RealGM Basketball Wiretap

05 December 2023

• Jaden Ivey's Playing Time Has 'Sparked Some Tension' With Pistons Interally

  As Jaden Ivey begins his second season with the Detroit Pistons, he has received inconsistent playing time under Monty Williams. The issue has "sparked some tension among Detroit decision-makers this season," sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

  Ivey averaged 16.3 points and 5.2 assists per game as a rookie and finished sixth in Rookie of the Year voting.

  Williams didn't communicate with Ivey to let him know he would begin the season in a reserve role.

  "There wasn't anything said," Ivey told Yahoo Sports. "Once I saw what was going on, coming off the bench was no problem for me. I love every single one of these dudes in here. I'd ride for them any day. Coming off the bench isn't a confidence thing or a downer for me. I'm still confident in my game and play the same way."

  Several teams tried to trade up to select Ivey during the 2022 NBA draft.

• Bojan Bogdanovic Could Return From Calf Strain Saturday

  Bojan Bogdanovic could return from his calf strain as soon as Saturday.

  The Detroit Pistons upgraded Bogdanovic to questionable for Thursday, but Saturday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers is a more realistic possibility.

  The Pistons are 2-16 to start the season and have lost 15 straight games.

  Bogdanovic averaged a career-best 21.6 points per game last season.

• Cade Cunningham Calls Pistons 'Bad', Says Competitive Level Is 'Unacceptable'

  Cade Cunningham wasn't happy after the Detroit Pistons 11th straight loss on Sunday. He didn't mince words postgame about where the Pistons are at right now.

  "We got to be realistic about the situation," Cunningham said. "It's hard to just be like, 'We're good, we're good,' you know what I'm saying? Because we're bad. We have to address that. We have to address what we're not good at. Address it with not only our words but on the court, in the huddles."

  Cunningham also said his team needs to compete better throughout games. That starts with coming in with the right mindset.

  "Unacceptable," Cunningham said. "We're the youngest team in the league, scrapping and clawing for everything. That should be the last thing that needs to be asked of us or talked about; how hard we're competing. That should be a given. When we wake up in the morning, we should be like, 'We got to get to the court.' (Head coach Monty Williams) shouldn't have to ask (about our competitive level). That's something me and (Isaiah Stewart) are also trying to stay vocal about. Everyone has to come with it."

• Monty Williams Says Job Is To Help Pistons 'Break Habits They've Had For A While'

  Monty Williams isn't getting discouraged, despite his Detroit Pistons having lost 11 games in a row. Williams also won't say that losing habits are engrained for his team.

  "I can't say that. My job is to teach and help guys break habits that they've had for a while. I can't speak to what's happened in the past, but when you see it, you call it out and help guys grow," Williams said.

  Williams added, "The habits are something we've talked about since the summertime and we'll continue to talk about it until it changes."

  The Pistons have had a losing record in 13 of their last 15 seasons.

• Kevin Knox, Pistons Agree To One-Year Deal

  The Detroit Pistons have agreed to sign Kevin Knox to a one-year deal.

  Knox split last season with the Pistons and Portland Trail Blazers. Knox was waived by the Blazers before the start of the regular season.

• Pistons Exercise 24-25 Options For Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Jaden Ivey

  The Detroit Pistons exercised the 2024-25 rookie scale team options for Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey. All three players will be under contract for next season with the Pistons.

  This was the fourth-year option for Cunnigham. It was the third-year option for both Duren and Ivey.

• Pistons Lose Bojan Bogdanovic, Monte Morris For Multiple Weeks

  The Detroit Pistons will be without both Bojan Bogdanovic and Monte Morris for several weeks.

  Bogdanovic will be out at least four weeks with a right calf strain.

  Morris will be out at least three weeks after suffering a right quad strain.

• Pistons To Convert Stanley Umude To Two-Way Contract

  The Detroit Pistons will convert wing Stanley Umude to a two-way contract. Umude is currently signed to an Exhibit 10 contract.

  Umude appeared in one NBA game with Detroit last season. In 43 games with the Motor City Cruise of the G League, the 6-foot-6 wing averaged 15.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. In the 2023 NBA preseason, Umude averaged 9.3 points and shot 43.8% on three-pointers.

• Pistons Waive Buddy Boeheim, Tosan Evbuomwan, Treveon Graham, David Nwaba, Jontay Porter, Nate Roberts, Zavier Simpson, Ryan Turell

  The Detroit Pistons completed a series of transactions, as they cut down their roster in advance of the regular season. Detroit waived Buddy Boeheim, Tosan Evbuomwan, Jontay Porter and Zavier Simpson. The Pistons also signed-and-waived Treveon Graham, David Nwaba, Nate Roberts and Ryan Turell.

  All eight players are expected to join the Motor City Cruise of the G League for this season.

  The Pistons roster stands at 15 players on standard contracts and two players on two-way contracts.

• Rockets Have Trade Interest In Alec Burks, Talen Horton-Tucker, Malcolm Brogdon

  The Houston Rockets have held trade discussions with the Detroit Pistons on a move for Alec Burks, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo.

  Burks is on a $10.5 million salary that nearly matches that of Victor Oladipo, who the Rockets just acquired from the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of the Kevin Porter Jr. trade. Detroit has a crunch for available backcourt minutes.

  The Rockets have also touched base with the Utah Jazz on Talen Horton-Tucker, and with the Portland Trail Blazers on Malcolm Brogdon. Both Brogdon and the Blazers