Post#377 » by blog_pistons » Tue Apr 8, 2025 1:34 pm
Conclusions about the players now that the year is almost over:
Cade Cunningham: He’s proven he can lead the team, improved his three-point shooting, and is one of the best players in the league—probably in the entire NBA. That worries us a bit when it comes to the salary cap.
Jaden Ivey: He’s made a huge leap, especially with his shooting. A 40% from three is truly incredible. We’ll see how he recovers from this injury, especially if he can make a difference on defense. They probably won’t renew his contract this summer, and he’ll wait until next year.
Tim Hardaway Jr.: A great veteran. He’s provided spacing and has been playing wonderfully. I’d probably renew him with a deal between $7M and $9M per year. His performance could be significant in the playoffs, but don’t expect miracles.
Ausar Thompson: He’s a beast. He’s the best player on the team after Cade. Since he started, the team has reached elite defensive levels. He has a 108.9 defensive rating and has improved his shooting efficiency and true shooting by 5%.
Tobias Harris: Tobias Harris has been a great addition to the team. He brings post play that maybe no one else—besides Cade—has. He’s been a solid veteran and has scored efficiently, especially since the All-Star break.
Jalen Duren: He started the season badly—really badly. But he’s improved drastically, made major strides, and is essential for Cade when it comes to creating space in the paint for plays, thanks to his above-the-rim athleticism. We’ll have to see if he can take another step defensively and be more consistent. If so, he could be one of the best in the league. He’ll likely be offered a contract extension (between $100M and $120M over four years). He’s only 21, and the playoffs could increase or decrease that figure.
Malik Beasley: A breath of fresh air for the city and franchise. He’s repeatedly said he loves Detroit and has given everything for the team. Trajan is a great pickup, and I hope he lands a three-year, $50M deal using the MLE. That’ll depend on earlier trades, though—there aren’t many teams who can offer him more. A historic season.
Stewart: He’s sacrificed for the team and provided incredible defensive value. He faces some tough matchups because of his height, but in others, he’s extremely useful as a center. I think we should try to sign a third center like Drummond for his size—sometimes we come up short. Duren also isn’t 7 feet tall (and neither is Andre, I believe). He has an important contract ahead of him and is a steal.
Ron Holland II: He surprised me a lot. He wasn’t my first pick in the draft (I liked Cody Williams), but the kid has the legs to defend, seems like he can handle the ball a bit, he’s a menace in transition, and his shot doesn’t look too bad. If he improves his shooting, he and Ausar will be scary. Still has a lot of room to grow.
Fontecchio: The Italian puts in a lot of effort, defends well, and rebounds well. But his shooting has dropped drastically this year, and he’s often very poor with the ball on offense. His decision-making isn’t great either. I wouldn’t be surprised if he stays, but also wouldn’t be surprised if he gets moved in a trade.
Sasser: A good player, a scoring machine, but not a point guard. He lacks finishing ability at the rim and can’t really create plays. He’s a shooting guard in a point guard’s body. I think the team might try to get something for him, maybe packaged with Fontecchio, perhaps to look for a backup 4.
Dennis Schroder: A great addition. A really good one. He’s not comfortable starting or playing big minutes. His role as a natural point guard is crucial because this team doesn’t have one—Ivey, Cade, and Sasser are not true point guards. He is. He takes care of the ball and runs the second unit perfectly. I’d keep him with a similar contract—$7M to $10M.
Paul Reed: I don’t think he’s done badly, but as I said before, I’d be looking for a third 7-footer center who could help us occasionally.
Waters: As a backup point guard, he’s great.
BoBy Klitman: Remember who his agent is, and that’s why he’s here. His season has been very, very disappointing. He’s a smart kid, capable of a lot on the court, but he turns the ball over a lot (over 3 per game) and shoots just 30% from three.
Best regards—let’s use these games to help the guys find rhythm and hopefully win at least one playoff game. It’s been a FANTASTIC season.
