough shots, he could get a look as a deep bench option. The Pistons are desperate for more shooting. Moore has been an inconsistent shooter in his career. He is a 25% three-point shooter on 64 attempts in the NBA and a 36.2% shooter on 94 attempts in the G League for his career. If he can shoot closer to that latter mark, he has enough size, athleticism, ball skills, and defensive chops to at least be a fringe rotation player. Moore was considered to be such a high-level all-around prospect during his days as a Blue Devil that not giving up on his potential makes sense for the Pistons.
While this is a worthy gamble for the Pistons looking for more shooting guard and small forward depth, it marks the end of Colby Jones' career in Detroit after only one game with the team. His lone appearance came in the garbage time against the Cavs earlier in the season. He is a similar player type to Moore, and some thought that Jones could contribute in the shooting guard rotation, but it seems like the Pistons are opting for a more familiar face in Moore. Where Jones' career takes him now remains to be seen.