Pistons guard Chaz Lanier making case for rotation spot in Summer League

The Detroit Pistons didn't get much out of 2025 second-round pick Chaz Lanier during his rookie season. At this year's NBA Summer League, he showed off dead-eyed accuracy from deep that could earn him a rotation spot for the shooting-challenged Pistons.

Lanier led all players with 20 three-pointers in four Summer League games and shot 51.3 percent from behind the arc. It's the same shooting stroke he showed in college and one that could be invaluable as the Pistons continue to chase a title.

Chaz Lanier was a shooting sensation at Tennessee

Lanier made 106 three-pointers at Northern Florida in 2023-24, leading the Atlantic Sun Conference with a three-point percentage of 44 percent. Then he transferred to Tennessee and led the SEC by making 123 triples, while averaging 18 points and making the All-America team.

That's how an unheralded prospect who was only 5-foot-6 as a high school freshman became the No. 37 pick in the 2025 NBA draft. Last year's Pistons lost their two top three-point shooters, Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway, Jr., but Lanier didn't couldn't get minutes behind Duncan Robinson, Caris Levert, Jaden Ivey and second-year guard Daniss Jenkins.

Now Levert and Ivey are gone and Lanier may have an opportunity. The Pistons need outside shooting and Lanier didn't just get three-pointers up quickly in Vegas, he knocked them down.