NEWS AND EVENTS

Pistons add 3-point punch with Tennessee’s Chaz Lanier

The Pistons, after years of playing at a disadvantage from the 3-point line, took a big step forward during a season in which they improved their win total by 30 games – largely with an infusion of veteran talent led by Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. They’re both pending free agents, though, and even if the Pistons can get one or both back, stocking the pipeline at an area that’s become increasingly critical to offensive success is always advisable.

The Pistons took a step toward that end in Thursday’s second round of the NBA draft, spending the 37^th pick on arguably the draft’s best shooter, Tennessee’s Chaz Lanier. He was the player the Pistons hoped would be there when the smoke cleared after the first round. Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon said they looked at trading into the late first round Wednesday night, but the cost was prohibitive.

“We talked to (Lanier’s) agent throughout the day. We knew he was our guy if he got to our pick,” Langdon said. “We were very fortunate. We had him in for a workout, got to spend time with him, do lunch. Interviewed him in Chicago (at the NBA draft combine in May), watched a lot of film. High character, great young man.”

Lanier, 23, comes to the NBA after five seasons in college – the first four at North Florida and the last at Tennessee, where Lanier scored 18.0 points a game and shot 39.5 percent on high volume from the 3-point line, 8.2 attempts per game. He was named All-SEC second team, the conference’s Newcomer of the Year and third team All-American.

After three nondescript seasons at North Florida, Lanier blew up as a senior in 2023-24 when he averaged 19.7 points and shot 44 percent from the 3-point arc after averaging 1.7, 4.5 and 4.7 points per game in his first three seasons. A late bloomer in high school, growing 5 inches between his junior and senior seasons, Lanier had two Division I offers and chose North Florida of the Atlantic Sun Conference.

Lanier, a native of Nashville, Tenn., entered the 2024 draft before withdrawing and entering the transfer portal to take advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted to players from the COVID-affected seasons, where he became a hot commodity, eventually deciding to play for the home-state Volunteers. He led a veteran team in scoring and to a 30-8 record, finishing second to point guard Zakai Zeigler in minutes per game at 31.4. In four NCAA tournament games with Tennessee, Lanier averaged 20.8 points, five rebounds and one steal per game while shooting 36.1 percent from the 3-point line, the latter figure hurt by a 2 of 12 showing as the Volunteers lost to Houston in the regional final. Playing for veteran Vols coach Rick Barnes, known for demanding toughness and a commitment to defense, provided the Pistons a milepost for gauging Lanier’s readiness to step up in competition, Langdon said.

“It’s not easy to jump from college to the NBA,” Langdon said. “The size is different, the speed, closeouts, all different. But he works his butt off, studies the game. To jump from North Florida to Tennessee isn’t easy and he figured that out. That gives us confidence. He loves the game. We think he’s going to be a great fit here, not only on the court but also in the locker room. He’s a high-character young man that really competes.”

In addition to Beasley and Hardaway, Lindy Waters III is also a pending unrestricted free agent. The Pistons could well bring back all three and all indications are Beasley is the priority of their free agency. It’s unrealistic to expect a second-round pick to contribute as a rookie to a playoff team with a deep rotation. But a year in the system, including plenty of opportunity in the G League, would give Lanier the grounding to compete for a role in year two and give the Pistons plenty of time to assess his readiness to contribute.

And studying under a 3-point artist like Beasley, who does considerable work to get open before the basketball finds him, can only help accelerate Lanier’s learning curve.

“He’s very coachable,” Langdon said. “Was only at Tennessee for one year and picked up everything. Got in the weight room, got in a lot better shape – and you have to, to play in Rick Barnes’ style of defense (and) run the floor and be able to shoot. He adapted and to adapt at this level, you’ve got to watch and learn. There’s a chance for him to learn from some of the great ones. We’re excited to have him. We think he’ll be a great fit.”

After finishing 27^th in attempts from the 3-point arc (31.7) and 26^th in accuracy (34.8 percent) in 2023-24, the Pistons improved to 22^nd in attempts (35.4) and 17^th in accuracy (36.2) last season. Beasley made a franchise-record 319 triples, the eighth-most prolific season in NBA history, and Hardaway made 168 to finish second on the team. In limited opportunities after his February acquisition, Waters shot 39.5 percent from the 3-point line for the Pistons.

While the 3-point threat is Lanier’s calling card, he’s got the size and athleticism necessary to hold up at the defensive end. At the NBA draft combine in May, Lanier measured at 6-foot-3¾ in socks and weighed a sturdy 206 pounds, measuring with a 6-foot-9 wingspan that will allow him to guard all along the perimeter. His athletic testing numbers were encouraging, as well, including the fifth-best time in the lane agility test – an indicator of change-of-direction ability – and the third-best standing vertical jump and seventh-best maximum vertical jump.

Lanier is expected to be part of the Summer League roster, which will be headed by 2024 draftees Ron Holland II and Bobi Klintman. The first Summer League games are scheduled for July 10.