Detroit Pistons Rookie's Playing Status vs Utah Jazz on Thursday

In this story:
The Detroit Pistons’ frontcourt has seen quite the shakeup recently. As Jalen Duren dealt with a wrist injury, the team made a shocking roster move by cutting some depth when they waived Paul Reed.
Just as the Pistons waived Reed, the team assigned the forward Bobi Klintman to the NBA G League. He was gearing up for a debut run with the Motor City Cruise.
At this point, the Pistons have Duren back in the mix as his wrist is healed. Paul Reed is back in the building, as he was re-signed on a reported veteran’s minimum deal. Isaiah Stewart will continue healing up, while the rookie Bobi Klintman will continue spending time with Motor City.
According to the injury report, Klintman remains on assignment as the Pistons prepare for a bout against the Utah Jazz.
WOW, Bobi Klintman with the ankle breaker which leads to the MONSTER JAM! 🤯
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) December 17, 2024
Catch the epic ending between the Cruise and the Gold on https://t.co/fLGfbO13fw pic.twitter.com/lKSQ3BLm2m
Earlier this week, Klintman returned to the court after dealing with a calf injury throughout the first stretch of the 2024-2025 regular season. In his G League debut, Klintman scored eight points on 38 percent shooting from the field. He tacked on two rebounds, two assists, and one steal.
The long-term plans for Klintman remain unclear at this point. For the time being, the Pistons don’t plan to utilize the rookie, even with a shorthanded roster.
The 21-year-old’s progress was derailed before the preseason. After an impressive NBA Summer League run, Kintman’s calf injury prevented him from making his preseason debut. He would go on to miss the entire preseason, and the Pistons kept him sidelined through the first stretch of the regular season.
At this point, Klintman is ramping up for his full return. Considering the Pistons have been quite competitive in the Eastern Conference so far this season, it could be difficult for the second-round rookie to land playing time soon.
Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia
Follow JGrasso_