On this episode of the Palace of Pistons Podcast, Aaron Johnson and Jasper Apollonia break down the latest trade rumors surrounding the Detroit Pistons as the offseason begins to take shape. The guys discuss reported interest in Trey Murphy III, Tyler Herro, and Kyrie Irving, weighing the pros and cons of each potential addition and debating which player would be the best fit alongside Cade Cunningham. They also explore what realistic trade packages Detroit could put together to land one of these impact players.

Later, Aaron and Jasper shift their focus to the 2026 NBA Draft. With the Pistons holding the No. 21 overall pick, the guys analyze several prospects who could be available when Detroit is on the clock, including Isaiah Evans, Bennett Stirtz, and other intriguing options. Which prospects best fit Detroit’s needs, and should the Pistons keep the pick or use it as trade bait? The guys discuss it all on this week’s episode of Palace of Pistons.

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On this episode of the Palace of Pistons Podcast, Aaron Johnson and Jasper Apollonia break down the major honors for Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren after both players earned All-NBA recognition and discuss what the achievement could mean for Duren’s upcoming restricted free agency negotiations. The guys also react to Joe Mazzulla taking home NBA Coach of the Year and debate whether J.B. Bickerstaff was snubbed from winning the award for the second consecutive season.

Later in the show, Aaron and Jasper dive into several critical offseason questions facing the Detroit Pistons. Is this finally the summer Detroit needs to make a major roster move? Should the Pistons remain patient with their young core or aggressively pursue another star? The guys also discuss potential options for the No. 21 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and what direction the front office could take as the franchise looks to build on last season’s progress.

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On this episode of the Palace of Pistons podcast, Aaron Johnson and Jasper Apollonia break down the Detroit Pistons’ disappointing Game 7 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers and discuss what ultimately went wrong in the series. The guys dive into Trajan Langdon’s end-of-season press conference, including his comments on Jalen Duren’s future, the possibility of major offseason roster moves, and Detroit’s long-term vision moving forward. They also explore some blockbuster names they’d love to see the Pistons pursue this summer, including Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, while debating how aggressive Detroit should be in accelerating its rebuild.

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Aaron Johnson and Jasper Apollonia break down the Detroit Pistons’ crushing losses in Games 3, 4, and 5 against the Cleveland Cavaliers as Detroit now faces elimination in the series. The guys discuss their growing frustrations with J.B. Bickerstaff, the struggles of Jalen Duren, and the lack of meaningful adjustments from the Pistons coaching staff throughout Cleveland’s comeback. They also analyze what has gone wrong for Detroit on both ends of the floor, debate lineup and rotation changes, and preview a pivotal Game 6 as the Pistons look to keep their season alive and force a Game 7.

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The Palace of Pistons Podcast returns with Mike Anguilano, Aaron Johnson, and Jasper Apollonia breaking down Detroit’s stunning 2-0 series lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The guys discuss what has fueled the Pistons’ early success, why the Cavaliers have struggled to find answers, and the key tactical and rotation adjustments J.B. Bickerstaff and Kenny Atkinson could make moving forward. They also preview Saturday afternoon’s pivotal Game 3 matchup, share their predictions for the remainder of the series, and debate whether Cleveland has any path back into the fight.

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Good morning Pistons fans, and welcome back to the Weekly Drive. It’s on to the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs and the Pistons mounted ahead historic comeback not once but twice in their first round series against Orlando. Let’s get into that and who they will face in the first round.

But first…

Did you know there has been a Palace of Pistons Postgame Show? We’ve been testing it out, and you can bet there will be more of them coming. Alright, now we can talk about the comeback.

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Never in Doubt

Where do we begin? The Pistons held home court in Game 5, even though it was a slog of a game. Orlando got within two points in the middle of the third quarter, but Detroit answered with a run. Every time. Paolo Banchero and Cade Cunningham dueled it out in an instant playoff classic where they both put up 40+ points.

Game 6 could not have looked worse for the Pistons, falling behind by as many as 24 points on the road. Detroit not only erased the deficit, but built a double-digit lead of their own in the third quarter by clamping down on defense in historic fashion.

They held the Magic to just three field goals in the third quarter for a total of 11 points. Believe it or not, the fourth quarter was worse. A 19-point second-half is bad, but the Magic missed 23-straight shots (one short the NBA record). A dunk by Paolo Banchero with just under 2:30 left in the fourth quarter was Orlando’s only made field goal in the frame. One.

Talk about stealing a soul.

Detroit, rightfully, beat down Orlando in Game 7. It was written in the stars after that Game 6 meltdown, even if Banchero tried his best to will Orlando to victory. The Pistons won the series, their first since 2008. No need to discuss how different the world was then to now, it goes without saying - it was very different.

Cade Cunningham’s Superstar Moment

The Pistons looked dead in the water after losing Game 4, defeated and unsure of where to go. Here are Cunningham’s stats since that moment:

• 45 points, four rebounds, five assists in Game 5

• 32 points, 10 rebounds, three assists in Game 6

• 32 points, one rebound, 12 assists in Game 7

Those are superstar figures with your team on the line. Cunningham led the way, put the team on his shoulders, and had his first real signature playoff moment that will be remembered in the way we do for so many other greats.

Well this is Awkward

So, after that slugfest of a series, the Pistons will play *checks notes*…oh, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Well, this is awkward.

If you, reader, are not a watcher/listener of the Palace of Pistons Podcast, you’ll know that I live in Cleveland. You’ll also know that I cover the Cavs for SB Nation’s Fear the Sword. I did a solo pod when Detroit hired J.B. Bickerstaff, just to give some insight into how he would improve things from Monty Williams.

The Cavs will present a different set of problems for the Pistons, mostly because they actually have ball handlers and an offense that isn’t predicated on one guy doing everything. Donovan Mitchell and James Harden had difficulties against the lanky Toronto Raptors, but should have more wiggle room against Detroit. Key word being “should”.

Physicality will be the name of the game for the Pistons. They aren’t a good shooting team, but they are a physical one. The Cavs just got out of a physical series, and the evidence is there that they don’t play well in those type of fistfights. If Detroit can out-physical the Cavs on both sides of the ball, the Pistons will put themselves in good position to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Onto the second round. Thanks for tuning in.

The Palace of Pistons Podcast returns as Mike Anguilano and Jasper Apollonia break down Detroit’s resilient Game 5 victory after a tough Game 4 loss, keeping their season alive and forcing a Game 6. The guys dive into the electric duel between Cade Cunningham and Paolo Banchero, what adjustments fueled the Pistons’ bounce-back performance, and how Detroit regained control of the series momentum. Then, they preview a pivotal Game 6—highlighting key matchups, X-factors, and what it will take for the Pistons to push this series to a winner-take-all Game 7.

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Even the most pessimistic Detroit diehards, who have been without a playoff series victory from their local squad since 2008, wouldn’t have predicted these Pistons to have their backs against the wall. It’s hard to say much of anything negative about a 60-win team, especially considering this franchise’s recent history. But it’s become overwhelmingly obvious that Detroit’s weaknesses - which understandably faded out of focus amidst a spectacular regular season - have reared their heads again once the playoffs kicked off.

How We Got Here

A matchup filled to the brim with giveaways, highlighted by a series of seven turnovers in the first four minutes of Game 4, has been a thorn in the team’s side. Looking at the box scores, Cade Cunningham has been the main culprit of these turnovers. This is a team-wide issue, though. Averaging a ghastly 18.3 turnovers per game in the playoffs, Detroit trails only the Lakers (20.0) among qualified teams.

Even more concerning than the lackadaisical ball movement, though, has been the Pistons’ stagnant and predictable offense. Detroit has never been a great offensive team this year, but the roster’s ability to convert mistakes into easy scores and open looks has helped mask its deficiencies. When the Pistons engage in half-court sets, they often have the same goal: run Cade and Jalen Duren in the pick-and-roll. This simple, but effective strategy was the backbone of Detroit’s offense throughout the season.

It didn’t take long for the Magic to clamp down on that plan, though. As a result, Duren has been left without much of a purpose in the offense outside of point-blank layups and putbacks. The Pistons’ second-leading scorer has been nearly unplayable.

Game 5 (and Beyond)

Now, the fresh off back-to-back heartbreakers in Orlando, the Pistons return home for one last chance to salvage their status as a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference. Even a seven-game series win would likely be claimed “fraudulent” by national pundits, but over time, only the winner is remembered.

Orlando’s suffocating defense has overshadowed an inefficient offense. The Magic are shooting just 38.7 percent from the field and 31.3 percent from deep, signaling that the Pistons’ defense - namely Isaiah Stewart and Ausar Thompson - is doing its job. With Franz Wagner’s status for Game 5 in question due to a calf strain, there is a glimmer of hope for a team that probably hasn’t deserved it.

Detroit can take advantage of the former Michigan star’s absence by throwing Thompson exclusively on Desmond Bane, who has proven to be Orlando’s only reliable perimeter threat over the last two contests. Other adjustments will be needed, too, such as handing more of Duren’s minutes to Stewart and even Paul Reed. But this is far from an insurmountable deficit for a team that knows well how it feels to end the season early.

When Playoff Basketball Hands You Lemons…

Even if Detroit fails to win three straight, though, there are still silver linings from this first-round bout, some more positive than others. One clear takeaway is that Trajan Langdon’s decision to forego trading for an established secondary ball-handler/shot creator has allowed Cunningham’s offensive responsibilities to soar too high. Cade is built to be a high-usage scorer/playmaker hybrid, but the lack of another talent to take the pressure off has only kept him from playing at his best. This will (and should be) Detroit’s top priority of the offseason, regardless of playoff outcome.

The more interesting summer decision will be with Duren, who finished second in Most Improved Player voting in 2025-26 but has crated in the playoffs, likely costing himself tens of millions of dollars in the process. Once a candidate for a rookie-scale max contract, there will be much more to discuss during Duren’s contract negotiations after his recent playoff showings.

Without a suitable replacement readily available, though, it would be surprising to see the Pistons move off of the 22-year-old completely. Instead, Detroit should try to buy lower on a high-level talent who hasn’t figured out postseason basketball yet. If the team can manage this, the Pistons will have somehow salvaged a huge victory from an undeniably disappointing playoff series.

Duren has always been expected to be part of the Pistons’ core moving forward, and while it’s difficult to say with complete certainty, he’s the type of player a team doesn’t show the door after one poor series. Instead, the Langdon and co. must decide who worked and who didn’t alongside the trio of Cunningham, Thompson, and Duren, and make upgrades accordingly.

A slightly less lucrative extension for Duren could allow Detroit to make more meaningful additions around the margins. If the right reinforcements are brought in for next season and beyond, a first-round loss will only be remembered as an (embarrassing) blip in the Pistons’ upward trajectory.

Good morning Pistons fans, and, well, anyone else that is reading this searching for answers as to why the top seed in the Eastern Conference is on the edge of elimination. There are many, so let’s get into it.

The Orlando Magic, once on the precipice of despair themselves before blowing out the Charlotte Hornets in the Play-In Tournament, are leading the top-seeded Detroit Pistons 3-1 following a 94-88 victory. The series shifts to Michigan now in a do-or-die situation, but the Pistons no longer have home court advantage nor the momentum. Both reside comfortably with the Magic.

Turnover City

There are many reasons why the Pistons trail this series, but a big one is turnovers. Detroit had 16 of them in Game 3, which led to 24 Orlando points. They had 20 turnovers in Game 4, which again resulted in 23 Magic points. Cade Cunningham has 17 of those 36 turnovers, with nine of them in Game 4.

Many of these giveaways have been exceptionally juvenile. The first possession of the game was an entry pass to Jalen Duren that got swiped away very easily, a sign of things to come. Passes going out of bounds, through people’s hands, or in-opportune offensive fouls all resulted in turnovers for the Pistons and stopped any momentum they were able to gather.

Cade has had these issues before, but that is a byproduct of two things: being a high-usage player, and not having a true second high-leverage guy next to him. Aside from Tobias Harris and Ausar Thompson, who have played valiantly, the rest of the team have not pulled their own weight. The margin for error is minuscule, and opposing teams know that. The result? Turnovers.

(Sigh) Jalen Duren

I don’t want to belabor the point about Duren, who continues to be a liability in an alarming way. He was…slightly better in Game 4, to the tune of 12 points and eight rebounds, but also four more turnovers (and a very critical one late in the fourth quarter). There were glimpses of the regular season version of Duren with a few put backs and a mid-range jumper in the first quarter, but nothing that stuck.

Duren attempted eight shots, the same as Duncan Robinson and Ausar Thompson. That is still below what he was averaging in the regular season, and the Pistons desperately need a double-double from their All-Star big.

On a side note, how much money is Duren costing himself? The two sides were unable to come to an agreement on an extension this past offseason, and this playoff performance cannot be helping his case.

Where is the Urgency?

The most damning aspect of all of this is Detroit’s seeming lack of urgency or care given the situation they were in. While trailing in the third and fourth quarter, the Pistons were methodically getting into their sets late, giving the ball away with silly turnovers, and running out lineups that had no chance of generating any offense. The Pistons lost the Cade minutes, something that cannot happen, and were getting beaten down worse with him off.

Both Harris and Bickerstaff talked about the team’s lack of urgency in their post-game press conferences. But talk is cheap. This is the same issue Bickerstaff’s Cleveland Cavaliers teams had in their playoff failures. Talking about toughness, “getting back to what we do”, and lacking energy or urgency when the going gets tough became staples of those teams in the postseason.

Well, the going is tough.

Teams have come back from a 3-1 deficit before, but its far and few between. The Pistons don’t look like a team prepared or capable of doing that.

There is little point in rehashing what Trajan Langdon and the front office could have done at the deadline to plug the obvious holes in this roster, because what’s done is done. Let's see what this Detroit team has with their backs against the wall and the crowd behind them.

Good morning Pistons fans, and welcome back to another playoff edition of the Weekly Drive. We have much to discuss, so pop an antacid and let’s get into it.

Remember just a few days ago when I said the Pistons had only a little bit to be concerned about? The team responded by thrashing the Orlando Magic in Game 2, tying the series up at one game a piece. I thought that would grease the wheels, so to speak, for a continued beat down of an inferior Magic squad.

Then Saturday afternoon happened.

The Pistons couldn’t get out of their own way in Game 3, losing to Orlando 113-105. The loss hurts a little extra given they mounted a huge comeback in the fourth quarter, briefly took the lead, and then never scored again. It was an incredibly deflating game from beginning to end, and one that has rightfully caused some panic in Detroit. None larger than the sudden collapse of their All-Star center.

Where is Jalen Duren?

There was concern after Game 1 about Duren, but it was somewhat brushed over as an anomaly. The Game 2 win masked what was another bad showing. But Game 3 was rock bottom, and it was pretty bad. So much so that J.B. Bickerstaff benched him for nine minutes in the third quarter (and a few more into the fourth) because he was actively hurting the team.

Let that sink in for a moment: Detroit’s All-Star center, and second-best player this past season, was unplayable yesterday.

Duren has almost as many turnovers (8) as shots made (10) in this series. He is shooting well under 50% from the floor, and hasn’t scooped up double digit rebounds in a game yet. Orlando is crowding the paint and taking away the two-man game with Cade Cunningham, which has really hurt Detroit’s offense. Nothing seems easy for anyone, but especially Duren. It is a mix of lost confidence and a tough matchup against an opponent that doesn’t back down to physicality.

There is really no way around it: the Pistons need Duren to be better, and quickly. He has to return to form for Game 4, or this series is going to head back to Detroit for a perilous Game 5.

Rotation Fluctuation

Bickerstaff is in a tough spot. With Duren fighting off the demons, the NBA’s Coach of the Year finalist has had to find offense from somewhere else - and that has been difficult to come by. Daniss Jenkins and Caris LeVert have not provided much. Kevin Huerter and Duncan Robinson are more three-point decoy than threat. Javonte Green led the bench in minutes yesterday, and was not very effective. Isaiah Stewart has not been as impactful, and Ron Holland is out of the rotation.

That leaves Tobias Harris and Ausar Thompson as the two best running mates for Cunningham. Thompson played his best game of the series in Game 3, and Harris was integral to making the comeback late in the fourth quarter. Without those two, the Pistons would have lost by much more.

Somebody else has to step up off the bench, and Bickerstaff’s options are running dry. They need LeVert or Jenkins to start hitting some shots, or Stewart to start bullying his way to some hustle points and rebounds. Green was unplayable for the Cleveland in last year’s playoffs, and to have him lead the bench in minutes is a huge indictment on Detroit’s depth.

As it stands, Bickerstaff hasn’t pulled the right levers either. He started the fourth quarter with a lineup of Jenkins, Robinson, Thompson, Green, and Stewart. That particular group played eight (8) minutes in the regular season and had a +/- of -78.6. Needless to say it did not work yesterday either.

Identity Crisis

The long and short of it is Detroit doesn’t look like the top seed in the conference. In fact, they are lacking in nearly all of the key areas that made them the best in East during the regular season.

They are losing the rebounding battle almost routinely. Cunningham had nine turnovers, the last one a microcosm of the game itself where he tripped and lost the ball with under a minute left (which led to a Franz Wagner three). The team defense, which was among the league leaders, looks like it comes in spurts as opposed to a consistent wave. The offense is automatically stuck in the mud if the two-man game of Cunningham and Duren is stymied, which it has been.

The playoffs have a way of forcing teams out of their comfort zone, and Detroit is seeing that first hand. There doesn’t seem to be a “Plan B” when “Plan A isn’t working, and the Magic are exposing that. The Pistons do need to be better in general, but they also have to adapt to what Orlando is showing. Game 4 will be very telling where things stand with this team, one with such promise and vigor, and if they want to roll over or punch back.

On this episode of the Palace of Pistons podcast, Aaron Johnson and Jasper Apollonia break down the first two games of the Detroit Pistons’ first-round playoff battle with the Orlando Magic, with the series tied 1-1 after Orlando’s Game 1 win and Detroit’s bounce-back in Game 2. The guys dive into the Pistons’ sluggish start to the series and whether it’s a real concern or just early playoff rust. They analyze Cade Cunningham’s dominant impact, evaluate J. B. Bickerstaff’s rotations, and take a closer look at the key frontcourt matchup between Wendell Carter Jr. and Jalen Duren. Plus, they discuss what adjustments Detroit needs to make to take control of the series and ultimately eliminate Orlando from the playoffs.

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Good morning Pistons fans, and welcome back to the Weekly Drive. It’s been a hot minute since the last article, but I thought it made sense to check back in amidst a stressful moment in the season.

Detroit was shocked at home in Game 1 against the Orlando Magic, a team that had incredibly poor vibes for the last two weeks as they slumped into the Play-In Tournament. The Pistons never led at any point in the game, getting as close as 65-65 in the third quarter. It was a disappointing loss, and it highlighted the reasons the national media raised an eyebrow at Detroit making a deep playoff run.

Let’s be clear, this is a flawed basketball team. The lack of secondary playmakers and scoring options was on full display, as Cade Cunningham led the team with 39 points while everyone else put up 62 combined. But its the other issues popping up that are even more discouraging, as they were mostly not seen throughout the regular season.

What Happened to Jalen Duren?

The second-best player on the Pistons needs more shot attempts, plain and simple. Cunningham will take the most, and he should, but Duren took just four of them. That is less than Ausar Thompson and Daniss Jenkins, and eight fewer than his average per game post All-Star Break. Incorporating Duren into the bully ball offense is an essential component to how the Pistons pulverized opponents in the regular season. Detroit cannot abandon what has made them, and Duren, so good this season.

Wendell Carter Jr. outplayed Duren to the tune of 17 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. The Magic were a +20 when he was on the floor, and that backs up the eye test. The Pistons were a -21 in Duren’s minutes, which also aligns with what we saw in Game 1. That level of disparity is not sustainable if the Pistons want escape the first round for the first time since the Bush Administration.

More paint touches for Duren is the minimum at this point, and ideally that gets him going on both ends of the floor. Orlando attacked the paint and generated about half of their points from that area in Game 1. The Magic are not a very good offensive team in general, but they are happy to attack the paint and generate free throw attempts.

The Pistons need more out Duren, bottom line.

Relying on Daniss Jenkins

No doubt that the emergence of Jenkins as the team’s backup point guard has been a godsend for the Pistons. Coming into the season it seemed like they were going to use LeVert, Marcus Sasser, and Jaden Ivey as its potential backup ball handlers. We had our worries about that in our season preview edition of the Palace of Pistons Podcast, but Jenkins is a good development for the long term. It’s the short term that is troubling.

Jenkins played pretty poorly in Game 1, going 1-7 from the floor and he was a team-worst -11 in his 22 minutes. He looked outmatched, in part because Orlando’s backcourt defense was very active all night. Nevertheless, the Pistons will need a better game from Jenkins in Game 2. It is fair to wonder if the moment is too big for him at this juncture of his career and if the coaching staff has a shorter leash. But this gets to one of those scary realties of this Pistons team.

Relying on Jenkins to this degree is a risky gamble. He is a good story, and by all means a good player, but the playoffs are a different animal. The alternatives are not too enticing, but they may opt to give the veteran LeVert a few extra minutes if Jenkins starts off poorly again. J.B. Bickerstaff has also toyed with LeVert as a point guard from their time in Cleveland, and there is already an established level of trust. There is risk there too, a pick-your-poison type of decision, and certainly something worth monitoring in Game 2 and beyond.

Tighten the Rotations

Speaking of Bickerstaff, he played an 11-man rotation in Game 1, a puzzling decision to say the least. Typically, playoff rotations shorten to eight or nine players to keep the best guys out there as much as possible. There is nothing to say that Bickerstaff won’t make that adjustment for Game 2, but as someone who also covered the Cleveland Cavaliers, I have seen this story play out.

LeVert and Javonte Green had four minutes of court time each, and were largely doing cardio out there. Ron Holland had 10 ineffective minutes. There needs to be a little tightening of the rotations, with a few more minutes going to Huerter and Stewart. Those guys have tangible value both with and without the ball in their hands, and their size and physicality will be necessary against an Orlando team that is up for a fight.

Stewart’s 18 minutes in Game 1 is exactly four below is season average. Taking Green’s minutes and giving them to the energetic Stewart makes plenty of sense. Holland may also see his court time reduced after his Game 1 showing, and giving them to Huerter provides the offense a little more room to breathe. You lose Holland’s defensive energy and athleticism, but it may be worth the risk to space the offense out. Neither team shot the ball well from deep in Game 1, but every advantage counts.

Bickerstaff’s rotations are not all to blame for the loss, but I think it does need a tweak to get the best players more touches and court time. This isn’t the regular season, the playoffs are all about adjustments and matchups. It is time to adjust.

On this episode of the Palace of Pistons Podcast, Aaron Johnson and Jasper Apollonia break down the major news surrounding Cade Cunningham and Luka Dončić successfully meeting the NBA’s Extraordinary Circumstances criteria for the 65-game rule—making both stars eligible for end-of-season honors like MVP and All-NBA.

The guys also dive into the early returns for NBA Coach of the Year voting, analyzing where J. B. Bickerstaff currently stands and whether he’s getting the recognition he deserves.

To close the show, Aaron and Jasper preview Detroit’s potential first-round playoff matchup, breaking down what a series against either the Orlando Magic or Charlotte Hornets could look like depending on the final play-in result—and whether either opponent presents a tough matchup for the Pistons.

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Mike Anguilano and Jasper Apollonia break down one of the NBA’s most heated award debates: should J.B. Bickerstaff or Joe Mazzulla take home Coach of the Year honors? The guys compare the jobs both coaches have done this season, what each has meant to their team’s success, and why Bickerstaff has built such a strong case in Detroit.

They also dive into Cade Cunningham’s return from injury, discussing how he looked in his first game back, what stood out about his performance, and how his presence changes the outlook for the Pistons as the playoffs approach next week. Plus, the guys talk about Detroit’s postseason momentum, what Cade’s health means for the team’s ceiling, and why the Pistons could be a dangerous matchup heading into the final stretch.

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On this episode of the Palace of Pistons podcast, Mike Anguilano and Aaron Johnson break down Detroit’s recent stretch of play, including a tough overtime loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder and an important bounce-back win over the Toronto Raptors. The guys dive into the resurgence of Daniss Jenkins, why Kevun Huerter could be a key piece as the playoffs approach, and whether J.B. Bickerstaff has done enough to earn serious consideration for NBA Coach of the Year. With Detroit sitting atop the East and the postseason around the corner, the conversation centers on what this team still needs to prove before the playoffs begin.

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On this episode of the Palace of Pistons podcast, hosts Aaron Johnson and Jasper Apollonia break down the latest on Cade Cunningham’s injury and how it impacts his case for end-of-season NBA awards. The guys dive into how the Detroit Pistons have stayed competitive without their franchise guard, with key contributions from Jalen Duren, Tobias Harris, Kevin Huerter, and a surging Daniss Jenkins.

They also spotlight the revival of Jenkins and what’s fueling his emergence, while debating what Detroit should do with Caris LeVert as the team looks to solidify its rotation. To wrap things up, the conversation shifts to head coach J.B. Bickerstaff and where he stands in the Coach of the Year race as the Pistons continue to exceed expectations down the stretch.

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They also react to the disappointing loss to the Toronto Raptors and explore the bigger picture behind Detroit’s recent struggles — is this just a rough patch, or something more concerning? With the regular season winding down, the crew debates whether it’s time to worry about how the Pistons are closing things out.

Plus, a deep dive into the rotation: has Caris LeVert done enough to justify his minutes, or is it time for a change? All that and more on this episode of Palace of Pistons.

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On this episode of the Palace of Pistons Podcast, hosts Aaron Johnson and Jasper Apollonia break down the Detroit Pistons’ recent four-game losing streak and the much-needed rebound win over the Brooklyn Nets. After a tough stretch of games, the guys discuss what went wrong during the skid, what the victory over Brooklyn could mean moving forward, and whether Detroit can stabilize its play with the playoffs quickly approaching.

Aaron and Jasper also dive into the latest on Ausar Thompson’s injury and the decision to move Marcus Sasser into the starting lineup. What does Sasser bring to the lineup in Thompson’s absence, and how could this change impact Detroit’s rotation down the stretch?

Plus, the guys discuss how concerned they are about the Pistons’ recent slide, examine the upcoming schedule, and debate whether Detroit can bounce back in time to maintain their grip on first place in the Eastern Conference. With the postseason around the corner, the pressure is rising — can the Pistons find their rhythm again when it matters most?

Tune in for all that and more on the latest episode of the Palace of Pistons Podcast.

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On this episode of the Palace of Pistons Podcast, Aaron Johnson and Jasper Apollonia break down Cade Cunningham’s rise into the top-three of the NBA MVP race alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic. Is Cade legitimately in the mix to win the award, and what would it take for him to close the gap?

The guys also dive into Detroit’s strong 3–1 stretch coming out of the All-Star break, including the loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Did the Spurs expose something about the Pistons, or was it just one bad matchup? And most importantly — did that game change how they view Detroit’s NBA Finals ceiling?

All that and more on this episode of the Palace of Pistons Podcast.

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On this episode of the Palace of Pistons Podcast, Mike Anguilano and Jasper Apollonia break down Cade Cunningham’s rising case to be named league MVP and what his leap means for the Detroit Pistons. The guys also dive into what they’re watching for as Detroit heads into the post–All-Star stretch, from consistency and rotations to the team’s push in the standings.

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