JB Bickerstaff will face a difficult balance next season as he tries to move the Detroit Pistons forward while developing his young players.
Trajan Langdon has made it clear he’s not going to rush things, so the focus will likely be on the latter, but player development will also depend on a more complementary roster and better veterans who can help get the most out of the younger players.
It will be difficult to balance minutes while putting optimal lineups on the field to maximize the strengths of Cade Cunningham, who signed a max extension this summer and is so far the only building block they have committed to long-term.
A difficult program at the beginning That could lead to coach Bickerstaff playing more veterans, even in the starting lineup, but the rotation will likely be fluid throughout the season, especially after the trade deadline if the Pistons end up selling some of their expiring contracts.
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Improving young players could help make those decisions easier, but early in the season the Pistons are going to have to fight for minutes at many positions.
-Jaden Ivey
-Malik Beasley
-Tim Hardaway Jr.
-Ausar Thompson
This will be the first indication of how Bickerstaff views Jaden Ivey. Is he the starting complement to Cade Cunningham or is he better suited to come off the bench?
If he wants to maximize shots around Cade, then one of the veterans could get the nod, especially early on, which might not be the worst thing for Ivey, who can then lead the second unit as the lead guard.
If I had to bet, I’d say Jaden Ivey will start the opener and he’ll be staggered with Cade so that one of them is always on the court.
This is the year Ivey must prove he may be Cade’s sidekick in the starting backcourt, and that’s his place to lose, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see Bickerstaff use a veteran here, at least early in the season.
There is also a world where Ausar Thompson starts at two with Simone Fontecchio and Tobias Harris at forward if Bickerstaff wants to get bigger and maximize his perimeter defense.
