That roster is worth a look, though. Keefe has praised Young's passing and the way he talks the game, and Sarr likes what a frontcourt with Davis does defensively: "Just the length we have defensively, the versatility we've got." Tre Mann, picked up from Charlotte after averaging a career-low 12.6 minutes last season, says he'll defend and set up teammates if his shot isn't falling. Most of this is still camp talk. Saturday is where it starts to count for something.
Sarr is the name to watch. He fractured his right foot during a workout in mid-June, and his 2nd season had already been shut down with an injury. On Monday he did full-contact 5-on-5 work for the first time since surgery. Keefe still calls it a ramp-up phase. The GM expects him to play a little in the preseason so he is ready for the Oct. 21 opener against Milwaukee. Whether a little starts against the Knicks, against Detroit or not until later is the open question.
Washington's frontcourt is also missing pieces. Tristan Vukcevic (hip) won't be re-evaluated for 4 weeks, and Jamir Watkins is out after ACL surgery. If Sarr's minutes are capped, Davis will carry a big share of the inside work. In October that's a rotation note, not a crisis.
Detroit's question is simpler: how much Duren plays after resting Monday. If he's out there, the Pistons have a center who can test whatever Washington uses in the middle. Tipoff is 7:00 PM ET. It's preseason basketball, so the box score means little, but Washington's new pieces sharing the floor for the first time at home is worth watching.