Paul Reed
Reed is Detroit's primary backup big, and he got a bigger workload in the Oct. 23 win over Miami. How far that extends depends on Jalen Duren's availability, and I could not confirm that.
Role
Preseason reporting from Fox Sports (an item dated about 15 days ago) says he started Detroit's first two preseason games, then moved to the bench once Duren returned from reconditioning. It also says he is in line to be Duren's primary backup. In the regular season, Rotowire logged him for 17 minutes off the bench against Boston on Oct. 20. On Oct. 23 at Miami he played 26 minutes and had 19 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists on 8-of-11 shooting (Rotowire, StatMuse). I found no reporting on his usage rate, back-to-back rest plans, or the starting five for upcoming games. A Rotowire line calling him third-string behind Duren and Isaiah Stewart looks old, so I am not relying on it.
Pistonpowered (about 58 days old) argues he has a clear path to steady minutes whether or not Duren is re-signed. It notes that he was the only NBA player to average at least 20 points, 5 offensive rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 steals per 36 minutes last season, and that he has become a well-rounded defender. His early-season line backs this up: 26 minutes and 19 points against Miami. In 2025-26, when Duren and Stewart were suspended, Detroit went 6-1 with him as the main big man, and he averaged 11.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks over those games (Yahoo Sports).
The same Pistonpowered piece says he has never averaged 20 minutes in a season and has topped 14 only once. It lists weak spots: 33.3 percent on catch-and-shoot threes and a 36th-percentile rating in one-on-one offense. Fox Sports says his role would likely shrink once Duren returns from any absence. Yahoo notes he had stretches of DNPs last season. One 26-minute game may reflect game flow rather than a new role.
Where analysts split
The open question is whether his minutes hold in the high teens or rise beyond that when Duren is healthy. Optimists treat his per-36 production as evidence he can earn a larger share. Fox Sports treats his upside as depending on Duren and Stewart being out. I found no source that directly debates this, so I am inferring the split from the separate pieces.
Research confidence: thin. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
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