Detroit Pistons 2017 Orlando Summer League Preview

The 2017 Orlando Summer League begins this weekend. Detroit will face Oklahoma City in the fourth and final game on Saturday. With the schedule and rosters already set, here’s a preview of what to expect from the Detroit Pistons.

Detroit Pistons Basketball is back – kind of.

The 2017 Mountain Dew Orlando Pro Summer League (yes, that’s the official title) begins Saturday afternoon. Earlier this week, the Detroit Pistons released their Summer League schedule and roster. They’ll play a total of five games in the next six days, starting at 5 p.m. on July 1st.

Wins and losses don’t really matter when it comes to Summer League – although the winning team gets a trophy and championship gear. It’s about assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the NBA’s youngest talent. They’ve got to start somewhere. Welcome to the NBA Summer League.

Master Luke?

Rookie shooting guard Luke Kennard headlines a list of 16 players who’ve been invited to participate. The 21-year-old is the focus for Pistons fans heading into this weekend. He shot 46 percent from the floor and 38 percent from deep in his two seasons at Duke. Detroit needed a knock-down shooter, and it appears that they’ve found one.

But he’s much more than just a spot up shooter. Kennard has the ability to create his own shot, score off the dribble and find the open man. We saw the difference that point guard Ish Smith made coming off the bench last season. He offered the ability to score, while also being a reliable facilitator. The hope is that Kennard can eventually do the same at shooting guard.

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The concern when it comes to Kennard is his defense. On draft night, Stan Van Gundy mentioned that his defense must improve in order for him to see the floor. That’s not exactly what you want to hear about your lottery pick. But according to Rod Beard of The Detroit News, Van Gundy appeared to be more optimistic regarding Kennard’s defense yesterday.

Sophomore Summer

Power forward Henry Ellenson is set to begin his second stint in the Summer League. The 6’11” youngster saw limited minutes in his rookie season last year, despite being a first round pick in 2016.

Ellenson played in just 19 games and averaged 3.2 points and 2.2 rebounds per contest. Referring to his rookie year as a small sample size would be an understatement. He averaged just 7.7 minutes per game, and only became a part of the rotation once the playoffs were out of reach.

His field goal percentage was 36 percent. But just like he did in college, Ellenson struggled from beyond the arc and shot just 29 percent. Now again, these numbers came mainly in garbage time and with limited touches. He’s only 20 years old and still appears to have a bright future.

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However, it’s unclear why Van Gundy refused to play him consistently until late March. Jon Leuer had a poor second half of the season as the back up power forward. Ellenson remains very raw, but now he enters Summer League with some experience under his belt. Let’s see what he does with it.

Making the cut

Most of those who play in the Summer League won’t end up on an NBA roster. It’s the hard truth. Out of the 16 players that the Detroit Pistons invited, only seven have played in the NBA. Those who don’t make the cut may end up on the Pistons’ G-League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive.

In fact three players on Detroit’s Summer League roster currently play for the Drive: combo guards Lorenzo Brown and Trey Freeman, along with shooting guard Marcus Simmons. Brown is the only one who has actually played in the NBA, although it was for three different teams in three years.

There’s no way to sugarcoat it. Most of the guys you’ll see come Saturday aren’t going to suit up for a team in October. But you never know when you’re watching the next Danny Green or Hassan Whiteside. Those two players were once in the developmental league, and look what happened.

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So sit back, relax, and enjoy the next five days of basketball. Remember, this is the only action we’ll get to see until early October. For players and fans alike, it’s time to make the most of it.