Detroit Pistons: What Will Be Stanley Johnson’s Best Position?

Stanley Johnson is the Detroit Pistons shiniest new toy from the 2015 offseason and in time may prove to be the most valuable.  His size, at over 6-foot-6 and 242 pounds, and athleticism may allow him to play several positions.

In today’s NBA, shooting ability and positional versatility are proving to be just as important as having a superstar.  Look no further than the 2015 NBA Finals as proof.  The NBA champion Golden State Warriors utilizes a lineup that, yes, features a superstar in 2015 MVP Stephen Curry, but its greatest strength is having several players who can play multiple positions.

Heavily reliant upon players who can play two positions (Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Harrison Barnes), and even three (Draymond Green), the Warriors maximized their positional ambiguity by having the NBA’s most efficient defense which only complemented their exceptional offense.

“It’s about who you can guard and I feel like I can guard all four positions [including point guard].” – Stanley Johnson, via SBNation

Playing several positions is nothing new to Johnson.  As a high school freshman he played center and power forward, his senior year he was the point guard – notably, he was also the first player in California history to win four state titles for basketball in the large-school division.

The saying goes, “you are whatever position you can defend,” with point guard being the only exception.  With the prevalence of the stretch-four, Johnson should be able to hold his own defensively against at least three positions on a nightly basis.

Next: Small Forward