Welcome to the PretenDBA, Ebuka Okorie. The Detroit Pistons’ first-round pick will get his first official run as a professional basketball player as the Detroit Pistons face off against the Philadelphia 76ers on opening day of the Las Vegas Summer League. In an offseason that saw the Pistons add a lot of shooting (welcome, Isaiah Joe, John Collins, Taurean Prince, and Gary Harris (for now). What they didn’t address was their critical need for a ball handler, self-creator, and secondary playmaker.
Those are some of Okorie’s signature skills, and he might be the second-best player on the team at all three. No pressure, Ebuka!
Game Vitals
When: 5:30 p.m. ET
Where: Pavilion, Las Vegas, Nevada
Watch: Prime Video
Analysis
All joking aside about just how important a rookie might be to a team coming off of 60 wins and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, Okorie should have all the tools to absolutely show out in Summer League. This is a league built for ball handlers and playmakers, and selfishness is often rewarded if not encouraged. Not that anybody is trying to be selfish, per se. It’s just that you can only expect so much of “the beautiful game” among a group of guys who have barely shared the floor together.
Also, there are tons of fouls in Summer League, and Okorie is an ace at drawing them. I would anticipate Okorie to score a decent amount of points via drives to the rim and trips to the free-throw line. If his outside shot is also falling, watch out.
There isn’t much else to write home about regarding the Pistons roster or the visiting Sixers. Chaz Lanier, a second-year guard and second-round pick is on the very periphery of the roster. If he doesn’t show he belongs, he might be in danger of losing his spot. The Pistons have 16 guaranteed contracts presuming everyone currently on the roster plus the return of Jalen Duren. That might come down to Lanier vs. veteran Gary Harris. That is very much in favor of Lanier right now, I would think, but we shall see.
Two-way guys Isaac Jones and second-round pick Ugonna Onyenso will be on the roster. The Pistons also just signed Elijah Harkless to its third and final two-way spot. He’s 26 and already played in the NBA for the past two years in Utah. No official word on whether they plan to add him to the roster.
