A lack of wing depth is the main cause for Pistons’ mediocrity.
The Detroit Pistons had a weird campaign last year. After trading for two-way guard Avery Bradley in the 2017 offseason, things looked promising. However, after a mediocre start, the team shocked the NBA world.
LAC sent star Blake Griffin to the Motor City in exchange for a 1st and 2nd round pick, Boban Marjanovic, and two existing starters, Bradley and wingman, Tobias Harris.
The trade put the eyes of the basketball world on Detroit.
But there was a big question: Would the new players mesh with Griffin and the Piston’s franchise leader, Andre Drummond? That answer was no.
The team ended up with a 39-43 record and finished 9th in the Eastern Conference. That underperformance was a key reason for the departure of then-GM/head coach Stan Van Gundy, who became the fall guy in what was a much broader narrative.
Many have pointed to the fact that Griffin and Drummond may not be a good match. But even if they aren’t Griffin isn’t going anywhere–at least not soon. He signed a five-year, $173 million contract.
The obvious next step for the Pistons is to acquire players to fill gaps on the roster. The problem? The Pistons haven’t done that.
Instead, Detroit decided to bring not one, but two, veterans off the bench to serve as the team’s point guard. The problem? Those players–Jose Calderon and Langston Galloway–haven’t shown the capacity to run an offense.
So why did Detroit go in that direction? I think it’s because the front office felt compelled to do something about guard Reggie Jackson’s lackluster play. Jackson has put up mediocre numbers since arriving at Detroit (via trade) in 2015.
Jackson’s questionable shot selection and poor perimeter defense have caused many scouts to believe that he’s the source of the team’s issues. But he’s not.
The BIG issue–the Achilles heel as I see it–is at small forward. Since losing Harris to LAC in the Blake Griffin trade, the Pistons haven’t been unable to find a workable replacement at the three.
Beside Jackson (an option that isn’t working) there’s Stanley Johnson, who was the 8th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. But Johnson doesn’t look to be the answer, either. While his defense is above-average, Johnson has absolutely no sense of an outside shot. That’s decimating to the team that already suffers from small spacing.
Glenn Robinson III is another. Robinson turned heads when he won the 2017 Slam Dunk contest, but that’s pretty much all he has done in his pro career. Even when stretched out to 36 minutes per game, Robinson has a weak stat line.
Luke Kennard is yet another possibility. The 12th overall pick in the 2017 draft definitely has one of the best catch-and-release skills in the Association. That’s the good news. The bad news? He lacks facilitating and overall athleticism. If that wasn’t bad enough, at 6’5″, Kennard is undersized for the position.
The most realistic option is Reggie Bullock. He would be a reliable 3-and-D player, but (yes, there is a downside) the lack of volume shooting doesn’t allow the Pistons to fully execute their offense.
What’s it all mean? The Pistons need to find an NBA-calibre small forward via trade or free agency. I’m looking at you, Rodney Hood.
If the Pistons don’t solve this basic problem, then expect another season of mediocrity in Detroit.
