Detroit Pistons Blog – Page 30 – NBA Blog

Pistons trade Spencer Dinwiddie to Bulls for Cameron Bairstow

Ladies and gentlemen, we have an NBA trade. The Detroit Pistons have acquired forward Cameron Bairstow from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for guard Spencer Dinwiddie.

Bairstow, 25, appeared in 18 games (two starts) with Chicago last season, averaging 1.9 points, 1.6 rebounds and 5.7 minutes. The two-year NBA pro was drafted out of the University of New Mexico with the 49th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. As a senior for the Lobos, he averaged a Mountain West Conference-high 20.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 32.9 minutes in 34 games (all starts). A native of Brisbane, Australia, Bairstow holds career averages of 1.2 points, 1.0 rebounds and 4.6 minutes in 36 NBA games (three starts) all with the Bulls.

Dinwiddie, 23, completed his second NBA season with averages of 4.8 points, 1.8 assists, 1.4 rebounds and 13.3 minutes in 12 games. Drafted by the Pistons with the 38th overall selection in the 2014 NBA Draft out of the University of Colorado, Dinwiddie owns career averages of 4.4 points, 2.7 assists, 1.4 rebounds and 13.3 minutes in NBA 46 games (one start).

Pistons sign GM Jeff Bower to contract extension

Bower has been Pistons general manager since June, 2014

The Detroit Pistons have signed general manager Jeff Bower to a contract extension.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with the job Jeff has done for our organization,” said Head Coach and President of Basketball Operations Stan Van Gundy. “He’s been at the forefront of all the moves we’ve made over the last two seasons and has implemented much of the strategy and structure throughout our basketball operations department. The confidence I have in his ability allows me to go out and coach during the season knowing that he’s always looking to make our team better.”

Pistons Owner Tom Gores praised Bower’s work shaping the roster and contributing to a cohesive leadership team.

“Jeff has been a key link for Stan and me and the whole organization to accomplish many things in a very short period of time,” said Gores. “His ingenuity, along with having a deep understanding of Stan’s basketball vision, has very quickly helped us toward our goal of long term sustained success. He deserves a lot of the credit for getting us to the playoffs and assembling a cohesive, young team that will continue to grow.”

Bower was named general manager on June 3, 2014. His tenure coincides with the team’s improved record over the last two seasons and its return to the playoffs for the first time since 2009. In Bower’s first year as the Pistons general manager, the club went 32-50 and posted a three-game improvement from the previous season. Detroit moved to 44-38 in 2015-16, marking the team’s most wins and first above-.500 record since 2007-08.

Kyrie Irving steps up as Cavs eliminate Pistons

Here’s the Detroit Free Press reporting on the Pistons, who were eliminated yesterday by the Cavs in the first round of the 206 NBA playoffs:

Cold-blooded threes by Kyrie Irving and J.R. Smith were monumental in the Cavaliers sweeping the Pistons with the 100-98 victory Sunday night at the Palace.

For the series, Cleveland made 57 threes for the series, a little more than 14 per game.

Irving’s triples were of the spectacular variety.

His final one, with 43.2 seconds left and the shot clock running down, gave the Cavaliers a 100-96 cushion.

As the buzzer sounded, Irving waved good-bye to the Pistons crowd as he finished with 31 points and averaged 27.5 points per game for the series.

“For our team it doesn’t matter who is the leading scorer,” said LeBron James, who finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds Sunday. “The fact that he was in a great groove throughout this whole series. … We rode his coattail, we rode Kev’s (Kevin Love).

Andre Drummond will likely get max deal from Pistons

The Pistons were eliminated from the first round of the NBA playoffs Sunday, losing in a 4-0 series sweep to the Cavaliers. Here’s the Detroit Free Press on the future of the squad, which if all goes according to plan will revolve heavily around big center Andre Drummond:

Pistons owner Tom Gores stood in the middle of the locker room, talking about the future, about his desire to extend Andre Drummond and give him a max deal, despite the obvious free-throw issue, despite the fact that caused Drummond to be on the bench at the end of a must-win game.

Gores said he has no hesitation to give Drummond the money. None at all. He wants Drummond back for the long haul; there’s no question in his mind.

“I think he’s a great player,” Gores said. “He deserves it, without a doubt. He’ll figure it out.”

Gores was recapping the season, talking about the addition of Tobias Harris.

“The good news is, the bet they made on Tobias worked,” Gores said. “He’s a good man.”

As he spoke, Stanley Johnson walked by.

“How about that guy?” Gores said, shaking hands with Johnson, the 19-year-old rookie forward, who seemed to grow up in these playoffs.

Jonas Jerebko buys house from Ben Gordon

Here’s Realtor.com with an update on the sale of a house that is apparently cool enough for pro ballers to buy from other pro ballers:

Former Piston Ben Gordon‘s baller Detroit-area mansion is staying in the family. Current Celtics forward (and Gordon’s former Pistons teammate) Jonas Jerebko has purchased the massive six-bedroom home complete with an indoor gymnasium and three-section pool with a fountain for $2.2 million.

Jerebko (pictured above) was traded from the Pistons to the Celtics more than a year ago, but the Swedish star is keeping his roots in Michigan—and getting a great deal in the process.

Gordon’s home was originally listed at $4,189,000 in 2014, which means Jerebko waited in the weeds for a couple of years and saved almost $2 million from the mansion’s peak price.

Cavs win Game 1 vs Pistons

The Cavaliers took a 1-0 first round playoff series lead againts the Pistons Sunday. Here’s Michigan Live reporting:

There is a distinct difference between a team that knows how to win in the playoffs and one finding its way.

The Detroit Pistons might work their way to the positive side of that equation in time, but in Game 1 of a first-round Eastern Conference playoff series, it was the heavily favored Cleveland Cavaliers whose superstars closed the show in the fourth quarter for a 106-101 victory Sunday.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Wednesday night here but the opener had to leave the Pistons with a gnawing feeling that this was their chance to steal home-court advantage — whether they could have kept it is a separate debate — and they let it get away…

The “Big Three” — James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love — combined for 21 of the Cavs’ 30 fourth-quarter points. They totaled 81 points for the game — 31 for Irving, 28 for Love, 22 for James.

Love (13 rebounds) and James (11 assists) had double-doubles.

Pistons sign Lorenzo Brown

The Detroit Pistons have signed guard Lorenzo Brown to a contract.

Brown, a 6-5, 189-pound guard, signed two 10-day contracts with the Pistons this season (March 18 and March 28) but did not appear in a game with Detroit. He also signed to two 10-day contracts with the Phoenix Suns earlier this season and averaged 2.5 points, 1.4 assists, 0.9 rebounds and 7.6 minutes in eight games.

A native of Roswell, GA, Brown holds NBA averages of 3.3 points, 2.3 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 13.2 minutes in 63 career games with the Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns.

Brown was a second-round selection (52nd overall) by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2013 NBA Draft. Prior to his two 10-day stints with the Pistons, he played for the Detroit Pistons NBA Developmental League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive. In 25 contests with the Drive, he averaged 18.3 points, 5.9 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals.

Detroit Pistons on a hot streak

The Pistons (40-35) have won six of seven games to move into seventh place in the East, a half-game ahead of the Pacers (39-35) and two games in front of the Bulls (37-37). Detroit needs two wins to secure its first winning season since 2007-08. Stan Van Gundy’s crew is seeking its first trip to the playoffs since 2008-09. Andre Drummond, who leads in the NBA in rebounding (14.9 rpg) and double-doubles (62), is on pace to average at least 13.0 rebounds for the third consecutive season. The last player to accomplish this feat was Dwight Howard, who did it in five straight seasons with the Magic (2007-12). The Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan, who ranks second in the NBA in rebounding (13.9 rpg), is also on pace to average at least 13.0 boards for a third straight season.

— NBA News

Pistons sign Lorenzo Brown to second 10-day contract

The Detroit Pistons have signed guard Lorenzo Brown to a second 10-day contract.

Brown, a 6-5, 189-pound guard holds NBA averages of 3.3 points, 2.3 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 13.2 minutes in 63 career games with the Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns. He was signed to two 10-day contracts with the Phoenix Suns this season and averaged 2.5 points, 1.4 assists, 0.9 rebounds and 7.6 minutes in eight games.

A second-round selection (52nd overall) by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2013 NBA Draft, Brown most recently played for the Detroit Pistons NBA Developmental League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive. In 25 contests with the Drive, he averaged 18.3 points, 5.9 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals.

Help coming soon for the Pistons

The Detroit Pistons are 38-34 and one game ahead of the Chicago Bulls for the 8th spot in the Eastern conference. We’re down to the wire in the 2016 NBA playoff race. For this squad especially, each remaining win/loss matters. Here’s Michigan Live with a health update:

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Reggie Bullock were back at the Detroit Pistons’ practice facility today and presumably will be recovered well enough from their illnesses to play Friday against the Charlotte Hornets.

The two guards both fell ill Wednesday and missed that night’s 118-102 victory over the Orlando Magic.

Darrun Hilliard got his first NBA start in their absence.