2014-2015 Review
After a mediocre season ending with only 33 wins, Stan Van Gundy and crew look to the future. Dropping Josh Smith and trading Greg Monroe after failed attempts to incorporate three prominent big men, the Pistons leaned on the speed of Reggie Jackson to provide some late-season spark. Regardless, the Pistons finished five spots out of the playoff race. The Pistons signed Jackson to an expensive extension, giving him the reigns to the handle point guard duties for the foreseeable future.
New Additions
Stanley Johnson
Based on what he displayed in college and the summer league, Johnson leaves little doubt that he can immediately contribute to the Pistons in many ways. An athletic wing, with great speed and strength, Johnson will infuse the Pistons offense with more tempo as he earns increased minutes throughout the upcoming season.
Ersan Ilyasova
Notorious for missed games due to injury, Ilyasova was a cheap addition for the Pistons in an attempt to move on form Smith. If he can stay on the court, Ilyasova offers notable upside due to his ability to spread the floor and create space.
Marcus Morris
The off-brand Morris brother seems so be slightly more mature than his more-talented brother, but he still conjures some off-court issues and on-court disappointments. A poor man’s Josh Smith, Morris can be utilized as a swiss-army knife of sorts at the forward positions.
Steve Blake
The 35-year-old NBA veteran is probably good for one or two game winners during the season. Other than that, Blake doesn’t offer much. Brandon Jennings will be back from an Achillies injury to take over back-up point guard duties.
Aron Baynes
A former Spurs big man, Baynes averaged less than 16 minutes played during his three-year stint in San Antonio. At 6-foot-10, Baynes will help in the rebounding department. Just don’t expect much else.
Key Losses
Greg Monroe
Over his years in Detroit, Monroe blossomed into a promising post-scorer. Averaging a double-double last season, Monroe became one of the most dependable bigs in the league. The Pistons will sorely miss his post-scoring, for Andre Drummond was the yin to Monroe’s yang. Without Monroe in the lineup, the Pistons will have trouble scoring down low.
Josh Smith
Unlike Monroe, Smith never found a place in Detroit. The chemistry issues were evident among the three bigs, and since the 2011-2012 season, has seen his offensive production decline. The Pistons got off the Smith train at the right time.
Biggest Strength
Athleticism
With Monroe and Smith gone, who were both sluggish at times, the Pistons will now revolve around athletic freaks, Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson. Inefficiency will smack the Pistons many times throughout the season, but adding Stanley Johnson into the mix gives the Pistons potential for increased pace on both ends of the floor.
Biggest Weakness
Scoring Efficiency
At 43.2 percent, the Pistons ranked 26th in field-goal percentage last season. That figure shouldn’t change much with Jackson geared to lead the team in field goal attempts.
The Bottom Line
The Pistons will linger around the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference for a time after the All-Star break, but expect Detroit to fall off towards the end of the season as it deals with growing pains and a more emerged Eastern Conference.
Fantasy Slant
Most Overrated
Reggie Jackson
Sure, his late-season rampage helped a lot of fantasy players into the playoffs, but expect Jackson to suffer from an increased workload over the course of an entire season. Jackson, who averaged 3.5 turnovers per game with the Pistons, has trouble shooting efficiently, especially behind the arc. Jackson can provide help in the meaty categories like points, assists, and rebounds (for a guard), but his lack of efficiency is worrisome.
Most Underrated
Andre Drummond
Now that Monroe is gone, Drummond will feast on the block. The Pistons will not only be forced to incorporate him in the offense more, but his already astronomical rebounding averages could increase due to the lack of rebounding help around him. Illyasova has never turned in a season with more than nine rebounds a game.
Biggest Surprise
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
The 22-year old shooting guard inherited a larger responsibility last season playing over 30 minutes a game. From his rookie year, KCP increased his 3P% and his FG% increase from his rookie year. Scoring a healthy 12.7 PPG, KCP is primed for a breakout year as he will undoubtedly be asked to score more with the loss of Smith and Monroe.