🚨 GIVEAWAY: 2 Courtside Seats for Pistons vs Lakers (March 23, 7:00 PM) 🚨

We’re thrilled to announce an exclusive giveaway for our community, sponsored by the Detroit Pistons.

**Game:** Detroit Pistons vs Los Angeles Lakers
**Date & Time:** Monday, March 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT
**Location:** Little Caesars Arena, Detroit

**What You’ll Win**

* 2 courtside seats (estimated value: $4,100 each)
* VIP parking
* VIP dining experience
* VIP after-court experience for you and your guest

This is a rare opportunity to experience the Pistons up close in premium style.

**How to Enter**

1. Comment below with: “I am able to attend the game if chosen.”
2. Upvote this post.

Winner will be selected from qualifying entries.

Entries will close on Wednesday, October 22nd 2025 (the day of the season opener).

**Winner Notification**
The winner will be contacted privately through Reddit by the Detroit Pistons franchise, independent of Reddit.

**Legal Notice**

* This giveaway is sponsored by the Detroit Pistons and is hosted here on r/DetroitPistons.
* No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.
* Winner will be chosen fairly based on the announced entry method.
* The tickets are provided exclusively for personal use and will not be registered for resale.
* By entering, you agree to abide by subreddit rules and Reddit’s giveaway guidelines.

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@r_DetroitPistons

Jimmy Kimmel, 2004: "I realize they're gonna burn the city of Detroit down if the Pistons win and it's not worth it".
https://streamable.com/a54g9t

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@r_DetroitPistons

Anyone know where to get cheap ben wallace jerseys?

I'm looking for a website that's cheap and half decent quality ben wallace jersey because everyone that I find is upwards of $150

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@r_DetroitPistons

Was never a particularly encouraging sign for the opposition when Memo was out there throwing down lobs in the open floor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRl-62QjUWY

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@r_DetroitPistons

Malik Beasley posted about a crypto coin/rug pull on his insta story

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This team has the potential to be the best team in Detroit

I’ve waited a long time for this. As someone who heavily likes the pistons over the other sports teams here, i am ready for the pistons to get the respect they deserve in this city again

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@r_DetroitPistons

Cade still vegan?

Hoping he has some grass fed beef at some point since he looks like an actual good player praying his downfall isn’t soon. Is he still cutting ham?

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@r_DetroitPistons

plz save my boi the Marksman:(

As there are rumors about Lauri trade i thought a would provide you guys this youtube video that does pretty good job of breaking down his play style imo.

it's little over year old.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om8mxXaMsdM

There is two major concerns raised about Markkanen.

One his health, i will admit that he isn't the perfect picture of health and has had some nagging issues. but in defence of him, his games played, do not give fair representation ether, as all his teams have been heading towards the lottery instead of the playoffs, except for the one year on Cavs. That being the case it makes sense that lot of those games are missed because, he helps his team win, but the organisation is racing towards the bottom.

Second being his contract, i will be the first to admit, that if he don't have a bounce back year after being traded it will be one of the worst in the league. Why i say after being traded is because he will be playing, with 19-22yo outside of the only proven starting quality player in the 24yo Walker Kessler and some vets of the bench, so i don't have ton of fate in him to be capable of much improvement, as an offball player with the current jazz roster.

To counter the bad contract narrative, i would say that if he had another 23-25 point season on near 50/40/90 splits, nobody would be suggesting that, he should be headed to Detroit. No offense, but as a smaller market, i see this as kind of perfect opportunity for you as guys bigger teams, lowballed their offers to the Jazz. Because they thought Lauri wouldn't sign an extension with the Jazz and they thought, they could get him as free agent, but Lauri showed loyalty to small market team or that is at least my reading of the events.

All that, just to say. I really want to see my boi in the playoffs and with Cade feeding him, i believe he would be topping his MIP/AS season and starting his playoffs career with the home court advantage.

English isnt my first lagust as you might have guest, so sorry for the bad spelling and grammatical errors.

here is couple more highlight videos if you are interested.

Lauri becoming the first player to make 100 dunks and 200 3pt in his MIP/AS season. (fun fact Lauri still holds the record of fastest to reach 100 3pt makes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xuF6xgKeMQ&t=755s

And last but not the very least Lauri cooking himself couple of multiple time MVPs lol...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JqSiMSN3fA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmVaq3R7UYo

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@r_DetroitPistons

Cade Cunnigham logo by Nike, NBA player
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@r_DetroitPistons

The Pistons are lost in the sauce amongst the Detroit sports teams.

I love every Detroit sports team. Some of you might just like the Pistons and root for other sports team in other sports. That’s fine. But why do the Pistons not get love like the Lions or Tigers or even Wings? Detroit was a basketball town for much of the 80s all the way through the early to mid 90s. And yet, we are the forgotten sport, unless it’s convenient to talk about us.

The local sports radio stations never talk about us unless it’s free agency, the draft, or the trade deadline. They barely talked about us during the playoffs. I get we have been bad for many years, but so have the Lions and Tigers. The Wings are still bad right now. So that’s not an excuse. People love basketball. The arena was filled during the playoffs this past year. The Tigers are about to all-time blow a division lead. Yet, they are still talked about everyday.

This is just a vent to be honest. I just wish every Detroit sports team was given equal spotlight. The Pistons may very well host a first round series this year, and yet, that isn’t talked about. We have arguably the face of Detroit sports in Cade Cunningham, and an interesting team. Just me venting (also because the Tigers have depressed me) to this thread.

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@r_DetroitPistons

Not bag for a thug
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@r_DetroitPistons

Does anyone know whose signatures these are?
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@r_DetroitPistons

ESPN FANTASY LEAGUE.

Looking for competitors. LET'S COOK!

https://fantasy.espn.com/basketball/league/join?leagueId=754226549&inviteId=1b9bb155-82d1-493d-a2c7-1f3835e87108

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@r_DetroitPistons

Does Malik Beasley plan on making a decision any time soon? Will he even be signed by the season opener?

There are still question marks on how the roster will look come opening night, and I am tired of waiting months on end to know if he will resign. When will he just make a decision?

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@r_DetroitPistons

Three Upcoming Decisions

I wrote a bit about three upcoming decisions that caught my attention. Curious to hear others thoughts.

# (1) The 15th Roster Spot Decision

Detroit currently has 13 players on fully guaranteed standard contracts and Javonte Green with a partial guarantee. On paper, they still have room for one more standard contract until they reach the regular season maximum of 15. Unless a really good value comes along for spot 15, I project they’ll keep it open. 

One potential value play is Malik Beasley. He gave Detroit a strong 2024-25 season — 82 games, 16+ points per night, among the league leaders in threes — but he’s also the subject of a federal gambling probe (I think?) and NBA investigation tied to his time in Milwaukee. He hasn’t been charged, and his attorneys say he’s no longer a target, but teams are being cautious. If the risk clears, Detroit still has his cap hold on the books, putting them in prime position to bring back a valuable rotation player at a discount.

Another potential value play is putting the Dennis Schröder TPE ($14,104,000) to use. It gives Detroit the ability to absorb a mid-level–sized contract without sending salary back. The timing, though, works against it. Most teams are set heading into camp, newly signed players aren’t yet trade-eligible, and real financial pressure to duck the Tax usually doesn’t kick in until closer to the deadline. In other words, it’s a useful tool, but probably one that won’t come into play until later in the season. 

Which leads us to the benefits of keeping this roster spot open: 

Shift from standard to Two-Way spots: The expansion of Two-Way contracts has made them a more common solution for end-of-bench depth. In emergencies, instead of turning to a 15th man, teams can use their Two-Way players. 
Marginal value is low: The gap between a typical 15th man and a replacement-level player is small, so teams often prefer to wait and add someone later if a real need arises.
Strategic flexibility gained: An open roster slot allows teams to keep payroll down, take back an extra player in trades, or wait for better options on the buyout market.
Timing of when it matters: Most teams eventually fill No. 15, but usually later in the year when playoff eligibility and depth concerns come into play.

In short, the value of keeping No. 15 open depends on who’s available. It makes sense to wait if the option is a Delano Banton type, but not if it’s a Malik Beasley.

# (2) The Rookie Extension Decision(s)

Detroit faces two big calls ahead of the October 20 rookie extension deadline. Jaden Ivey flashed as a starter before a broken fibula ended his season in January, leaving his long-term value harder to pin down. Jalen Duren, meanwhile, had a productive last two-thirds of the season and logged heavy playoff minutes, putting him in line for a major deal. The Pistons must decide whether to lock them in now or let things ride into restricted free agency, where next summer’s cap environment is projected to be more competitive. 

https://preview.redd.it/3oq4vuiciqqf1.png?width=962&format=png&auto=webp&s=add5105bb30470345cfc77f8981937101cc5b3bf

Let’s talk through some extension projections and the impact on Detroit’s financial future. 

Jaden Ivey

Ivey’s extension case is complicated by last season’s small sample. He looked improved in Year 3, but played only 30 games before a season-ending fibula fracture. 

https://preview.redd.it/1viz66odiqqf1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=3c43f9ba52f44da206d1525d334d6a82d0489158

Questions linger about his fit with Cade Cunningham, the sustainability of his shooting, the trajectory of his defense, and how the market values his archetype (with scoring guards struggling to cash in

lately). Those uncertainties are more easily answered with another season of data, which is exactly what makes an extension now so tricky.

Based on a model I’m working on, here is Ivey’s current projection (assuming 8% raises YoY): 

https://preview.redd.it/ekgodecfiqqf1.png?width=587&format=png&auto=webp&s=6688dbd57b7e8f288831707860cbb908798dd2f4

Just on my gut test, I think this probably underrates Ivey. Also based on my gut test, I think Ivey thinks this probably underrates Ivey. After all, Jalen Green is set to earn 21.72% of the Cap, Jalen Suggs 22.63% of the Cap, and Devin Vassell earned 20.88% of the Cap in year 1 of his extension. Those are probably the names that Ivey is circling as comps. 

But there’s a lot of uncertainty! My gut isn’t so sure that the Pistons think this underrates Ivey right now. His first two seasons were relatively underwhelming, and he’s an athletic player coming off a major injury. 

Bottom Line: I predict no extension and each side will bet on another season of data leading them to the right place. 

Jalen Duren

Jalen Duren took a leap in the last two-thirds of year 3 and into the playoffs. He was really good. There’s a similar sample size question to Jaden Ivey, though. 

https://preview.redd.it/dhddxuygiqqf1.png?width=1104&format=png&auto=webp&s=c13ebf543fbf2897cd642d2b28a1d14029175393

Questions remain about Duren’s defensive ceiling and how well he fits alongside Pistons other than Cade Cunningham. More broadly, the league still wrestles with how much to pay non-shooting bigs (and non-shooting players more generally). It’s tough to keep more than one on the floor at a time, which makes investing heavily in one a tricky proposition. In my opinion, the biggest Duren question marks are (1) his fit with Ausar Thompson — with Detroit likely preparing to pay him next summer, two non-shooters on the floor is a tough puzzle — and (2) whether his production is sustainable.

Based on a model I’m working on, here is Duren’s current projection (assuming 8% raises YoY): 

https://preview.redd.it/biqpo75iiqqf1.png?width=591&format=png&auto=webp&s=795acea9aeafd253a40ab54f0bf4ebb5bf910e0f

The total value and AAV here feel about right — maybe a bit high. I wouldn’t be surprised if Detroit pushes for a flatter structure or a team option to preserve future flexibility.

Bottom line: Duren is probably good enough, young enough, and trending enough in the right direction for the Pistons to lock him in now.

Thinking About the Summer of 2026 

If we pencil in somewhere around $50 million total in 2026-27 salary for Ivey and Duren, they’ll still project with quite a bit of flexibility below the Tax Level with two open roster spots.

https://preview.redd.it/ki2bwazkiqqf1.png?width=630&format=png&auto=webp&s=0eade0f4b8795dea42a3216d8135213219f31b12

This room could be used on re-signing Tobias Harris, using the Mid-Level, or acquiring a bigger salary via trade. 

There’s also a potential cap space plan worth mentioning. My general rule is that any team can find cap space if they really want to (not that it always makes sense to want to). Here’s one way they could do this: 

1. Don’t extend Duren if his projected Y1 cap hit exceeds his current cap hold of $19,449,432. This would allow them to keep his hold on the books (and his Bird Rights) and make other transactions with the space available. 
2. Extend Ivey at a figure somewhere below his $30,321,489 cap hold. Let’s ballpark it at $22.5 million for now. 
3. Decline Marcus Sasser’s 2026-27 team option. 
4. In the summer, waive Duncan Robinson (just $2,000,000 guaranteed next season). 
5. Renounce Tobias Harris’ $39,951,219 cap hold (and the rest of the cap holds leftover on their books). 
6. Trade Caris LeVert into another team’s MLE. 
7. Trade Paul Reed into another team’s TPE. 

That combination nets roughly $31 million in Cap Space to use before circling back to Duren. It’s probably not the optimal route, but it is worth flagging as a contingency if things go sideways. You never know.

# (3) The Big Swing Decision

As it

stands, Detroit projects to have roughly $21 million in room below the Tax Level. They also hold a mix of mid-sized contracts, giving them the flexibility to salary-match nearly any incoming salary: 

https://preview.redd.it/cm4c0y2oiqqf1.png?width=1270&format=png&auto=webp&s=4322638c1e33327985d1e0383307a662acba9712

This is a familiar spot for Detroit: a window to chase a big contract before rookie extensions start to hit. With moveable mid-sized deals and roughly $20 million of cushion below the Tax (depending on Ivey and Duren’s numbers), the Pistons are positioned to swing for a higher-salaried player this season. On top of that, they have enough draft capital flexibility to build almost any pick package they’d need: 

https://preview.redd.it/lklo31mqiqqf1.png?width=1096&format=png&auto=webp&s=8c299179e57ca10754a53cb65966be3af446a842

It’s probably a bit too early to consider names since the trade market doesn’t fully form until the period between December 15 and the deadline. The Pistons also probably want a better idea of what they have this season before making any move. But for now, it’s worth noting that the Pistons have as much salary-matching flexibility as any team in the league and all of their draft picks for the next 7 years. 

If a big name hits the trade market this season, Detroit will have a seat at the table.

# Honorable Mentions (because I can’t help myself): 

Marcus Sasser Team Option. The Pistons have until October 31 to decide on Marcus Sasser’s $5.2 million 2026-27 team option, and it’s not a straightforward call. Sasser showed flashes as a tough shot-maker and efficient pull-up shooter, but his lack of playmaking has limited his fit as a true backup point guard. I imagine that Detroit would like to see him evolve into more of a table-setter, add off-ball movement to maximize his shooting, and regain some of the defensive edge he had in college. At just 24 years old, there’s still upside, but the option decision forces the Pistons to weigh patience in his development against the roster and financial flexibility they’ll need moving forward.
Optimizing Tax Room. Detroit has room to maneuver under the Tax, with roughly $20 million in space and a $14.1 million trade exception from the Schröder sign-and-trade. That combination gives them the flexibility to absorb contracts without sending money back and to shop in the mid-level salary range for upgrades. Any player earning below that threshold could become a realistic midseason target, making Detroit one of the better-positioned teams to optimize its room.

https://preview.redd.it/37al3grziqqf1.png?width=1272&format=png&auto=webp&s=07102f5688cc2d207197b42041bc4764142a45b8



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@r_DetroitPistons

Who are you most excited about for a potential breakout season?

Who are you most excited about this year. Who do you have the most stock in?

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@r_DetroitPistons