Sep 29, 2025; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Chaz Lanier (20) poses for his official head shot for the 2025-26 season at the Detroit Pistons Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images David Reginek-Imagn Images

How Did Chaz Lanier Perform in His Detroit Pistons Preseason Debut?

Originally posted on Detroit Pistons on SI
By Justin Grasso | Last updated Oct 7, 2025 9:45 AM ET

Chaz Lanier made his NBA preseason debut on Monday night.

As the Detroit Pistons paid a visit to the Memphis Grizzlies, the rookie was set to get a taste of his first NBA action, and he surely didn’t disappoint.

The Pistons rolled with the rookie for 18 minutes. Lanier put up six shots from the field, with five of them coming from beyond the arc. He also landed two free throw opportunities.

From beyond the arc, Lanier hit on three of his five attempts. The only downside to his shooting night was the failure to convert on either of his shots from the charity stripe.

The rookie finished the game with 11 points off the bench. Along with his scoring, Lanier came down with three rebounds and blocked one shot. He ended up as a plus-11 on the court.

Chaz Lanier has 11 points. He’s made three 3s. Doing exactly what he was drafted to do - knock down shots.
— Aaron Johnson (@AJohnsonNBA) October 7, 2025

Heading into the 2025 NBA Draft, Lanier was heavily linked to the Pistons. He was wrapping up a five-year run in the NCAA, which included four seasons at North Florida, and just one at Tennessee.

When Lanier got into the SEC, he started all 38 games for the Volunteers. Checking in for 31.4 minutes per game, Lanier produced on 43 percent of his shot attempts. From beyond the arc, the sharpshooter drilled 40 percent of his attempts.

Lanier ended up averaging 18.0 points per game. Along with his scoring, he produced 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. He wrapped up his college career by posting averages of 11.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 25.5 minutes of action. Lanier started 87 of 142 games.

Rook bringing some defense #DetroitBasketball | @Swaggychaz pic.twitter.com/f8sJHyPvE7
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) October 7, 2025

Since Trajan Langdon took over in the Detroit front office, high-volume three-point shooting off the bench has become a priority. Last year, the Pistons added players like Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley to give Cade Cunningham and the roster a good look at how valuable reliable three-point scoring could be.

Lanier was an obvious pick for the Pistons in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft. One of his common draft comps was Beasley, who had a Sixth Man of the Year campaign in the Motor City. While Beasley remains a free agent, and Hardaway took his talents to Denver, Lanier joins Duncan Robinson and Caris LeVert as some of the Pistons’ newest offseason additions, who have a notable impact this season.

Lanier and the Pistons will be back on the court on Thursday to face the Milwaukee Bucks after taking down the Grizzlies with a 128-112 win.

This article first appeared on Detroit Pistons on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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