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a day ago
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Detroit Pistons reportedly sign Colby Jones, former Wizards wing, on two-way deal
The Detroit Pistons have signed former Washington Wizards wing Colby Jones to a two-way contract, a source confirmed to the Free Press. Jones was drafted 34th overall by the Sacramento Kings in 2023, following a three-year career at Xavier where he averaged 15 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 50.9% overall and 37.8% from 3. The 6-foot-6 wing was considered by draft pundits as a versatile two-way player, capable of knocking down shots, making smart passing reads and defending across positions. MORE: What to do with Jaden Ivey among 3 Detroit Pistons offseason questions He played limited minutes with the Kings before being dealt to the Wizards in February, where he averaged 8.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.3 steals across 15 games. The Pistons finished last season with three two-way players under contract − Daniss Jenkins, Tolu Smith and Ron Harper Jr. Jones will replace Harper, who wasn't on the Pistons' summer league roster in Las Vegas as Jenkins and Smith shined. Follow the Pistons all year long with the best coverage at Follow the Detroit Free Press on Instagram (@detroitfreepress), TikTok (@detroitfreepress), YouTube (@DetroitFreePress), X (@freep), and LinkedIn, and like us on Facebook (@detroitfreepress). Submit a letter to the editor at and we may publish it online or in print. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pistons reportedly sign former Wizards wing Colby Jones on two-way deal
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3 days ago
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Za'Darius Smith update: Detroit Lions' Brad Holmes talks possibility of pass rusher's return
From the sound of it, a possible reunion between the Detroit Lions and Za'Darius Smith isn't imminent. The organization hasn't had any recent conversations with the pass rusher or his representative, general manager Brad Holmes said Thursday. Advertisement 'I think we kind of left it as that his agent would let us know if something was going on or if anything has changed or if we have any updates, but no we haven't had any discussions since the annual meetings,' Holmes revealed. The Lions released Smith on March 10 in a cost-cutting move just four months after executing a trade with the Cleveland Browns to acquire him and a 2026 seventh-round pick in exchange for one Day 3 selection in each of the 2025 and 2026 drafts. Late last month, Holmes said the team couldn't 'afford' to keep Smith, who generated 40 pressures and collected four sacks in eight games with Detroit. He was set to make just $1.5 million in base salary this year but would have been owed $8.99 million in bonus money if he remained on the roster. Management approached Smith about taking a pay cut, but he elected to explore his options on the open market. Smith remains unsigned and the Lions haven't added any new pass rushers via free agency. Detroit Lions defensive end Za'Darius Smith (99) tackles Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift (4) during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. Last week, Smith was spotted at a Detroit Pistons game and Holmes previously indicated he would leave the door open for the 32-year-old veteran to return, saying earlier this month the organization had maintained a dialogue with his agent. Advertisement But apparently the line has gone silent the past two weeks, which seems to signal that if Smith were to rejoin the Lions it's not expected to happen in the immediate future. Contact Rainer Sabin at rsabin@ Follow him @RainerSabin on X. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Why a Detroit Lions reunion with Za'Darius Smith doesn't appear imminent
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3 days ago
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Detroit's fallen stadiums: What happened to The Palace of Auburn Hills?
This is Part 2 of a six-part series looking back at the arenas and stadiums that housed some of Detroit's greatest teams over the past century. Come back to every day this week for more historic Detroit sports site memories. Known more simply as 'the Palace,' The Palace of Auburn Hills was the home of the NBA's Detroit Pistons from 1988-2017, the WNBA's Detroit Shock from 1998-2009, the Arena Football League's Detroit Fury from 2001-04 and the International Hockey League's Detroit Vipers from 1994-2001, as well as several soccer teams. The Palace was constructed by Pistons owner Bill Davidson, who did not want to share Joe Louis Arena with the Detroit Red Wings, though the two had previously shared Olympia Stadium from 1957-61. The team moved from Olympia, on Grand River, to Cobo Arena, by the Detroit River, in 1961 and then north to the Pontiac Silverdome, where the Detroit Lions played, in 1978. Davidson wanted the Pistons to play somewhere he owned, so he ordered construction of a new building in Auburn Hills. It was only five miles from the Silverdome, but was 32 miles from the heart of Detroit. It was the first privately financed NBA arena. The Palace included plush seats instead of hard plastic, an entirely new kind of suite and an early version of the giant video screens now ubiquitous at sports arenas, all for about $90 million. The Palace's first event was a Sting concert on Aug. 13, 1988, but the main event began when the Pistons defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 94-85, on Nov. 5. They won the franchise's first NBA championship that season and another one the next season. They added one more, in 2004, before they moved back downtown to Little Caesars Arena in 2017. The team's immediate success after finally moving into the Palace only felt like salt in the wound for fans in the city. In 21 years downtown, the team had exactly three winning seasons. Evan as tenants in the Silverdome, the Pistons set NBA attendance records but rarely won – and sometimes had to relocate major playoff games, as they did for a 1984 Game 5 loss to the New York Knicks. Now, after getting a home of their own in the suburbs, the Pistons was suddenly soaring – and some of its most loyal fans couldn't watch. In 1990, Sports Illustrated's Jack McCallum wrote, 'This was not the first pro sports franchise to relocate to the suburbs, nor will it be the last. But because the Pistons' recent achievements stand in such stark contrast to the city of Detroit's bevy of social and economic woes, and because the mayor has been so critical of the team, the club's decision to leave downtown embodies all sorts of sociological issues, including city versus suburbs, black versus white and poor versus affluent.' McCallum noted that the crowd at those Pistons games was mostly white, compared with a much more diverse crowd when they were located downtown. But many of the downtown games had been half-empty. Moving the team out to the suburbs drastically decreased the diversity, but increased the profits. Davidson was, above all, a businessman, and wanted his team to be located wherever would make him the most money. So, unfortunately for city fans, success continued out in the suburbs. In addition to the Pistons, the Shock and Vipers won titles calling the Palace home. Red Wings legend Gordie Howe skated his last shift on the ice of the Palace in his lone game for the Detroit Vipers in 1997, making him the only hockey player to play in six consecutive decades. The Shock won three titles as Palace tenants (though two were clinched at other metro Detroit venues due to conflicts), giving the Palace a new address t 'Six Championship Drive' – three for the Pistons and three for the Shock. (The Shock departed for Tulsa following the franchise's sale after Davidson's 2009 death, and now play in Texas as the Dallas Wings.) Over the years, the Palace was home to numerous concerts as well as one of the most infamous events in NBA history: the 'Malice at the Palace,' on Nov. 19, 2004. A fight between Pistons center Ben Wallace and Pacers forward Ron Artest escalated when a fan threw a drink at Artest, causing Artest to charge into the crowd and tipping off a melee in the stands. Nine players were suspended and five fans were banned from Pistons home games for life. No matter what was happening, the Palace was always the center of attention. The Pistons' departure from the Palace began when Platinum Equity CEO Tom Gores, bought the franchise, as well as its related entertainment holdings, from Davidson's widow, Karen, in 2011. A few months before Little Caesars Arena was set to open in downtown Detroit in 2017, Gores announced the Pistons would share the arena with the Detroit Red Wings, creating a partnership with Olympia Entertainment, owned the Ilitch family. Gores thought moving the Pistons downtown would encourage foot-traffic fans to attend games, something the Palace lacked in its suburban location. The last person to perform at the Palace was Bob Seger on Sept. 23, 2017. The Palace sat empty from 2017-19, when it was purchased by a joint venture and demolished on July 11, 2020. In 2023, General Motors announced it had purchased the site. The lot is under construction as GM builds a parts plant on the site. Six Championship Drive is now a dirt road filled with construction materials with no celebration of the history that preceded it. Contact Matthew Auchincloss at mauchincloss@ The series Come back all week for our series on Detroit's fallen stadiums: July 21: Tiger Stadium. July 22: The Palace of Auburn Hills. July 23: Cobo Arena. July 24: Joe Louis Arena. July 25: Pontiac Silverdome. July 26: Olympia Stadium. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit's fallen stadiums: The Palace of Auburn Hills
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6 days ago
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Detroit Pistons Summer League finale loss to Spurs gives everyone a shot
Everyone got an opportunity in the Detroit Pistons' Summer League finale against the San Antonio Spurs — a 96-84 loss to the San Antonio Spurs at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Fourteen of the 15 players on the roster logged at least 10 minutes. The lone exception was Ron Holland, who sat for the Pistons final two games following a strong performance through the first three. Four players scored in double figures, led by John Ukomadu's 12 points. Second-round pick Chaz Lanier scored 11 points and knocked down three of his five attempts from 3, and Tolu Smith and Trevor Keels each added 10 points. Two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year Zakai Ziegler, a Tennessee alumnus like Lanier, got the start over two-way guard Daniss Jenkins and tallied six points and a team-high five assists. SHAWN WINDSOR: Don't let Summer League competition fool you. Ron Holland is getting better — and only 20. The Pistons opened the game with a 12-0 run before going cold, finishing the night 7-for-26 (26.9%) from 3. They finished their Summer League slate at 3-2, and got strong performances from Holland, Jenkins and others. [ MUST WATCH: Make "The Pistons Pulse" your go-to Detroit Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ] Follow the Pistons all year long with the best coverage at Submit a letter to the editor at and we may publish it online or in print. Follow the Detroit Free Press on Instagram (@detroitfreepress), TikTok (@detroitfreepress), YouTube (@DetroitFreePress), X (@freep), and LinkedIn, and like us on Facebook (@detroitfreepress) This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons Summer League finale score: 96-84 loss to San Antonio
Yahoo
15-07-2025
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Ron Holland takes over but Pistons offense sinks in summer league loss to Timberwolves
The Detroit Pistons were handed their first loss in NBA Summer League on Tuesday July 15, falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Las Vegas, 89-73. They were held to just 38.1% overall shooting (24-for-63) and 28% from 3 (7-for-25), and also committed 21 turnovers. Ron Holland led the team with 22 points, six rebounds, six steals and seven turnovers on 6-for-12 overall shooting, Tolu Smith scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds and Chaz Lanier added 12 points. Advertisement Daniss Jenkins also had a notable performance with 11 points and seven assists. Terrence Shannon Jr. led the Wolves with 24 points. TRENDING: Pablo Torre dives into ex-Pistons guard Malik Beasley's gambling scandal – and it's crazy Ron Holland takes over in third quarter Detroit Pistons forward Ron Holland dribbles in the first half of a preseason game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. The second-year forward had a quiet start to the game, entering halftime with just five points. Both buckets were tough makes, though — the first a one-handed finish through traffic, the second a midrange jumper after getting his feet set with a euro-like step. Holland proceeded to score 13 points in the third period, leading a run that brought the Pistons within a point, 58-57, after they were outscored by 10 points in the second quarter. A steal and transition dunk cut the deficit to 48-47, and he was responsible for their final two buckets of the third — a right-handed layup after driving from behind the 3-point arc, and a stepback 3-pointer, his first make on two attempts. Advertisement Another right-handed layup from Holland early in the fourth cut the deficit to one again, 60-59, before the Wolves finally took control of the game for good. Beyond his scoring, Holland was very active defensively and in the passing lanes and was responsible for six of the Pistons' eight team steals. The only blight on Holland's game was his playmaking, as he finished with seven turnovers and an assist. Otherwise, he was one of the best players on the floor for the third consecutive game. READ MORE: Why Duncan Robinson was fired up to join Pistons Chaz Lanier gaining comfort from 3-point range The 37th overall pick in June's draft knocked down four of his 12 attempts from 3 on Tuesday after going 4-for-11 from deep during their second game Sunday, July 13. His percentage through his last two games (34.8%) is an improvement after he went 2-for-7 in their summer league opener against the New York Knicks July 9. Advertisement Lanier hasn't been able to get the rest of his game going, though. He was just 4-for-14 overall on Tuesday (28.6%) after going 5-for-14 (35.7%) on Sunday and 4-for-11 (36.4%) during his debut. Their Pistons' loss to the Wolves was the first time Lanier didn't play with former Tennessee teammate Zakai Zeigler, who sat after appearing in their first two games. Tolu Smith maintains consistency The 6-foot-11 big man has been one of the Pistons' most productive players in summer league. Tuesday marked his third time in as many games scoring at least 15 points, and he's shooting 14-for-27 overall (51.9%) thus far. He has also grabbed 29 rebounds, and is averaging just under a double-double per game. Smith also has six blocks in Vegas. Unlike his first two games, he did most of his scoring at the line Tuesday against the Wolves by making 8 of 12 free throws. Advertisement [ MUST WATCH: Make "The Pistons Pulse" your go-to Detroit Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ] Follow the Pistons all year long with the best coverage at Follow the Detroit Free Press on Instagram (@detroitfreepress), TikTok (@detroitfreepress), YouTube (@DetroitFreePress), X (@freep), and LinkedIn, and like us on Facebook (@detroitfreepress). Submit a letter to the editor at and we may publish it online or in print. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pistons offense sinks in blowout summer league loss to Timberwolves
