Peyton-Siva-UofL-Card-Game

One doesn’t have to be a fan of NBA basketball to feel bad for Peyton Siva who was notified Tuesday that he was being released by the Detroit Pistons.

The odds may have been stacked against him from the beginning when he was the 56th pick of the 2013 draft, with his small frame, questionable shooting ability, and average speed for an NBA guard. Assets that set him apart at the collegiate level were his patience and his knowledge of the game.

As a rookie with the Pistons, the former University of Louisville point guard played in 24 games and averaged 2.3 points and 1.4 assists while improving significantly as the season wore on. But apparently not enough, according to the Detroit Bad Boys, a Pistons-focused blog site:

Siva played 15 minutes a game over his last 10 games of the season in the months of March and April, showing promise as a point guard who takes care of the ball and hustle on defense, but not much else. By all accounts, he works his tail off and is a great teammate, but that’s all probably not enough, especially at 6-foot.

Siva’s performance in the summer league was seen as a key to his future. He played almost 23 minutes in three games, scoring a total of 10 points while making five assists before he went down with a hamstring injury missing the last two games, according to the Pistons’ web site. That was enough for Detroit’s management which was facing a deadline for trimming the roster from 17 to 15 players.

He now has three options, either catching on with another NBA team, play in the D League, or play overseas.

Anyone familiar with Peyton’s past knows it is much too early to count him out of an NBA career, having overcome so many challenges as youngster growing up in a gang-infested neighborhood in Seattle, convincing his dad not to commit suicide at one point.

After all the ups and downs of his first two years at UofL, Siva will always be credited with being the steady influence that led his team to a Final Four in 2012 and a National Championship in 2013.

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By Charlie Springer

Charlie Springer is a former Louisville editor and sportswriter, a public affairs consultant, a UofL grad and longtime fan.

2 thoughts on “Peyton Siva waits for next door to open”
  1. As one of the finest individuals ever to wear a Louisville uniform, Peyton should know that he’s got several million Cardinal fans hoping and praying for a NBA future for him.

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