Detroit Pistons: The Detroit Pistons need KCP to fill an offensive void

As the Detroit Pistons look ahead to the 2017-18 season, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope needs to be the guy to take a leap forward for this team.

It was quite obvious this season that the Detroit Pistons needed someone who they could rely on each and every night. Through out the course of the season, individual players showed flashes of brilliance during this season. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope certainly was one of those players that showed blips of brilliance for the Pistons this season.

Caldwell-Pope had a career year for the Pistons this season. In 76 games this season, KCP avg. 13.8 points and 2.6 assists per game, and shot 35 percent from beyond the arc. KCP scored a career-high 38 points to lead the Pistons past New Orleans Pelicans. In this game, he shot 8-of-11 from three and recorded four steals. In this game, Pistons fans saw a new side of KCP that we thought we would see the in the remaining games. This was not so.

Through out the season, when the Pistons needed a desperate comeback, teammates would put the ball in Caldwell-Pope’s hands. Against the Charlotte Hornets the Pistons had to overcome an 18-point second half deficit. KCP scored 27 second half and overtime points while making life hell on Kemba Walker to over come this deficit and win the game.

“He got hot, man,” said Pistons forward Marcus Morris. “You’ve been seeing this all year from him. He’s been very consistent. Playing real well.”

Although, Marcus Morris may have been right, but KCP had some stretches where it felt like he wasn’t even playing.

KCP doesn’t have the same kind of extroverted leadership qualities that a player like Marcus Morris might have. Great players are going to make mistakes whether anybody likes it or not. KCP was pulled over for suspicion of drunk driving after losing a critical game against the Miami Heat.

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Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy defended the young player, saying “the best people make mistakes.”

Fans need to move past this mistake that KCP made. Every single person on this planet has made a mistake that they may have regretted.

So, I still haven’t specified why the Pistons should run their offense through KCP. First off, he is one of the best two-way players in the game. This season, he showed more improvements on his offense then his defense. It is very hard in the NBA to be great at both sides of the ball unless you’re Kawhi Leonard.

Second, KCP has only gotten better every single season. After having a career season, KCP should take it upon himself to even have a better year next season, if the Pistons should re-sign him. Third, when he was off the court the Pistons had a +1.6 net rating and when he was on the court they were -4. This is a surprising stat, but it’s in line with the performance of the entire starting unit.

I think the biggest problem with the Pistons is their line up combinations. KCP played the best when Ish Smith, Tobias Harris, Jon Leuer, and Aron Baynes were on the court. That lineup had a +13.7 net rating, albeit over the course of a small sample. That being said, the Pistons need a pass first point guard. KCP can’t play with point guard Reggie Jackson if he wants to play the leadership role. When KCP and Jackson were in the same line up their net rating was -8.

I’m not saying the Pistons should get rid of Reggie Jackson. I’m saying that there are better ways to use the players you have which all falls on Stan Van Gundy. Putting Jackson in a different group is definitely an experiment and a different topic for another day.

Next: The Pistons struggle with mediocrity makes for crucial offseason

Whether or not you like KCP, he has the most potential to be the leader of this Pistons team.

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