How many players in the rotation?

[Snakebites]

Pretty sure he plans on starting THJ at the 3 seeing as that was the final preseason lineup

I wouldn’t necessarily assume that.

I always considered THJ starting to be pretty likely though.

[tmorgan]

THJ needs to feign an injury for the team’s sake. He gets paid, doesn’t play, “feels great” at the TDL, gets traded for a nothing second as a deep bench piece for a contender, and he’s outta here.

[NYPiston]

The likely rotation seems pretty clear to me:

Starters
Harris
Beasley
Duren
Cade
Ivey

Bench
Beefstew
Tech
Holland
THJ

Sasser and Reed come in if injuries/foul trouble call for it

When Ausar comes back, he probably bumps Holland from the rotation and takes some of THJ's minutes

If we're facing a particularly big and tall team, we might put Tech in the starting lineup over Beasley. That Beasley spot is probably the "flex" spot overall, but as long as he's competing on defense and spacing, I think it's his spot to lose. Harris, Cade, Ivey, and Duren appear to be locks, with Ivey and Cade staggering (good stuff, JB!) and poor spacers like Ausar/Holland coming on the floor when Beefstew does so they don't combine with Duren to kill the offensive spacing.

Longerm, at least one of Ausar/Holland will have to become a capable outside shooter or we won't be able to find minutes for both and will have to choose one of them.

Reed is definitely going to get minutes alongside Stew.
Not sure where Holland fits in terms of getting any meaningful minutes if/when Ausar returns but who knows when he returns IF he returns. He might not get many minutes as is.
They need a PG off the bench so Sasser even though he's not a true PG is going to get minutes because the bench guard depth is thin.
I think THJ will be a starter to begin the season and I expect a lot of, understood, handwringing from the fanbase.
The reality is that this is a fluid lineup though. I think the only locked in positions are Cade at PG, Harris at PF, Duren at C,Reed and Stew as the bench frontcourt. All the others are subject to change. Even Ivey as starting SG despite the preseason rotations is subject change, might see he and Cade stagger minutes because the Pistons have no real bench options.

I think it'll be

Cade
Ivey
THJ
Harris
Duren

Sasser
Beasley
Tech
Reed
Stew

I think Holland gets squeezed out for now unless JB runs longer rotations

[Crymson]

Reed is definitely going to get minutes alongside Stew.

They're both centers, and there's every reason for them to not be on the court together. JB wasn't inclined to run bad two-big lineups even in preseason -- Reed didn't get minutes outside of de facto garbage time -- and I doubt that's going to change in the regular season.

Not sure where Holland fits in terms of getting any meaningful minutes if/when Ausar returns but who knows when he returns IF he returns. He might not get many minutes as is.

Holland is a zero on offense at this point. I'll be surprised if he sees more than token minutes under normal circumstances even if Ausar is out.

They need a PG off the bench so Sasser even though he's not a true PG is going to get minutes because the bench guard depth is thin.

Sasser isn't an effective handler and he wasn't being used as one in preseason.

Cade
Ivey
THJ
Harris
Duren

Sasser
Beasley
Tech
Reed
Stew

I think Holland gets squeezed out for now unless JB runs longer rotations

Highly unlikely that JB runs a ten-man rotation.

THJ needs to feign an injury for the team’s sake. He gets paid, doesn’t play, “feels great” at the TDL, gets traded for a nothing second as a deep bench piece for a contender, and he’s outta here.

Teams don't trade assets for deep bench guys who can't play in the postseason.

[Snakebites]

THJ needs to feign an injury for the team’s sake. He gets paid, doesn’t play, “feels great” at the TDL, gets traded for a nothing second as a deep bench piece for a contender, and he’s outta here.

I guarantee you THJ not only thinks he’s a starting level player but also thinks he’s the missing piece to us getting to the playoffs.

Even given his play he still thought he should be getting major minutes on a team that reached the finals last year.

NBA players aren’t always the most self aware people when their play declines.

[Kalamazoo317]

I think Holland is *ninth* man while Ausar is out. I do think he'll get run, but it'll be very limited since he'll be the last off the bench, and I think he'll only be in there when Beefstew is at the center.

[Invictus88]

I currently don't see a path to Ausar playing in the nba again which is a shame. Everything about this feels Chris Bosh-like. He sat on the shelf basically forgotten about until his career was over.

I hope I am wrong.

[El Hespiritu]

You waived La Mar.
Expectable I guess... he's ineligible for a 2-way contract

Well, that's it.
Wish you well.

Read on Twitter

You have a lot of talent and a good coach.
Supposed you can play tough team defense (something you never did during loooong years) you will compete.