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The NBA Summer League in Las Vegas gets going on Thursday and the Detroit Pistons have an interesting group getting out on the court led by coach Steve Scalzi.
Unlike last season, the Pistons have a first-round pick getting some run in Summer League and a handful of other potential contributors that will take part in the schedule, which begins Thursday evening against the Philadelphia 76ers at 5:30 p.m.
ET.
One of the Pistons standout contributors at Summer League 2025 was Daniss Jenkins, who has since become a regular player for Detroit and converted from a two-way to a standard contract.
The Pistons are looking full on their 15-man roster, but still have a two-way contract slot, so if a player stood out during Summer League, they could earn that third flex spot between the G League Motor City Cruise and Pistons.
Heres five players to watch for during the Pistons Summer League run.
Ebuka Okorie The aforementioned first-round pick, the Pistons traded up to select guard Ebuka Okorie out of Stanford at No.
17.
Its not hard to see why as the 19-year-old was a force in his lone year with the Cardinal, driving the teams offensive output in an unexpectedly strong season, posting 23.2 points, 3.6 assists and rebounds and 1.6 steals per game.
It was no certainty Okorie would be a one-and-done, particularly in such a deep draft class.
But he chose to start his NBA career and the Pistons could offer him opportunity early as theyre hungry for more shot creation and ballhandling, which Okorie showcased in college.
Okorie, at 6-foot-2, has some work to do in being NBA-ready, but Summer League will be a good opportunity to watch his game in an elevated setting.
Chaz Lanier Detroits lone rookie from last season, Chaz Lanier didnt have a wildly impactful first season after going 37th overall in the draft.
The 24-year-old played about 260 total minutes as a rookie, averaging 2.4 points and shooting just 28% from range after being a top shooter in college.
A roster logjam at guard didnt help matters for Lanier and he spent most of his time in the G League, averaging 16.9 points and 1.6 assists, hitting 37% from three for the Motor City Cruise.
The guard room isnt getting any thinner as the Pistons added Isaiah Joe, Okorie and Gary Harris, to this point in the offseason.
Turning in a strong performance at Summer League and showcasing some growth would likely help his standing in the rotation.
In 2025 Summer League, Lanier averaged 10.4 points on 34% three-point shooting with 2.2 assists and 1.8 rebounds per game.
Ugonna Onyenso The Pistons traded back into the 2026 NBA draft in order to select Ugonna Onyenso out of Virginia with the 53rd pick, bringing in one of the best shot-blockers in college basketball, averaging 2.9 blocks off the bench.
Onyenso, 21, was signed to a two-way contract, which will allow him time to develop with Detroits staff and get some opportunities with the Pistons when needed.
The center rotation is looking full, assuming restricted free agent Jalen Duren returns, with Paul Reed and Tolu Smith just behind him.
But Onyenso might quickly top them all defensively as hes shown a knack for dominating at the rim.
Theres plenty to be desired in terms of Onyensos offensive consistency as he posted just 6.5 points per game for Virginia as a senior, but the Pistons like defensive-minded players and he could be a dynamic lob threat, another attribute they value.
The 7-foot Nigerian center is going to be a work-in-progress, however his defensive impact could be a big talking point in Summer League.
Latavious Mitchell Coming in off one of the more unusual paths to the Pistons Summer League roster is 6-foot-8 forward Latavious Mitchell.
An Indianapolis native, Mitchell took an eight-year break from basketball after breaking his collarbone when he was 14.
But a casual game at his local YMCA years later led to him trying out to play for NAIA Shawnee State, he made the team and helped them win a national championship in 2021 as a freshman, eventually transferring to finish his college career at Florida Memorial.
Mitchell then went off to play in the Irish Superleague for Ballincollig, where he averaged 21.8 points and 12.4 rebounds to win the leagues Player of the Year Award and lead his team to a championship.
On the Pistons Summer League roster, Mitchell is listed as being born in 2002, however a feature story from the Irish Independent earlier this year claimed hes 27 and a September 2024 piece from the Miami Herald notes him as 26.
The Pistons have shown an appreciation for unconventional paths to the NBA and Mitchell is going to have the biggest opportunity of his career, thus far.
Keep an eye out.
Roddy Gayle Jr.
A familiar name in Michigan, the Pistons are trying out a member of the reigning national champion Michigan Wolverines roster with guard Roddy Gayle Jr.
An Ohio State transfer, Gayle was a crucial leader for Michigans title run, despite losing his starting job from his first season with the Wolverines to his senior year.
He averaged 7.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 46% from the field in his final season.
Gayle is among a large group of Michigan representatives at Summer League this year.
The Pistons have liked having some nearby talent within their organization, having brought former Michigan State guard Jaden Akins in as a G League player last season and becoming one of their top contributors.
While the Pistons recently traded Caris LeVert, former Michigan guard Duncan Robinson remains with the team after being traded to Detroit last offseason.
Honorable Mentions Isaac Jones Jones, who turns 26 on July 11, holds one of Detroits two-way spots after being claimed off waivers in November, turned into a two-way player and dominating in the G League.
He was only used in seven games for the Pistons, itll be interesting to see if his role starts expanding in the final year of his two-way contract.
Jaden Henley An athletic two-way wing out of Grand Canyon, Henley was hard to get a read on as he changed schools every year of college.
He really came into his own as a senior, averaging 17.7 points on nearly 47% shooting from the field, 5.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game.
At 6-foot-7, hes capable of guarding with solid flexibility and puts pressure on the rim on offense.
Henley has a lot of the tools the Pistons have liked in the past.
- 6-team trade combines multiple Pistons deals, two former 1st round picks moved - Pistons trading Caris LeVert to Bucks for ex-Michigan State guard, veteran forward - Former MSU guard among ex-Pistons G Leaguers joining new teams for Summer League - After draft surprise, rookie center eager to join Pistons defensive-minded culture - Ex-Pistons All-Star lands with Knicks for 15th NBA season.