Detroit Pistons: Isaiah Joe Calls Bickerstaff ‘Lively’ And ‘Wired’ Behind The Scenes

About halfway through the preseason, the Detroit Pistons now have at least two small samples of what their team looks like after an offseason filled with turnover. At 1-1, the Pistons have a last-second game-winner in regulation under the belt alongside a difficult overtime loss during the 2026-27 exhibition stage, but the team is still expecting a big return once Jalen Duren rejoins the lineup. 

So far, Detroit’s All-Star center has been held out of preseason activity due to a cautious coaching staff as opposed to any particular health holdup after signing his five-year deal at the 11th hour, but the big man should be back on the floor soon. Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff plainly said that he “definitely” expects for Duren to feature in the preseason, so there are just two opportunities left for that to come to fruition before the regular season begins in earnest on Oct. 20. 

But in the meantime, the Pistons have been trying out new lineup combinations given all the options they have after the summertime additions of John Collins, Isaiah Joe, Taurean Prince, Elijah Harkless, Ebuka Okorie and Ugonna Onyenso. Of that six-man group, Collins has had a quick learning curve already with two preseason starts at power forward to his credit, but the trio of Joe, Okorie and Prince are all expected to be regular rotation members right off the bat. 

With that group learning about the culture of Detroit Basketball, part of the trick to succeeding in the Motor City is understanding what is expected under this current Pistons regime. With Bickerstaff in charge, playing defense is a non-negotiable part of life in Motown, so the Detroit newcomers are learning the ins and outs under the guidance of a very well-respected basketball mind. 

“From the outside looking in, he’s always so lively and wired,” Joe said of Bickerstaff. “I think he’s really for the guys. He’s really for the team, and I think that’s going to be cool just being on the court knowing that he’s going to have your back no matter what goes wrong. Whether you’re right or wrong, he’s going to have your back.”

Last season, Bickerstaff finished in second place for the Coach of the Year award for the second consecutive season, so he obviously has a clear, vibrant track record of success with the Pistons. Joe, on the other hand, arrives in Detroit after a four-year stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder during the most successful portion of the organization’s history, so both individuals are familiar with the sacrifices that are necessary to play winning basketball at the highest level. 

So far, Joe has had a bit of a slow start to his Pistons career with back-to-back subpar shooting performances from the field in the preseason, but the veteran sniper has a long history of connecting on three-pointers during the regular season. Once Joe finds his rhythm and grows more comfortable in the Pistons offense, then his shot will presumably start falling at the 40% rate (from downtown) that he’s established over the last four seasons, which is a big reason why he was brought into Detroit in the first place.