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Due to injuries and a COVID-19 outbreak, the Detroit Pistons have been playing without the majority of their main roster. A cadre of G League players on 10-day contracts have filled in the gaps. But it appears the Pistons could see most of their players return soon.

Cade Cunningham, Killian Hayes, Saben Lee, Rodney McGruder, Cory Joseph, Trey Lyles and Josh Jackson all exited the NBA's health and safety protocols on Friday evening.


All seven players all still listed as "OUT" for Saturday's game against the San Antonio Spurs due to "return to competition conditioning," but they can now rejoin the team after missing multiple games.

So we might see a bunch of guys sitting on the bench tonight, but it sounds like we aren't letting them play. I don't get this if other teams have players sit out a week they aren't giving them an extra game off they are putting them right back out there. Especially considering we're a young team and they just got a ton of rest. They are more likely to get injured on a back to back than after getting 7 or 8 days of rest. Just makes no sense to play super short handed and have to play guys like Diallo and Bey 40+ minutes a night.

Good. We'll be back to the same level of winning we were at before the protocols in no time.

Oh wait...

It is what it is. I don't look at it as being anything significant one way or the other. It's still just a developmental season and there's still plenty of games left to hopefully get some good things done.

So another night of the G-league wrecking crew in tow

Meh

Man this season sucks. Expecting them to be competitive was a mistake. Expecting player development. Error. Getting to see a full season of the first number one pick in 50 years. 70% it seems like.

If next season even remotely resembles this one, I'm going to lose my damn mind.

Ngl, I haven't watched a single game since Cade was announced out in covid protocols lol

zeebneeb wrote:Man this season sucks. Expecting them to be competitive was a mistake. Expecting player development. Error. Getting to see a full season of the first number one pick in 50 years. 70% it seems like.

If next season even remotely resembles this one, I'm going to lose my damn mind.

Your thoughts were in the right place, just that expecting the same group of young guys that netted a record that equaled the #1 pick was somehow going to win more games than last year was a bit lofty in achievement. Young teams that aren't transcendental in talent can't win consistently, same as last year

Maybe next year it'll be a better outlook

MrBigShot wrote:Ngl, I haven't watched a single game since Cade was announced out in covid protocols lol

Bey has been averaging 24+ points the last 7 games and averaging 45% from the field, other than that yeah, no one will be in the team in a couple of years, so no point watching.

Might steal wins if Pistons squad through COVID outbreak while others only start their decimation...

Rip32 wrote:

MrBigShot wrote:Ngl, I haven't watched a single game since Cade was announced out in covid protocols lol

Bey has been averaging 24+ points the last 7 games and averaging 45% from the field, other than that yeah, no one will be in the team in a couple of years, so no point watching.

That's quite a crystal ball you've got there, Miss Cleo.

Guys can come right off the street and be thrown in the starting lineup so not sure why the original guys can't do the same, unless they're not feeling good.

MotownMadness wrote:Guys can come right off the street and be thrown in the starting lineup so not sure why the original guys can't do the same, unless they're not feeling good.

I'm sure they can do the same. The question is: would that be productive? If so, to what end?

Or would it just lead to shoddy play and possible injury risk if they're not in full playing and condition after being out of commission for a week?

If a player actually has Covid (Cade) and needs to heal up, this makes sense to hold them back. If you were simply in the protocol, there's really no reason not to be in game shape. These guys are professional athletes - even in isolation. Seems like bureaucratic nonsense from my viewpoint.

Honestly half of them I'd rather not come back

Sort wrote:If a player actually has Covid (Cade) and needs to heal up, this makes sense to hold them back. If you were simply in the protocol, there's really no reason not to be in game shape. These guys are professional athletes - even in isolation. Seems like bureaucratic nonsense from my viewpoint.

Careful there...

CoJo is back on protocol.

Snakebites wrote:CoJo is back on protocol.

I’m hoping he’s ok health wise, but that’s great news for fans hah

So when the protocal end for some of these bums, I'm guessing we have to lose Walton?
Dude is leading the team in blocks, steals and assists and we have to bring back cojo, macgruder and Josh?
I'd take Walton over any of them.
Plus were supposed to sit by and swallow Lyles getting minutes over Garza?
The wrong guys will be going back to the G league.

breezypeezy wrote:So when the protocal end for some of these bums, I'm guessing we have to lose Walton?
Dude is leading the team in blocks, steals and assists and we have to bring back cojo, macgruder and Josh?
I'd take Walton over any of them.
Plus were supposed to sit by and swallow Lyles getting minutes over Garza?
The wrong guys will be going back to the G league.

The G-League wrecking crew did put up good effort and at least looks much better watchability wise than the likes of Cojo and McGruder.

I have no idea why McGruder is still on this team

dVs33 wrote:

Snakebites wrote:CoJo is back on protocol.

I’m hoping he’s ok health wise, but that’s great news for fans hah

Exactly what I was thinking. My guess is the thought in getting some vets was so the team could compete rather than being a total trainwreck of fifteen 19-22 year olds. However given that with everything going on the team is on track to finish with the league's worst record there's literally no point whatsoever in playing vets who don't factor into the future. Now, obviously I get that these guys expect to play so they can't just be given DNP-CD's every single night without it causing an uproar in the locker room but they literally should represent bodies 13,14 and 15 on the bench if they're not going to be outright released.