James Edwards: I believe one of many greatest points for the Pistons this yr was a scarcity of rim safety. For all the upside Duren has as a man who’s already an elite rebounder at 20 years outdated and has good contact across the rim with some playmaking stuff right here and there, he’s actually received to enhance defensively. I believe it goes again to what I stated on the high of the podcast the place I believe the scenario Detroit finds itself – and the place it’s gotten worse yearly of this rebuild – is there’s strain to be higher before later. I don’t suppose they’ve the luxurious of what most rebuilding groups do, which is to let their guys develop. I believe Nicolas Claxton would positively test a field, which Detroit desperately wants checked, which is inside protection. Isaiah Stewart is a extremely good defender in area and on the perimeter. He isn’t a nasty rim protector both, however they want someone there subsequent to him or a major possibility at heart since Isaiah moved to the 4 spot extra. I’m not saying that Duren is gone. I simply surprise if they create him alongside slowly and convey someone in who’s a definitively fairly good defender. In Claxton’s case, that phrase could be doing him a disservice. He’d be a lob menace for Cade Cunningham, too. -via HoopsHype / April 22, 2024
