Detroit Pistons

Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham is feared to have a stress fracture in his left shin and is considered to be out indefinitely, though he hasn't been ruled out for the entirety of the 2022-23 season.

However, rival executives are wondering whether the Pistons would prefer Cunningham to "shut it down for the future" in an effort to land the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA draft, which would give them the chance to select highly-touted prospect Victor Wembanyama, per NBA insider Marc Stein.

Stein also noted that Cunningham's absence "could encourage the Pistons to trade Bojan Bogdanović to the highest bidder between now and the Feb. 9 trade deadline since there are no longer any illusions that this team is a viable contender for even a play-in spot."

The Pistons already own the NBA's worst record at 3-14, though the Houston Rockets may also get the opportunity to land the No. 1 pick this year as they currently sit last in the Western Conference with a 3-13 record.

Wembanyama is considered a generational talent, and he'll surely alter the trajectory of whichever team selects him.

The superstar French center made his United States debut in October, suiting up for the Metropolitans 92 against the G League Ignite in two showcase games. In the first game, he finished with 37 points, four rebounds and five blocks. In Game 2, he notched 36 points, 11 rebounds, four blocks and four assists.

Following his performance against the G League Ignite, an Eastern Conference scout told ESPN's Myron Medcalf that "we've never seen anyone like" Wembanyama before.

Wembanyama's talent has led many to believe teams will tank in an effort to land him. NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in October that he hoped that wouldn't happen.

"I know that many of our NBA teams are salivating at the notion that potentially through our lottery, they can get him, so they should all still compete very hard next season," Silver told reporters.

The Pistons have been one of the Eastern Conference's worst teams for more than a decade, but pairing Wembanyama with someone like Cunningham, in addition to Jaden Ivey, could help the team return to prominence sooner rather than later.

Still, there's no guarantee they land the coveted No. 1 pick, though they would get a pretty good consolation prize in Scoot Henderson if they were to land the No. 2 pick.

Detroit Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanović is reportedly expected to be a popular trade target for teams in need of shooting.

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported on the Please Don't Aggregate This podcast (h/t Jacob Rude of Silver Screen & Roll) that the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns are expected to have interest:

"He's a player that I think a lot of winning teams, a team looking to get to the second round that's never gotten there or a team that wants to push their way to really be a title threat (would want)... Phoenix was at the top of everyone's list in terms of suitors that have capital to pay in addition to talent and the salaries that made sense... The Lakers were obviously involved. I got a list of other teams that I think have called and contacted, but nothing too crazy at this point in terms of actual conversations that are still ongoing. I do know Detroit is getting calls on him just like any team (when) we're getting close to the Dec. 15 area where a lot of players who signed (in free agency last summer) are going to be eligible (to be traded)."

Bogdanović, 33, has played well for the 3-11 Pistons after being acquired in an offseason trade, averaging 20.3 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 50.5 percent from the field and 43.0 percent from three. The team even signed him to a two-year, $39.1 million extension in late October.

But the Pistons are rebuilding around an intriguing young core of Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart, Jalen Duren and Killian Hayes, among others. That makes dealing Bogdanović for draft capital or younger players a logical option, especially if contending teams come calling.

Both the Lakers and Suns would make a lot of sense as suitors.

The Lakers desperately need shooting, though finding a way to match his $19.3 million salary could be tricky unless it gets folded into the seemingly inevitable Russell Westbrook trade the team will need to make.

Bogdanović isn't the perfect fit for the Lakers—he's more of a stretch 4, a position both LeBron James and Anthony Davis are best suited to playing, and he won't help plug the defense's holes—but his shooting would work wonders for the team's spacing.

He's a better fit for a Suns team that is without wantaway forward Jae Crowder and the injured Cameron Johnson. Pairing Crowder with another contract and potentially a draft pick would be an easy move from a trade perspective.

While the 3-10 Lakers are looking to salvage a season that is teetering dangerously close to being lost, the 8-4 Suns would be upgrading a championship-contending roster.

Both teams will feel a level of desperation to improve: the Lakers to end their free fall, the Suns to maximize the remaining window they have with Chris Paul. The situation is far less dire in Phoenix, however.

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham will miss at least one week with a shin injury.

According to NBA reporter Marc Stein, the Pistons announced their second-year guard will sit out their next three games and be reevaluated in one week with soreness in his left shin.

Saturday will be the second consecutive game Cunningham has missed. He sat out Friday's 121-112 loss to the New York Knicks.

The 21-year-old was limited to 24 minutes in Wednesday's loss to the Boston Celtics. He finished the game 1-of-11 from the field with four points.

Cunningham had some injury issues last season that kept him out of 18 games. He sat out five of Detroit's first six games with a sprained ankle.

Because of the NBA's health and safety protocols, Cunningham sat out four straight games from Dec. 23-Jan. 1. He suffered a hip injury that kept him out of the Pistons' Feb. 3 game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

When Cunningham played, he started to look the part of the franchise player Detroit hoped he would be after the team selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft.

Over his final 39 games last season, Cunningham averaged 18.8 points and 5.8 assists per contest. He picked up where he left off in the season opener with 18 points and 10 assists in a 113-109 victory over the Orlando Magic.

The Pistons are still in a rebuilding phase, but they have the makings of an exciting dynamic backcourt duo. They used the No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft to select Purdue star Jaden Ivey to play next to Cunningham.

Detroit also added Bojan Bogdanović in a trade with the Utah Jazz to provide more scoring. The team is off to a slow start with a 3-10 record heading into Saturday's home game against the Celtics.

Until Cunningham is able to return, head coach Dwane Casey could shift Ivey to point guard with Cory Joseph moving into the starting lineup.

Bojan Bogdanović and the Detroit Pistons have agreed to a two-year, $39.1 million contract extension that ties him to the franchise through the 2024-25 campaign, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Bogdanović is making $19.5 million this season, the final year of a four-year, $73 million deal he signed with the Utah Jazz in June 2019.

The Pistons acquired Bogdanović in a trade with the Jazz in September, sending Kelly Olynyk, Saben Lee and cash considerations to Utah in exchange for the veteran.

Bogdanović has appeared in each of Detroit's first six games, starting alongside Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart. He's averaging 23.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 51.7 percent from the floor and 51.1 percent from deep.

The 33-year-old's new contract comes as little surprise after NBA insider Marc Stein reported in September that he was seeking a multiyear extension. In addition, Pistons head coach Dwane Casey has referred to him as a "godsend," so it's clear the franchise values him as both a player and leader.

Cunningham, one of the team's rising stars, also told reporters earlier this week:

“He’s very knowledgeable about the game and he shares his knowledge. He doesn’t hold it to himself. He makes sure all of us are on the same page. He talks to us a lot. It’s fun to play with a guy like that who has such a high IQ and cares about winning so much.”

Bogdanović began his NBA career with the Brooklyn Nets in 2014-15, and he spent two-and-a-half seasons with the franchise before joining the Washington Wizards for the second half of the 2016-17 campaign.

From there, the Croatian spent two seasons with the Indiana Pacers, where he emerged as a key contributor, averaging 16.1 points in 161 games. His best seasons came with the Jazz when he averaged 18.4 points in 204 games (2019-2022).

Bogdanović will now be a key player for the Pistons for the foreseeable future, and he'll try to extend his hot start to the 2022-23 campaign in Sunday's game against the Golden State Warriors.

The Detroit Pistons are reportedly investigating allegations of workplace misconduct levied against assistant general manager Rob Murphy.

On Thursday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Murphy was placed on administrative leave as the team investigates allegations "involving a former female employee."

Murphy has not been with the Pistons organization long.

Wojnarowski pointed out he started as the general manager of the franchise's G League team, the Motor City Cruise, in March 2021. He was then promoted to assistant general manager of the NBA team in June.

Prior to joining the Pistons, Murphy was a collegiate coach with stops as an assistant for Kent State and Syracuse before he was the head coach of Eastern Michigan for 10 seasons from 2011-12 through 2020-21.

Detroit started its 2022-23 season on Wednesday with a victory over the Orlando Magic.

Detroit Pistons forward Marvin Bagley III will miss the start of the regular season with a knee injury after exiting Tuesday's preseason contest against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the opening minute of the first quarter, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Wednesday.

Bagley slipped on the court and fell awkwardly while attempting to defend the basket in transition.

This could be another setback for Bagley, who missed time last season with a shoulder injury on his way to 48 games. He also played just 13 games in 2019-20 and 43 games in 2020-21.

While durability has been a concern in the early portion of his career, the 23-year-old is a double-double threat when healthy and on the court. He averaged better than 14.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in each of his first three seasons after the Sacramento Kings selected him with the No. 2 overall pick of the 2018 NBA draft.

He also posted 14.6 points and 6.8 rebounds a night in 18 games for the Pistons last season.

Although Bagley hasn't quite lived up to the expectations that came with being a No. 2 pick, he is still a solid role player for Detroit.

If the Duke product is sidelined by the injury, look for players like Isaiah Livers, Jalen Duren and Nerlens Noel to see even more time in the frontcourt.

Kemba Walker will likely never see the court as a member of the Detroit Pistons.

The veteran point guard "will likely be away from the team" as training camp opens this week, per The Athletic and Stadium's Shams Charania. It's possible he will be traded or released.

The New York Knicks traded Walker to the Pistons on draft night as part of a three-team trade that also included the Charlotte Hornets, which sent the draft rights to Jalen Duren to Detroit.

The move helped the Knicks clear up cap space to sign former Dallas Mavericks point guard Jalen Brunson, who agreed to a four-year, $104 million deal with the franchise in July. Walker is set to earn $9.2 million in 2022-23.

Walker joined the Knicks on a two-year deal before the 2021-22 campaign after reaching a buyout with the Oklahoma City Thunder, which acquired him in a trade that sent Al Horford to the Boston Celtics.

The 32-year-old appeared in 37 games during the 2021-22 campaign, averaging 11.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists, before he and the Knicks agreed in February to have him be sidelined for the remainder of the season in pursuit of coming back fully healthy in 2022-23.

Walker has struggled with knee issues since his days with the Charlotte Hornets, though his knee ailment didn't begin to impact his production until his two-year stint with the Celtics from 2019-21.

In Detroit, Walker is buried on the depth chart behind Cade Cunningham, Killian Hayes, Alec Burks and Jaden Ivey. That said, it's no surprise the oft-injured point guard is not participating in training camp.

It's unclear if any teams will express interest in acquiring Walker this fall. His injury history and salary don't make him an ideal target. That said, it seems like a buyout may be more reasonable.

The Utah Jazz reportedly continued their offseason fire sale Thursday by trading forward Bojan Bogdanović to the Detroit Pistons.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the Jazz will receive center Kelly Olynyk and guard Saben Lee in return.

Tony Jones of The Athletic reported in June that Bogdanović was one of the players on Utah's roster who was expected to draw "significant interest" on the trade market this summer.

The 33-year-old was a key rotation player for the Jazz since he signed a four-year deal with the team in 2019. In 69 games in 2021-22, he was Utah's second-leading scorer with 18.1 points per game, which trailed only Donovan Mitchell.

Bogdanović added 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from three-point range.

After beginning his professional career in Europe, the Croatian joined the NBA in 2014 and signed a three-year deal with the Brooklyn Nets. He was traded to the Washington Wizards in 2017 and signed with the Indiana Pacers later that year. He spent two seasons in Indiana before joining Utah.

The Jazz are a team in transition following the surprising resignation of head coach Quin Snyder on June 5. He guided the team to a 49-33 record last season, but Utah was ousted in the first round of the postseason by the Dallas Mavericks in six games. He was replaced by former Boston Celtics assistant Will Hardy.

Bogdanović wasn't the only player on the move this offseason. Utah traded three-time All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Jazz also parted ways with center Rudy Gobert, sending the three-time Defensive Player of the Year to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Both deals were in exchange for a haul of players and draft picks, setting up Utah to build for the future.

By acquiring Bogdanović, Detroit is getting a sharpshooter who can stretch the floor on offense. While the seven-year NBA veteran isn't a game-changer by any means, he will be able to provide consistent scoring alongside the likes of Cade Cunningham for a Pistons team that is perhaps trying to accelerate its rebuild.

As for the Jazz, trading Bogdanović brings them even deeper into a rebuild, plus it gives them another potential trade piece in Olynyk, who could be coveted by contenders during the season as a rotational big.

Even if the Jazz are unable to trade the veteran, his salary is only partially guaranteed for the 2023-24 season, meaning they could move on without much issue.

Portland Trail Blazers head coach and former NBA star Chauncey Billups appeared on the All The Smoke podcast with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson and said he believes the trajectory of LeBron James' career would have been far different if the Detroit Pistons had drafted Carmelo Anthony.

We all thought we was taking 'Melo. We all was on deck. We all was on board. We all thought 'Melo was 'Melo. We excited. It was perfect. Obviously we had a team. We took Tayshaun [Prince] the year before, but Tay would have been the perfect sixth man, Swiss Army knife, he'll do whatever. I thought we was perfectly built to have 'Melo. 

Here's an interesting question, I say this all the time: If we do get 'Melo, when was 'Bron ever going to take over? ... We're in the same division. ... [Anthony's] going to get raised right in the game. He ain't coming in and shooting 25 times.

It's an interesting thought exercise.

James and Anthony were each drafted in 2003—the former No. 1 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers and the latter No. 3 by the Denver Nuggets. The Pistons famously passed on Anthony, No. 4 overall pick Chris Bosh and No. 5 overall pick Dwyane Wade to instead take Serbian center Darko Miličić.

Heading into the 2003-04 season, the Pistons were coming off a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. Around a core of Billups, Ben Wallace, Richard Hamilton and midseason addition Rasheed Wallace, the Pistons went on to shock Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers in five games to win an NBA title in 2004.

It was their first of two Finals trips, though the only title that group would win together. Wade's Heat knocked them out in the conference finals in the 2005-06 season and James' Cavaliers knocked them out in the conference finals in 2006-07 and the first round in 2008-09.

Would a young Anthony have extended that group's title window? Seeing as he averaged over 21 points per game across his first six seasons, the Pistons would have been formidable with his scoring ability on the roster.

Granted, James' period of dominance didn't come until he departed for the Heat to join with Wade and Bosh. During his first seven seasons with the Cavaliers, he only reached the NBA Finals once and didn't win a title.

By the time James made his Heat debut in 2010, Billups was in Denver, Rasheed Wallace was retired for the first time, Ben Wallace was back in Detroit for a second go-around (and well past his prime) and Hamilton was entering what would be his final season with the Pistons and also on the decline.

James, meanwhile, made the NBA Finals in eight straight seasons between the Heat and Cavaliers, winning three championships, before adding a fourth with the Los Angeles Lakers in the bubble.

Would Anthony on the Pistons have changed that particular trajectory? It seems unlikely. But perhaps the Pistons would have added another banner or two to their collection.