Detroit, MI
Sleeper free agent could bring ‘Heat Culture’ to the Detroit Pistons
With the NBA Finals well underway, I stare at the television screen watching the games, thinking to myself: the Detroit Pistons aren’t even on the same planet as these teams.
It’s honestly jarring to think how far our Pistons are from competing for not only a championship, but a play-in spot. The talent, the shooting, the defense, the IQ’s of these players; our Pistons couldn’t be further from it.
The Detroit Pistons have not made the playoffs since 2018 (thanks Blake Griffin) and have not won a playoff game since 2008. Without playoff basketball in Detroit, every year I am forced to hop on a team’s bandwagon. Ever since their NBA Bubble run, I have chosen the Miami Heat. Simply put, I love the way they play. I love the “Heat Culture” thing. I love Jimmy Butler.
Related Story. The Detroit Pistons have a Jaden Ivey problem. The Detroit Pistons have a Jaden Ivey problem. dark
Their teams are never full of superstars, but rather a collection of very good players paired with overachievers and gym-class heroes who play the right way. One of those gym-class heroes is set to be a free agent this offseason, and I want the Pistons to go after him.
NEW: What the Heat can and cannot do in free agency, and the significant Rozier trade consequences that impact thathttps://t.co/naai7M29Vl
A look at who Miami is permitted to pursue and who it can’t— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) May 13, 2024
A lot of players have been thrown around that the Pistons could go after this offseason. Malik Monk, Gary Harris, Tobias Harris, Miles Bridges (no thank you), Buddy Hield, and the list goes on.
However, Caleb Martin is rarely mentioned. Throughout my bandwagon fandom of the Miami Heat these last couple of years, Martin always jumps off the screen. He’s a big guard/wing, standing at 6-foot-6 205 lbs, so he can guard larger forwards like Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown, but Martin is quick for his size making him a luxury to plugin any lineup, wherever you need him.
He can slot in at the 2, 3 or 4. He reminds me of Alex Caruso: a very solid defender, a hustler, a shooter, and a sneaky playmaker. He started 49 games during the Heat’s championship run in 2023, shooting 36 percent from three and averaging 10 points and 5 rebounds. He’s more than capable of going off in the biggest of games too, just ask the Boston Celtics:
Caleb Martin’s game 7 performance in the Eastern Conference Finals is one of the best if not the best playoff performance you’ll ever see from a role player pic.twitter.com/1g3dHtWGlT
— HEAT NATION (@Zachppp) August 15, 2023
I can’t emphasize this enough: Caleb Martin cannot be the Pistons BIG signing this offseason, but if he was their second or third notable signing, then that should be a decent offseason.
With over $60 Million in cap space, this Pistons can more than afford to overpay a little bit for a guy like Martin. I see him netting anywhere from $12 to $18 million a year, as he comes from a winning organization, he’s in his prime, he’s a willing “stick your nose in it” defender and a very solid shooter.
Like Caruso, he’s just a guy that every team could use. I am admittedly not this statistical, analyzing machine. I watch games, I check box scores, I look at player profiles and season-by-season stats, and I form an opinion. Caleb Martin checks the boxes. Where would he fit in with the Pistons? Who cares.
Sometimes you don’t need to overthink it. Martin is a big three-and-D guard/forward. Like duct tape, you just plug him wherever you need him. He could start at the 2 or 3, play the 4 in a small ball lineup, or come off the bench. Out of everything I’ve seen from Martin over the years, I am confident in saying he is a team guy who just wants to play ball and win games. Bring him to the D.
Martin has a player option for next season at $7.1 million but is expected to opt out and test free agency.
Every seat in the Michigan Senate is up for election this year, and eight of those districts are in Wayne County.
In the 4th, 5th and 8th Districts, only one Republican and one Democrat filed for election, meaning those candidates will automatically be nominated and move on to the November ballot. Here are The Detroit News endorsements in the five contested Senate primaries in Wayne County:
1st District (Southwest Detroit and parts of Downriver, including Taylor, Melvindale and Lincoln Park): Two Detroit Democrats are competing for this seat: Abraham Aiyash and Justin Onwenu.
Aiyash is a former state representative who is hoping to return to the Legislature after a two-year absence. He is a progressive whose policy positions align with Democratic socialists.
Onwenu is an attorney who served the Mike Duggan administration as Detroit’s first Director of Entrepreneurship and Economic Opportunity, helping small businesses get a start in the city. Before attending Columbia Law School, where he was president of the student body from 2023 to 2024, Onwenu worked to combat air and water pollution in Detroit, Ecorse and River Rouge.
In the Senate, he promises to be a supporter of legislation to strengthen neighborhoods by lowering property taxes and investing in infrastructure.
He also supports stronger transparency and ethics rules for lawmakers. Justin Onwenu gets our endorsement in the 1st District Democratic primary.
Patrick O’Connell of Ecorse is unopposed in the Republican primary.
2nd District (Northwest Detroit, Dearborn Heights and part of Dearborn): The district is currently represented by Sylvia Santana, who made an unsuccessful bid to be nominated for the Michigan State University board.
The Democratic primary features two Dearborn residents who are hoping to replace Santana: Erin Byrnes and Abbas Alawieh.
Alawieh describes himself as a political strategist, community organizer and pro-peace advocate. He is supported by the Michigan Democratic Party’s Progressive Caucus and aligns with many of its anti-growth positions.
Byrnes is currently a state representative in her second term. Like her opponent, she is well to the left of center on the political spectrum. In the Legislature, she has pushed for utility rate controls.
The two Democrats are similarly positioned. Our choice in the 2nd District is Erin Byrnes, based on her legislative experience.
Harry Sawicki of Dearborn Heights is unopposed in the Republican primary.
3rd District (Detroit, Warren and Madison Heights): The contest to replace incumbent Stephanie Chang has drawn a long list of candidates. The 3rd District starts near Downtown Detroit and stretches north through the center of the city into southern Oakland and Macomb counties.
Eleven Democrats, all from Detroit, are competing in the primary. They are: Mohammad Alam, a Bangladeshi immigrant and Army veteran; LeJuan Council, a property manager and small business owner; John Conyers III, son of the late congressman; LaTanya Garrett, a former state representative; Korey Hall, a former director of community affairs in the Whitmer administration; Adam Hollier, a former state senator; Gary Hunter, a former candidate for Detroit City Council; Kimberly Hill-Knott, former head of the Detroit Climate Action Collaborative; Toinu Reeves, an economist, Abraham Shaw, who owns an auto repair shop, and Eboni Taylor, a community advocate.
There are several interesting and impressive candidates in this race, including Conyers, who just wrote about his father. Garrett has legislative experience, as does Hollier, whom we’ve endorsed in his previous runs for public office.
But we are most impressed with Reeves, a newcomer to politics who brings top-notch credentials to the race. Reeves grew up on Detroit’s east side and is an economist who attended Wayne State University and Dartmouth College.
He serves as chair of the Economic Development Workgroup for Detroit’s District 4 Community Advisory Committee and on the Jefferson-Chalmers Community District Council. He is a former school teacher and autoworker.
Toinu Reeves offers fresh ideas and much-needed skills, and gets our endorsement in the 3rd District Democratic Primary.
Mark Ashley Price is unopposed in the Republican primary.
6th District (Redford Township, Farmington and Farmington Hills): Incumbent Mary Cavanaugh is defending her seat from a challenge from fellow Democrat Stephen Jensen, who shows no signs of a campaign. Both are from Redford.
Mary Cavanaugh, granddaughter of the late Detroit Mayor Jerome Cavanaugh, has served her district well and should be renominated for a second term.
Joi Pokerwinski of Redford Township is unopposed in the Republican Party.
12th District (Parts of Wayne, Macomb and St. Clair counties, including Algonac, the Grosse Pointes, St. Clair Shores, Harper Woods, Mount Clemens and New Baltimore): Incumbent Sen. Kevin Hertel of St. Clair Shores is unopposed in the Democratic primary. Five Republicans are competing in their primary to face him in November.
They are: Joseph Backus of St. Clair Shores, a prolific community volunteer who has run unsuccessfully for other offices; Patrick Biange of St. Clair Shores; John Goldwater of New Baltimore, an oil and gas entrepreneur; Eileen Tesch, the former mayor of Algonac who faced recall efforts, and Shelley Wright, a former general contractor and owner of a process serving company who says Donald Trump inspired her to politics.
John Goldwater has experience growing a business and creating jobs. He would also prioritize improving skilled trades training. The father of six is a conservative who describes himself as pro-life and a defender of the Second Amendment.
Our endorsement in the 12th District Republican primary goes to John Goldwater.
Photos by FOX 2 Photog Scott Federspiel
DETROIT (FOX 2) – A 16-year-old moped driver was hospitalized after a crash on Detroit’s west side on Wednesday night.
The backstory:
Detroit police say the teen disregarded a stop sign while going east on Vassar when he collided with a vehicle turning south on Outer Drive at about 9:30 p.m.
Photos by FOX 2 Photog Scott Federspiel
The boy was taken to a nearby hospital where he is listed in critical condition. The driver of the car, a woman in her 30s, was not injured.
The Source: Information for this report is from Detroit police.
Watch FOX 2 Detroit Live:
Chickens and geese that went missing from a local nonprofit’s Detroit site were found in the backyard of a nearby home, the director of operations said Wednesday.
The Full Circle Foundation, a Grosse Point Park-based nonprofit, said more than a dozen chickens and geese were believed stolen from a chicken coop on Detroit’s east side that also features the Full Circle Edible Garden.
The nonprofit provides training and job opportunities for young people with special needs.
Neighbors who learned from news reports about the missing flock found the “chickens were being held in the backyard of a vacant home not far from the Full Circle Edible Garden,” said Stephanie DiVirgil, director of operations. She said Ribbon Farm 4-H owns the flock.
“The homeowner was contacted, and she reached out to Full Circle to confirm,” said DiVirgil. “We were able to retrieve all of the chickens and geese that were found on the property, 19 in total.”
The foundation and Ribbon Farms 4-H are working to secure the site, including cameras, fencing and lights.
“We will likely start a fundraising campaign to have these items installed,” DiVirgil said. “We’ve gotten amazing support from the community, including offers to help pay for these additional security measures.”
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