With another disappointing start for the Detroit Pistons, it is difficult to find any optimism for a franchise that has not seriously contended for a championship for several years already. They were able to snatch the No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham in the 2021 NBA Draft, but he has not found his touch yet after his first three games for Detroit. They signed Kelly Olynyk to a three-year deal despite having Isaiah Stewart already as their big man for the future.
There have been many questionable front office decisions in the hopes of fortifying the composition of their roster. Cunningham, Stewart, Killian Hayes, and Saddiq Bey are four of their young players that are likely to comprise the future of the Pistons. However, these individuals are unlikely to possess transcendent talent that will revitalize the status of the franchise, like Trae Young, Ja Morant, or Luka Doncic. Among these four athletes, Bey is the one that has surprised numerous fans and even led Detroit to a few victories over the last two seasons.
Bey is a prototypical two-way player with phenomenal accuracy from behind the arc along with the ability to defend the best wing in the opposing team. Bey is not at the level of a franchise player, thus he could just be a perfect complementary piece to a core that has one or two other stars.
The hopes are still high for Cunningham to be the superstar that Detroit is dreading for, but that dream currently seems unlikely. Thus, Bey may be best used as a trade chip for future assets because other championship contender teams will always want another three-and-D player on their team. His development has been quicker compared to Hayes and Stewart, both of whom were selected before him in the same draft class.
Bey has increased his scoring average from 12.2 PPG to 14.1 PPG as his rebounding prowess has also greatly increased from 4.5 RPG to 7.9 RPG. As a small forward or power forward, the rebounding stats is terrific for Pistons head coach Dwane Casey to maximize his potential by playing Bey in any matchup. In just his sophomore campaign, he must improve on his efficiency though because he is shooting below 40% from the field and 28% from behind the arc.
Bey has struggled over the last two games, but he has had spurts of tremendous performances as he has had 20, 21, and 19 points in three successive matches. Despite the loss to the Chicago Bulls last October 23, Bey tallied 20 points and 16 rebounds as this was his best game of the young season. His flashes of brilliance as their third first round pick last year is a pleasant sight for Troy Weaver and the whole organization.
Even with expectations not that high for Detroit this season, the franchise must focus on the development of their young core. There are still gaping holes for each player, but the ability of their coaching staff to bolster the skills of their players to reach the upside that is being advertised for each for them is the more important aspect of this season. With Bey off to a decent start, he is one of the main pieces that the organization must continue feeding the ball and maximizing his talent for their future.
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