Saddiq Bey, Cade Cunningham, Sekou Doumbouya, Killian Hayes headline Pistons' Summer League roster

The anticipation for the Pistons in the NBA Summer League may be higher than it was last season.

Correction: It already is.

After drafting Cade Cunningham with the No. 1 overall pick last week, there’s a growing fervor to see what the young core looks like when Summer League play opens this weekend in Las Vegas.

The Pistons began practice for Summer League this week, and although they haven’t revealed their roster officially, coach Dwane Casey gave some clues about the big names. Joining Cunningham on the roster are Saddiq Bey, who was on the All-Rookie first team; Killian Hayes, the No. 7 overall pick from last season; and 2019 first-round pick Sekou Doumbouya.

Cunningham is the main attraction, and he’s already set some personal expectations for what the young roster can do this year after not having a Summer League last year.

“More than anything, we want to win Summer League and we want to go undefeated as a team. On top of that, we wanted to take a step forward as far as jelling as a young core, being together and playing for each other,” Cunningham said Tuesday. “I want everybody to leave Summer League feeling like they became a better player and that they became a better piece to this puzzle, so that we can go into the regular season feeling good about ourselves.

“So, winning is the No. 1 thing but, individually, hopefully everybody can leave there feeling like there's a new confidence going into the season.”

Injuries will limit the Pistons from having their full complement of players in the young core. Isaiah Stewart, who was on the All-Rookie second team, will not participate because of an ankle injury he sustained during workouts with the USA Basketball Select Team last month.

Stewart has been in a walking boot since the injury, but there’s no indication that he won’t be ready in time for the start of training camp in late September. Casey said they will be cautious with Stewart and not try to do too much this summer.

"Isaiah Stewart probably could be close, but there's no use of risking it," Casey said.

Second-round selection Isaiah Livers (42nd pick) also will be unavailable as he continues to rehab from a foot injury that ended his senior year at Michigan early.

Along with Cunningham, the Pistons will have two of their second-round draft picks on the roster, with centers Luka Garza (52nd pick) and Balsa Koprivica (57th) available to play. Koprivica did not participate in the early Summer League practices because the trade with the Charlotte Hornets that brought him to the Pistons on draft night has not been completed officially, but Casey expects him to be available before the games begin. The Summer League team will be coached by Pistons assistant JD DuBois.

“We've got a group of sponges, guys that are taking coaching and taking it well. A kid who had a good day today was Luka Garza,” Casey said. “He had an excellent day today shooting the basketball. The Summer League is for those guys, to see where they are, to see if their skill sets translate into the NBA game.

“This is an exciting time for our team because we are such a young team. There's such a large amount of teaching to be done, which we didn't have last year. We missed the summer so we've got a lot of teaching juices pent-up.”

The Pistons have four games on their Summer League schedule:

► Sunday vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 8:30 p.m. EST (ESPN2)

► Aug. 10 vs. Houston Rockets, 9 p.m. (ESPN)

► Aug. 13 vs. New York Knicks, 8 p.m. (NBATV)

► Aug. 14 vs. L.A. Lakers, 10 p.m. (ESPN2)

One of the most anticipated games will be the matchup with the Rockets, as it will feature the top two picks in the draft: Cunningham and Houston’s Jalen Green, whom the Pistons considered with the top pick.

They’ll have a fifth game as well, possibly the championship game if they finish with one of the two best records after the four-game schedule. Otherwise, they’ll have a game against a random opponent.

Bey, who is coming off a big summer with his time playing for the Select Team, is optimistic about how the summer can jump-start the Pistons into the season.

“I think the sky’s the limit," he said. "We just want to take one day at a time. The obvious is win and get better and be the best team we can be by the end of the season and winning as many games as possible, but still develop that culture and character as a team for the future.

“I don’t think we set any limits for ourselves or any certain goals besides winning every game and getting better every day.”

rod.beard@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @detnewsRodBeard