The Detroit Pistons unveiled a new-look starting lineup Monday against the Toronto Raptors. After sending clear signals beginning in the offseason the team was interested in two big men sharing the floor, any plan were put on hold when Marvin Bagley III suffered a preseason injury. In just Bagley’s second game of the season, the Pistons pulled the trigger, making a shift that saw MBIII start at center, Isaiah Stewart and Bojan Bogdanovic slide down a position, and Saddiq Bey come off the bench.
The early returns were somewhat promising. At one point late in the second quarter, the Pistons were a plus-7 in rebounding with six offensive boards, and Bagley and Stewart were a combined 3-of-4 from three.