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Pistons hoping for better frontcourt production Sunday vs. Knicks

The Knicks beat the Pistons yesterday on Day 1 of NBA preseason. The two teams have a rematch tomorrow. Via the Detroit News:

The rematch will feature some adjustments from Friday’s Knicks win, as the Pistons committed 22 turnovers and shot just 32.5% from the field and 26% on 3-pointers. In a typical season, coaches would move on to the next opponent, but one of the benefits of the new setup is that they can make adjustments and try them out on the same opponent without having to wait as long…

Another concern was the lack of production from Jerami Grant (1-for-11 from the field) and Blake Griffin (3-of-11), and the two combined to go 2-of-12 from beyond the arc. Grant settled for some long jump shots, which Casey’s offensive philosophy tries to limit.

There are plenty of players of interest in this game, but the ones at the top of our list are Griffin, Grant, Pistons rookie Killian Hayes, and Knicks rookie Obi Toppin.

Pistons sign LiAngelo Ball to non-guaranteed contract

The Detroit Pistons announced today the team’s 2020-21 training camp roster, including the signing of Anthony Lamb and LiAngelo Ball to contracts.

According to multiple reports, Ball’s contract with the Pistons is a one-year, non-guaranteed deal. And per the Detroit News, it’s “an Exhibit-10 contract. The one-year, non-guaranteed contract gets Ball an invitation to training camp and likely an opportunity on the Pistons’ G League affiliate, provided there is a G League season during the pandemic.”

Ball, 6-5, 230, played professionally in Lithuania during the 2019-20 season. He is the brother of Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball and Hornets rookie guard LaMelo Ball.

Lamb, 6-6, 225, went undrafted in the 2020 NBA draft after a four-year collegiate career at the University of Vermont. In 118 career games, he averaged 16.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. A top-10 finalist for the 2019-20 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award as a senior, Lamb was named the America East Player of the Year both as a junior and senior.

Pistons sign Wayne Ellington

The Detroit Pistons have signed free agent guard Wayne Ellington.

Ellington, 6-4, 207, suited up for the New York Knicks last season where he recorded 5.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 15.5 minutes per contest through 36 games (one start).

Ellington makes his return to Detroit after playing for the Pistons in 2018-19, posting averages of 12.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 27.3 minutes over 28 games (26 starts). He also appeared in all four games in the NBA Playoffs that season for Detroit.

Ellington enters his 12th NBA season in 2020-21 after being drafted in the first round (28th overall) by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2009 NBA Draft. He has played for New York, Detroit, Miami, Brooklyn, L.A. Lakers, Dallas, Cleveland, Memphis and Minnesota. In 681 NBA games (166 starts), he holds career averages of 8.0 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 21.0 minutes per game.

A native of Wynnewood, Pa., Ellington starred collegiately at the University of North Carolina where he was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2009 Final Four after leading UNC to the NCAA Championship. During that run to the championship, Ellington set the Final Four record for highest 3-point field goal percentage by going 8-for-10 (.800) from beyond the arc.

Pistons sign Mason Plumlee, Jahlil Okafor, Josh Jackson and Deividas Sirvydis

The Detroit Pistons have signed free agents Mason Plumlee, Jahlil Okafor, Josh Jackson and Deividas Sirvydis.

Plumlee, 6-11, 254, arrives in Detroit after spending the last three-plus seasons with the Denver Nuggets. Plumlee appeared in 61 games in 2019-20, averaging 7.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 17.3 minutes while shooting .615 from the field. Plumlee played in all 82 regular-season games in 2018-19 and recorded clips of 7.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 21.1 minutes per contest.

Prior to his time in Denver, Plumlee played for the Portland Trail Blazers and Brooklyn Nets and holds career averages of 8.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 0.9 blocks in 21.6 minutes over 532 games (257 starts). The Fort Wayne, Indiana native averaged a career-best scoring average (10.4 ppg) and pulled down 7.5 boards per game in the 2016-17 campaign. He was named to the 2013-14 All-Rookie First Team after averaging 7.4 points on .659 shooting to go along with 4.4 rebounds.

As a collegian, Plumlee played for four years at Duke and won an NCAA National Championship as a freshman in 2009-10. He was named to 2011-12 All-ACC Third Team as a junior before receiving 2012-13 All-ACC First Team honors and earning a Consensus All-America Second Team selection as a senior.

Okafor, 6-10, 270, the former No. 3 pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, enters his sixth NBA season in 2020-21. Okafor spent the last two seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans, posting averages of 8.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in 15.8 minutes over 89 games (33 starts). The Chicago native previously suited up for the Brooklyn Nets during the 2017-18 season after he was dealt from Philadelphia where he played from 2015-17.

While with the 76ers, Okafor earned an All-Rookie First Team selection after totaling 17.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 blocks in 30.0 minutes per game through 53 games (48 starts) in 2015-16. He finished his two-plus seasons in Philadelphia with clips of 14.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.1 blocks in 26.2 minutes per game over 105 games (81 starts).

Okafor won the 2015 NCAA National Championship in his one season at Duke while being named both the ACC Player of the Year and ACC Rookie of the Year along with earning Consensus All-America First Team honors.

Jackson, 6-8, 207, appeared in 22 games a year ago for the Memphis Grizzlies, averaging 9.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 0.8 steals in 17.3 minutes per contest. Jackson arrived in Memphis via trade from Phoenix where he played from 2017-19 after he was selected fourth overall in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Suns.

Jackson earned All-Rookie Second Team honors in 2017-18, averaging 13.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steals in 25.4 minutes over 77 games in his rookie campaign. He then posted clips of 11.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 0.9 steals in 25.2 minutes in 79 games in 2018-19.

Originally from San Diego, Calif. and raised in Detroit, Jackson played collegiately at Kansas for one season in 2016-17 where he earned All-Big 12 First Team honors and was named the Big 12 Rookie of the Year.

Sirvydis, 6-8, 190, was selected 37th overall in the 2019 NBA Draft and his rights were acquired by Detroit in a trade with the Dallas Mavericks on June 26, 2019. He most recently played for Hapoel Jerusalem in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, averaging 4.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 17.8 minutes while shooting .454 from the field through four games. The Lithuania native also suited up for Rytas for the EuroCup in 2019-20, recording clips of 6.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in 15.5 minutes per contest over 16 games.

Sirvydis previously spent two-plus seasons with Vilnius Pearl in Lithuania’s second division, the NKL, as well as most of 2018-19 with Rytas in the country’s top league, the LKL. Sirvydis averaged 27.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 steals in three games with Vilnius Pearl in 2018-19, and posted 5.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 30 games with Rytas.

Three-team NBA trade sends Trevor Ariza to Thunder, James Johnson to Mavericks

In a three-team trade today, the Dallas Mavericks have acquired forward James Johnson from the Oklahoma City Thunder. In the deal, the Mavericks sent guard Delon Wright to the Detroit Pistons and forward Justin Jackson to the Thunder. The Pistons dealt forward Trevor Ariza to Oklahoma City. The Thunder acquired a 2023 second round pick (best from either Dallas or Miami) and a 2026 second round draft pick from Dallas.

Ariza (6-8, 215) has appeared in 1,064 career games (731 starts) with New York, Orlando, L.A. Lakers, Houston, New Orleans, Washington, Phoenix, Sacramento and Portland, registering averages of 10.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.49 steals in 29.7 minutes per contest. Last season the former NBA champion split the season between Sacramento and Portland. In his time with Portland, the Miami native appeared in 21 games (all starts) and averaged 11.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.62 steals in 33.4 minutes per game, shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from three-point range.

Jackson (6-7, 220) has seen action in 214 career games (58 starts) with Sacramento and Dallas, recording averages of 6.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 19.5 minutes per game, shooting 43.1 percent from the floor. Last season with Dallas, the North Carolina product appeared in 65 games (three starts), averaging 5.5 points and 2.4 rebounds in 16.1 minutes per contest, shooting 84.0 percent from the free throw line.

Johnson has appeared in 634 career games (220 starts) with Chicago, Toronto, Sacramento, Memphis, Miami and Minnesota, averaging 8.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 20.6 minutes per game, shooting 47.7 percent from the field. He was originally acquired from Minnesota on Nov. 20.

Rockets trade Trevor Ariza to Pistons for Christian Wood

The Houston Rockets yesterday acquired free agent forward/center Christian Wood from Detroit as part of a sign-and-trade.

The Rockets traded forward Trevor Ariza, the rights to Isaiah Stewart (16th pick in 2020 NBA Draft), a future Houston second round pick, and cash considerations to the Pistons in exchange for Wood, a future Detroit first round pick, and a future L.A. Lakers second round pick.

Ariza, the rights to Stewart, and a future Portland first round pick were acquired from the Blazers in exchange for forward Robert Covington on Nov. 22, 2020.

Wood (6-10, 223) was eligible for the 2015 NBA Draft following his sophomore season at UNLV. The 25-year-old finished eighth in voting for the Most Improved Player award in 2019-20 while averaging 13.1 points and 6.3 rebounds in 62 games for Detroit.

Over his final 22 games played last season, Wood averaged 19.7 ppg and 8.1 rpg while shooting 56.0% from the floor, 40.3% from 3-point range, and 77.4% from the foul line. For the season, he joined Enes Kanter (2016-17) as the only players in league history to have averaged at least 13.0 ppg and 6.0 rpg in fewer than 22.0 mpg in a single season.

Wood spent most of 2018-19 assigned to the Bucks G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd and ranked second in the league in scoring with 29.3 ppg and third in rebounding with 14.0 rpg. In 123 career G League games, Woods averaged 22.6 ppg, 10.9 rpg, and 1.8 bpg.

Sixers trade Zhaire Smith to Pistons for Tony Bradley

The Philadelphia 76ers have acquired Tony Bradley in a trade with the Detroit Pistons for Zhaire Smith.

Bradley was originally selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 28 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, before his draft rights were traded to Utah. Over three seasons with Utah, Bradley has played in 70 games, averaging 4.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per contest. Between 2017-19, he also played for the Salt Lake City Stars, the Jazz’s G League affiliate, seeing action in 44 games (all starts) and posting 14.5 points and 8.8 rebounds in 27.7 minutes per game, while shooting .581 from the field.

Prior to the NBA, Bradley played one season at the University of North Carolina, where he helped the Tar Heels to the 2017 NCAA title. He appeared in 38 games as a reserve and notched 7.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest. A Florida native, Bradley was named a McDonald’s All-American following his senior season at Bartow High School.

Smith was originally selected by Phoenix with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, and his draft rights were acquired by Philadelphia. He’s played in 13 NBA games over the last two seasons with the 76ers. Smith has also seen action in 39 G League games for the Delaware Blue Coats, averaging 11.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.0 steals in 26.6 minutes per contest.

Bradley will wear No. 11 for the 76ers.

Jazz trade Tony Bradley and Saben Lee’s draft rights to Pistons

The Utah Jazz have traded center Tony Bradley and the draft rights to Saben Lee to the Detroit Pistons. In return, the Jazz receive cash considerations.

Bradley will reportedly make around $3.5 million in salary for the 2020-21 NBA season.

Lee was the 38th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Bradley (6-10, 248, North Carolina) appeared in 70 games (three starts) over three seasons with Utah, owning averages of 4.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in 10.4 minutes per game.

Jerami Grant leaving Nuggets as free agent to join Pistons

Forward Jerami Grant will reportedly be leaving the Nuggets as a free agent to join the Pistons. Via the Detroit News:

At 6-foot-8, Grant has the versatility to play either forward spot and looks to be the starting small forward alongside Blake Griffin. He’s expanded his 3-point production to about 39% in each of his last two seasons and he brings a defensive presence to guard either forward spot. Grant carved out a nice niche for himself with the Denver Nuggets, who made the same offer of three years and $60 million, but Grant opted for the Pistons in order to have an expanded role on offense. It’s the biggest financial commitment the Pistons made in free agency and they got a solid player who can be insurance in case Griffin is injured again.

One of the big questions is why the Pistons didn’t commit the same money to Christian Wood, who reached a deal with the Houston Rockets for three years and $41 million. One read on that is that Grant is a more proven commodity in his six seasons and although Grant’s numbers haven’t been as solid as Wood’s were last year in a smaller sample size, the Pistons were more comfortable spending that money on Grant’s potential in their building plan.

Rockets and Christian Wood reportedly agree to a contract

Forward-center Christian Wood will reportedly leave the Pistons and head to the Rockets. While the Pistons are rebuilding, the Rockets have been a solid playoff team under James Harden’s leadership, but could be headed for a breakup. It’s an interesting situation to join. Here’s the Detroit News:

Wood agreed Friday night to a three-year deal for $41 million with the Houston Rockets, a league source confirmed to The Detroit News. The deal cannot be signed until Sunday afternoon, when the NBA moratorium on free agency ends.

Wood, 25, became one of the top targets in free agency after averaging 22.8 points, 9.9 rebounds and shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc in his final 13 games. He finished the season with career highs of 29, 30 and 32 points in three of the last four games.