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Detroit Pistons: Time for a Starting Lineup Shake-Up?
Detroit Pistons head coach J. B. Bickerstaff on the sidelines against the Milwaukee Bucks in the second quarter at Little Caesars Arena.
| Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
The Detroit Pistons are facing a challenging period, having lost six of their last eight games. Injuries have played a part, with key players like Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson missing games. However, the struggles go beyond injuries, particularly with the starting lineup’s performance. Head coach JB Bickerstaff has emphasized the need for the starters to set the right tone and energy from the beginning, rather than relying on the bench to rescue games. This raises the question: Is it time for the Pistons to change their starting lineup?
Evaluating the Current Lineup
The current starting lineup of Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Tim Hardaway Jr., Tobias Harris, and Jalen Duren has logged 188 minutes together, resulting in a net rating of -6.98. Defensively, the Pistons have slipped to 18th in the NBA, with a defensive rating of 123.7 when this lineup is on the floor. Offensively, they fare slightly better with a rating of 116.8, but the defensive shortcomings overshadow any offensive gains.
The Pistons are now a quarter of the way through the season, and the sample size suggests that a change might be necessary. Tim Hardaway Jr. has struggled since returning from a concussion, and Jalen Duren’s energy and defensive presence have been inconsistent. Duren was expected to have a breakout season, but his performance has not met expectations, particularly on the defensive end.
Potential Changes and Challenges
One potential change could involve swapping Duren and Isaiah Stewart in the starting lineup. Stewart has thrived as a backup center, providing energy and defensive stability. When Stewart is on the floor, the Pistons’ defensive rating improves significantly. However, moving Stewart to the starting lineup could disrupt the balance and effectiveness he brings as a backup.
Another area of concern is the shooting guard position. While Hardaway has been a reliable shooter, the Pistons’ defense suffers when he and Ivey are tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best guards. This issue might be addressed by starting Ausar Thompson once he is fully fit and able to play extended minutes. Thompson’s defensive capabilities could provide the necessary boost to the starting lineup.
The Pistons are at a crossroads, needing to balance development with the desire to win games. Benching Duren could signal a shift towards prioritizing development, but it also raises questions about his long-term role and trade value. The team must carefully consider these factors as they contemplate changes to the starting lineup.
For more insights and a deeper dive into the Pistons’ lineup challenges, tune into the Locked On Pistons podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Pistons Podcast:
- Struggles with guarding the three-point line
- The impact of injuries on team performance
- Potential trade rumors involving Isaiah Stewart
- The role of veteran leadership in the Pistons’ lineup
Dec 1, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick calls a play against the Utah Jazz during the first half at the Delta Center. | Christopher Creveling/Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images
If JJ Redick had approached the season signalling a measure of outward self-awareness that he, a former player with no head coaching experience and cohost of a podcast with LeBron James, was now head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, things might be different. If Redick had acknowledged that very obvious, and unique to our contemporary basketball moment of athlete-driven media elephant in the room, things might be different. If Redick had at any point, when asked about his new role in scrums wherein he knows the clips and audio of his answers will be immediately and robustly aggregated, balanced out his self-aggrandizing basketball sicko-hood, or answers where he likened head coaching to nothing short of personal destiny, with something like, It’s a learning curve, really anything a hair more measured, things might be different.
Things would not look different. The Lakers made no real structural changes to their roster in the offseason, so the team playing bad basketball now is the same team that was playing bad basketball last season under Darvin Ham (Redick is one game off the 13-9 pace set by Ham last season), but things might be interpreted, or reasoned with, differently. That kind of grace, for a struggling franchise with major conflicting timelines and high-stakes notions like legacy on the line, goes a long way.
There is such a fine line in coaching between collaborative and domineering, confident and arrogant, and many first-time head NBA coaches have learned the hard way what it is to lose a team, and lose them quickly. Nate Bjorkgren went into the Pacers organization not just hot but by many accounts scorching, and was expeditiously fired at the end of his lone year in Indiana. Jason Kidd may have traded in his string of short-lived head coaching appointments (Nets, Bucks — and surprise! — Lakers) for his current and seemingly steady job with the Mavs, but there is no doubt a type afforded the leniency of multiple failures in the NBA, and it tends to be white, male and abidingly faultless.
To Redick’s credit, he has vocally shouldered the blame of the Lakers recent, bad losses. When the team fell to the Timberwolves 109-80 to start the month, Redick noted their lacklustre effort was “looking more and more like it’s not an aberration”, correcting himself from a late-November blown effort against the Nuggets he said was. This week’s impressive loss to the Heat resulted in a two minute explanation from Redick that skimmed the existential and was anchored in the heavy weight of realization.
What’s difficult from here — beyond how the Lakers improve when their offensive energy is sporadic at best and their approach to defence has been to literally stand back and watch — is how to move forward into the long season still ahead, with the base level of competency and pride necessary for a cohesive team to function.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Preview The Pistons face the Knicks tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. Check out the game preview.
Analysis Cade Cunningham currently leads the NBA in turnovers. Learn more. (NBA)
Biz The NBA will return to China in 2025; The first time since team executive Daryl Morey’s 2019 tweet signalled support for Hong Kong independence. (ESPN)
Feel Good Four Raptors rookies make history by playing in two games in one day. (SportsNet)
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Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Ayo Dosunmu’s Big Fantasy Basketball Night
Dec 5, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) looks to pass the ball while defended by San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) and forward Harrison Barnes (40) during the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter/Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
The Dallas Mavericks dominated the Washington Wizards, with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving leading the charge. Doncic’s 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, alongside Irving’s 25 points, highlighted their commanding performance. Despite a lackluster showing from P.J. Washington, Quentin Grimes and Spencer Dinwiddie delivered solid contributions. The Wizards’ decision to start Marvin Bagley over Jonas Valančiūnas was puzzling, given Bagley’s inconsistent play. Bilal Coulibaly’s struggles continue, and Jordan Poole’s shooting woes persist, though his minutes remain encouraging.
In another matchup, the Cleveland Cavaliers secured a significant win over the Denver Nuggets. Nikola Jokic’s 27 points, 20 rebounds, and 11 assists underscored his dominance, despite heavy minutes. Michael Porter Jr.'s defensive contributions were notable, with four steals and two blocks. On the Cavaliers’ side, Caris LeVert’s 21 points and Donovan Mitchell’s 28 points, six assists, and six triples were key to their victory.
The Oklahoma City Thunder overwhelmed the Toronto Raptors, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the charge with 30 points, five assists, and two steals. Cason Wallace’s defensive prowess was on display, contributing two steals and four blocks. The Raptors struggled without Jakob Poeltl, highlighting their lack of depth at the center position.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Pistons podcasts.
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