Pistons Notes: Caris LeVert, Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson

Caris LeVert is still trying to find his rhythm after missing most of the preseason with a hamstring issue. The veteran guard signed a two-year deal over the summer and is at just 5.7 points in 18.3 minutes through three appearances.

Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the value comes in more than raw scoring.

“He takes a lot of pressure off me,” Bickerstaff said, via Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. “He is always adaptable. You can put him in any spot and he fits. He does not take away from others. He just wants to compete with his teammates.”

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— The Pistons did not reach a rookie scale extension with center Jalen Duren before last month’s deadline, which means he is headed toward restricted free agency next summer. His price might be rising.

Duren dropped a career-high 33 points in Mexico City against Dallas. He went 13-of-16 from the floor with 10 rebounds and two assists. He is averaging 17.8 points and 10 rebounds.

“He is such a beast,” Cade Cunningham said, via Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. “He makes my job easy.”

“Domination,” Bickerstaff said. “He ran. He finished. He owned the interior.”

— Ausar Thompson wrote in The Players’ Tribune that this was his first fully healthy offseason and that he feels unlocked. He said he wants to play every possession with full aggression and believes the freedom he had in the summer sharpened his mentality.

— Rim protection has also been a defining piece of this early start. Detroit leads the league at seven blocks a night. Isaiah Stewart is top five in total blocks and opponents are shooting just 41.7 percent at the rim when he is the primary contest.