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New York Times
24-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Pistons' Trajan Langdon touts internal growth, not being ‘super aggressive this summer'
DETROIT — Detroit Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon addressed a room of local reporters Tuesday afternoon for the second time since the Pistons' season ended in early May. Langdon sat at a makeshift podium on the second floor of Detroit's practice facility as he discussed the franchise's summer approach, how injuries in the Eastern Conference may have shifted said approach, contract extensions and more. Within the last week and a half, the Orlando Magic traded for Desmond Bane, the Indiana Pacers lost All-Star Tyrese Haliburton for the foreseeable future because of a brutal NBA Finals Game 7 right Achilles tear and the Boston Celtics traded Jrue Holiday for Anfernee Simons. Advertisement With the 2025 NBA Draft roughly 24 hours away and likely more moves to be made across the league, the East could look drastically different entering the 2025-26 season. Will the Pistons look to make a big acquisition to enhance their chances of contending in the East? Would it be best to prioritize internal growth? What about signing Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren to rookie-scale max extensions this summer? 'We're not going to be super aggressive this summer, I don't think,' Langdon said. 'I don't foresee any of that. It's just developing from within and hoping to keep a couple vet pieces that we had on the roster this past year. If we can add around the margins to get better, we will, but I don't think it's anything that's going to be super aggressive or crazy.' Based on Langdon's consistency in his message about internal growth and not looking to take big swings, the Pistons' roster construction next season won't be too different. That said, Langdon was clear that Detroit's front office will at least survey the market to improve. Whether the Pistons have serious conversations about retooling their roster depends on the price any other team would seek out. 'We'll look for those opportunities,' Langdon said. 'If it's a player coming back that has value, and it's not too expensive and doesn't hamper our ability to have optionality going forward or hamper the development internally of our players, we'll look to do it.' Considering how different the East could look next season, and no current clear-cut favorite to come out of the conference, Langdon was asked if his offseason plan was at all altered. Just in the 2025 postseason Haliburton, Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Damian Lillard and Celtics All-Star Jayson Tatum all suffered ruptured Achilles. Each injury was brutal to witness, given the arduous recovery process and the uncertainty surrounding players' abilities to return to elite levels. The losses of each of those players will be felt around the NBA next season. Advertisement And as devastating as these injuries are, teams in the East now inevitably seem to feel more confident in their chances to rise to the top of the conference. So, where do Langdon and Detroit's front office stand? 'It's definitely provoked some thought internally, in terms of what we can do to get better,' Langdon said when asked how those injuries could shift his approach. 'It hasn't changed the roadmap for us. I don't think we want to think we're in a place to push all of our chips in and be locked in. … We still want to keep that optionality. Our guys have been in the gym working a lot, they want to get better. 'So I think we will see growth from our young players from this year to next year, and that's ultimately what's really important for us. Because if those guys get better, we'll ultimately get better. We're continuing to keep our ear to the ground and see if there's opportunities to get better without pushing all of our chips in, proverbially.' Apart from what's going on around the rest of the East, after the NBA Finals, all teams were allowed to begin negotiations with players from their rosters last season who are set to hit free agency this summer. That means the Pistons, as of Monday, were able to begin discussions with Malik Beasley, Dennis Schröder, Tim Hardaway Jr., Paul Reed and Lindy Waters III. Langdon didn't go into detail on whether discussions have taken place, but did say Detroit is interested in bringing certain veterans from last season back into the fold for next year. 'If we can keep some of the guys that we have as part of this run, some of the vets, that would be great,' Langdon said. 'We know they're going to get interest from other teams as well. So as we look to keep them, we'll also have to have backup options as well, if they choose to go somewhere else for a deal that we can't match.' Advertisement While Langdon seemed eager to engage in conversations around players he looks to retain, he acknowledged it isn't a unilateral decision. 'Agents are tough. We know we have stated that we are interested and they're interested in us,' Langdon continued. 'But again, agents have to do the job for their players, survey the market, see what's there, and hopefully we can come to a resolution and bring those guys back. But we have to do due diligence as well in case they choose another destination.' Langdon seemed to have the same thought process when asked about working out deals to retain Ivey and Duren this summer. 'When that time comes, later in the summer, we'll have those conversations with the agents. But in terms of valuing our players and contract stuff, I'm never going talk about it. That's going to be between us and the agent. But those are guys that we value, that we talk about. So hopefully we can have some really good conversations if it comes to that. 'And if not, we'll play their years out here and we'll see what happens going forward.' Although Langdon kept his poker face in some regards on Tuesday, he did say Ivey and Isaiah Stewart aren't yet 100 percent. They are expected to be ready for training camp in September. Ivey and Stewart, excluding Stewart's 19 minutes in Game 1, were forced to miss last postseason. While the Pistons were without those two key players during their six-game series against the New York Knicks, the series reaffirmed to Langdon that Cade Cunningham is Detroit's cornerstone. Cunningham led the Pistons to triple their win total en route to their first playoff berth in six years. The 23-year-old guard averaged 25.0 points, 8.7 assists and 8.3 rebounds during his first six postseason games. Langdon spoke about having a player of Cunningham's stature experience failure so early on in his career. Advertisement 'I have a ton of confidence going forward that (we) have a guy that can lead (us). And, look, he's hungry this summer,' Langdon said. 'I think that's the biggest thing, is (that) he wants to take the next step and understands what that is in terms of adding things to his game, getting stronger, getting in better shape. The big thing for us at the end of last year was these guys got to get a taste of (the postseason). 'That's what always happens to competitors. If you get a taste of high-level competition and then you fail and you want it again, you want to take the next step. … That's what we've seen from not only Cade, but the rest of our team. Knowing that you have that guy and not only a big-time player, but a big-time leader of this group that's highly respected by his peers and the coaching staff, I think there is a lot to look forward to going forward. I think (it's) amazing that he made All-NBA, although it hurts us from a roster-building standpoint. It's obviously a huge plus to have a player of that caliber.' With the draft looming and Detroit holding the No. 37 pick, Langdon and the Pistons' front office feel well-prepared to make their selection. Langdon mentioned Detroit has had multiple workouts with several players, and the franchise believes there is value at No. 37. 'We've been able to talk to them and see them work out,' Langdon said, 'except for a couple that have been injured, but other than that, we've got a lot of players in it, had a good amount of workouts for 37 this year, so we're pleased.' Draft aside, Langdon spoke to his excitement around the internal development of Ausar Thompson, Ron Holland II and Bobi Klintman. As for Thompson, Langdon said he's already in the gym working on his strength, getting in better shape and working to improve his jumpshot. According to Langdon, Thompson has expressed Defensive Player of the Year aspirations one day as well. The major areas of improvement Langdon identified for Thompson were individual shot creation and ballhandling, in addition to getting stronger. Lastly, second-year players Holland and Klintman are expected to be the feature players on Detroit's upcoming NBA Summer League roster. Advertisement 'Those are two guys that have versatility on both ends of the floor, can handle and score it,' Langdon said. 'Both (have) been working on their shot and the shot of creation as well. Along with getting stronger, which is very, very important for two guys that are young in this league. So they'll have that opportunity in summer league, and we're excited about it.' The draft begins Wednesday evening, and with the potential shakeup of the East next season. Expect the association to look different, but expect Langdon and the Pistons to continue to be calculated and grow internally. (Photo of Trajan Langdon: Carlos Osorio / Associated Press)
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pistons Projected to Draft 'Terrific Rebounder' to Bolster Frontcourt
Pistons Projected to Draft 'Terrific Rebounder' to Bolster Frontcourt originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Detroit Pistons are coming off an impressive season that saw them go from being the worst team in the NBA to being a playoff team. Advertisement Of course, Detroit finished with the worst record in the NBA the prior two seasons before they were able to turn things around this year and make the playoffs as the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. They were then able to battle it out with the New York Knicks in the first round and while they were eliminated in six games, they proved that Detroit basketball is officially back. Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham© Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Now the Pistons enter the offseason looking to build around their core of Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren. Detroit only holds one pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel has them selecting Chinese center Hansen Yang with the 37th overall pick. Advertisement 'Yang is a terrific rebounder. He possesses great footwork in the low post, but he will need to work on his defensive awareness and positioning before contributing in a serious manner,' Siegel wrote. 'The Detroit Pistons can take a chance on Yang in this spot since they need to add more frontcourt depth.' Siegel makes a great point about the Pistons needing to upgrade their frontcourt depth this summer and Yang could end up being a perfect fit, especially after showing out at the NBA Draft Combine. This season in China, the 7-2 center averaged 16.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.6 blocks per game while shooting 55.4 % from the field and 22.6% from three. While Yang is still developing his scoring and defensive abilities, he has a chance to be a potential steal of the draft if he continues to develop his game, especially with him being only 19 years old. Advertisement Yang would bring much-needed size to the Pistons and he would also provide them with another solid defender, which was the staple of Detroit's game this season. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
16-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Submit a question for Hunter Patterson's Pistons' offseason mailbag
We're a little more than two weeks removed from the Detroit Pistons' Game 6 loss to the New York Knicks that ended their season. While the franchise exceeded expectations by tripling their win total from 2023-24 and winning their first playoff game since 2008, this will be a pivotal offseason for the Pistons to build on their success. Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren are heading into their fourth seasons and they are eligible for rookie-scale contract extensions. Malik Beasley, Dennis Schröder, Tim Hardaway Jr, Paul Reed and Lindy Waters III are all unrestricted free agents. Should the front office take a big swing via a trade? What's on your mind about Detroit as the organization heads into an offseason with legitimate optimism for the first time in years? Submit your mailbag questions below and let me know. And of course, be sure to follow the rest of my Pistons coverage throughout the remainder of the offseason. Hunter Patterson
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Towns scores 31, Brunson has 30 and Knicks beat Pistons for a 2-1 lead in series
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) goes to the basket against Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson) DETROIT (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns scored 31 points, Jalen Brunson had 30 and the New York Knicks held on for a 118-116 win over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night to take a 2-1 lead in the first-round series. OG Anunoby added 22 points for New York. Game 4 is on Sunday in Detroit. Advertisement The Pistons have lost eight straight home playoff games since 2008, pulling within one of an NBA record set by Philadelphia from 1968 to 1971. When Detroit won at New York in Game 2, the franchise ended a league-record, 15-playoff game losing streak to take home-court advantage, but the Knicks snatched it back. Brunson, who won the NBA's Clutch Player of the Year award on Wednesday, made consecutive layups late in the game to give the Knicks a seven-point lead. Tim Hardaway Jr. connected on a 3-pointer with 5.8 seconds left to pull the Pistons within three. Brunson made one of two free throws with 3.5 seconds left for a four-point lead after Detroit's coaches, players and fans were screaming for an over-and-back violation to be called. The All-Star guard made another free throw with 0.5 seconds left and missed the second intentionally. Advertisement Detroit didn't get a final shot off because Jalen Duren's pass from in front of his team's bench went out of bounds on the other side of the court. THUNDER 114, GRIZZLIES 108 MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Chet Holmgren scored all but one of his 24 points in the second half as Oklahoma City rallied from a 29-point deficit after Ja Morant left the game with a hip injury and beat Memphis for a 3-0 lead in the first-round series. Morant was hurt with just over three minutes left in the first half and Memphis leading 67-40. They got the next basket after he exited and still led by 26 points at halftime. The 29-point comeback was the second-largest in an NBA postseason game since play-by-play data began being recorded in the 1996-97 season. Advertisement The only one bigger: A comeback from 31 points down by the Los Angeles Clippers against Golden State on April 15, 2019. The top-seeded Thunder, who won Game 1 131-80 in the fifth-biggest margin of victory in NBA postseason history, didn't even have a lead in this one until the fourth quarter. Now, they can close out the series Saturday. CLIPPERS 117, NUGGETS 83 INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard had 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Los Angeles rolled to a victory over Nikola Jokic and Denver to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series. James Harden and Norman Powell added 20 points apiece in the first playoff game at the new Intuit Dome, where Clippers superfans sitting in The Wall section closest to Denver's bench wore horse hats mocking Jokic's love of the animal. Advertisement After the teams split the first two games in Denver — a pair of nail-biters decided by a combined five points — this one was a blowout. Both teams cleared their benches in the final 4 1/2 minutes. Game 4 is Saturday at the flashy and tech-heavy Inglewood arena, the dream creation of Clippers billionaire owner Steve Ballmer. He animatedly clapped his hands and pumped his fist from his seat near his team's bench.
Fox Sports
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Pistons vs. Knicks Game 4 preview
Data Skrive In Game 4 of the opening round of the NBA Playoffs, the Detroit Pistons will take on the New York Knicks. The Pistons and the Knicks hit the court in a game with no line set. Check out everything you need to know about the Pistons-Knicks game, from the point spread, moneyline, total Over/Under and expert picks, as well as TV channel and streaming information. Pistons vs. Knicks Game Information and TV Channel When: Sunday, April 27, 2025 at 1 p.m. ET Where: Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan TV: ABC Pistons vs. Knicks Prediction ATS Pick: O/U Pick: Under () Score Prediction: Pistons 115 - Knicks 113 The Pistons have a 3-7 record against the spread while going 3-7 overall over their last 10 contests. In the Pistons' 82 games this year, they have 43 wins against the spread. Pistons games this year have gone over the point total 51.2% of the time (42 out of 82 games with a set point total). The Pistons average 115.5 points per game, only 3.8 more points than the 111.7 the Knicks allow. Detroit has a 34-20-1 record against the spread and a 36-19 record overall when scoring more than 111.7 points. This season, the Pistons have a 47.6% shooting percentage from the field, which is 0.2% higher than the 47.4% of shots the Knicks' opponents have hit. The Pistons have done a better job covering the spread when playing on the road (24-16-1) than they have at home (19-21-1). When playing at home, Detroit exceeds the total 48.8% of the time (20 of 41 games). It hits the over more consistently on the road, topping the total in 53.7% of games (22 of 41). The Pistons have won a lower percentage of their games as a moneyline favorite when playing at home, going 14-8 (.636). In road games as a moneyline favorite, they sport a record of 12-5 (.706). Stat Average Rank Points Scored 115.5 11 Points Allowed 113.6 14 Rebounds 44.8 11 Assists 26.4 14 Steals 8 17 Blocks 5.3 8 Cade Cunningham averages 26.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game, shooting 46.9% from the field and 35.6% from beyond the arc with 2.1 made treys per game. Jalen Duren averages 11.8 points, 2.7 assists and 10.3 rebounds per contest. Tobias Harris puts up 13.7 points, 5.9 boards and 2.2 assists per contest, shooting 47.7% from the field and 34.5% from beyond the arc with 1.2 made treys per contest. Malik Beasley posts 16.3 points, 2.6 boards and 1.7 assists per contest. Defensively, he averages 0.9 steals and 0.1 blocks. Dennis Schroder posts 13.1 points, 2.6 boards and 5.4 assists per game, shooting 40.6% from the floor and 34.2% from downtown with 1.7 made 3-pointers per game. The Knicks have gone 5-5 over their past 10 games, with a 6-4 record against the spread during that span. In the Knicks' 82 games this year, they have 39 wins against the spread. Knicks games this season have hit the over 43 times in 82 opportunities (52.4%). The Knicks' 115.8 points per game are just 2.2 more points than the 113.6 the Pistons allow to opponents. New York is 29-13-2 against the spread and 37-7 overall when it scores more than 113.6 points. The Knicks' 48.6% shooting percentage from the field this season is 2.5 percentage points higher than the Pistons have given up to their opponents (46.1%). This year, the Knicks are 21-19-1 at home against the spread (.512 winning percentage). Away, they are 18-22-1 ATS (.439). New York's games have gone above the over/under 56.1% of the time at home (23 of 41), and 48.8% of the time on the road (20 of 41). When moneyline favorites, the Knicks have won a lower percentage of games at home (27-11) than on the road (20-8). Stat Average Rank Points Scored 115.8 9 Points Allowed 111.7 9 Rebounds 42.6 24 Assists 27.5 11 Steals 8.2 12 Blocks 4 29 Karl-Anthony Towns is putting up 24.4 points, 12.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. He's also sinking 52.6% of his shots from the field and 42% from 3-point range, with 2 triples per game. The Knicks are receiving 13.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game from Josh Hart this season. The Knicks are receiving 26 points, 2.9 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game from Jalen Brunson this season. Mikal Bridges is putting up 17.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per contest. He is draining 50% of his shots from the floor and 35.4% from 3-point range, with 2 treys per contest. The Knicks are receiving 18 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game from OG Anunoby this season. FOX Sports created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience National Basketball Association Detroit Pistons New York Knicks recommended
