Front Office Finalized, Killian Hayes, and Marcus Morris | The Weekly Drive
Detroit's front office is complete, Killian Hayes has a new team, and Marcus Morris may join the reunion parade.
Good morning Pistons fans, it’s about that time again for the Weekly Drive. We have a little more to get to this week than last, but it’s still the dry period of the offseason for the NBA. Temper expectations, but here we go.
Front Office Formalization
The Pistons formally announced the reshaped front office under new President of Basketball Operations (POBO) Trajan Langdon:
Michael Blackstone (Executive Vice President)
Dennis Lindsey (Senior Vice President, Basketball Operations)
George David (Senior Vice President, Basketball Administration)
JR Holden (Vice President, Player Acquisition and Development)
Greg Smith (Vice President, Player Health and Care)
Eric Tellem (Vice President, Player Personnel)
Gianluca Pascucci (Senior Director, Global Scouting)
Marshall Smith (Executive Director, Basketball Strategy)
RJ Hunter (no, not the player - Executive Assistant to the POBO)
In addition to those names, the Pistons also announced that former WNBA champion Mistie Bass-Boyd and former Detroit Lions fullback Cory Schlesinger have joined the organization in Player Engagement and Sports Performance roles, respectively. Dwane Casey also remains with the team as Senior Advisor to Basketball Operations.
That’s a lot of changes, and many of them were necessary. It was quite clear over the last few years that a complete overhaul was needed, and it’s exactly what happened.
Is Killian Hayes Back?
Can’t believe I missed this last week, but the Brooklyn Nets signed former Pistons point guard Killian Hayes to a one-year contract with an opportunity to make the team.
It’s a low-risk move for both parties, but a slightly lower-risk move for the Nets who need bodies on the court as they begin rebuilding. For Hayes, it’s potentially a last gasp to stick in the NBA. His tenure with the Pistons was riddled with ineffectiveness and injury, but this is an opportunity to find a role in the league on a team that will have plenty of playing time available to him. Expectations will be immensely low for the Hayes - and the Nets in general. After all, Brooklyn is clearly “Failing for (Cooper) Flagg”, and Hayes could be a good tank commander.
This newsletter didn’t exist when Hayes was unceremoniously cut from the roster in February. If it did, I would have told the story about how the Palace of Pistons crew went to a game together in 2022 and witnessed one of the more atrocious games of his career. Detroit lost by 24 and Kevin Love nearly had a triple-double.
Other News and Notes
Tim Hardaway Jr. back to Michigan? Tobias Harris is a Piston again? How about another reunion with Marcus Morris Sr? Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Detroit is one of many teams checking in on Morris.
Lauri Markkanen is expected to sign an extension with the Utah Jazz on August 7th to avoid being trade-eligible at the trading deadline next February, per Tony Jones of The Athletic. Why is that significant? That may leave the Pistons with the most remaining cap space to pick up any other players that they want. However, their roster is at capacity, for now.
NBA executives do not have a rosy disposition on the Pistons’ draft night, as reported by ESPN. They “feel bad for Cade Cunningham” and say “That situation (the Pistons in general) is a mess.”
That will do it for this week’s Weekly Drive. It’s August now, and the NBA remains in a pleasant lull. But that can change at any moment for the league that thrives on transactions and movement. If that happens and Detroit is involved, be sure to check in with Palace of Pistons for all of your coverage. Thanks for reading.
Mike