1. Despite being an awkward fit with Stan Van Gundy and Andre Drummond, the Pistons will miss Greg Monroe’s scoring. How can the team make up for the absence of their longtime go-to scorer?
Braden Shackelford: It will be a collaborative effort with more production from their small forwards and Ersan Ilyasova. The Pistons had hardly anything at small forward last season, so while the Pistons will miss Monroe’s consistent scoring, they will also be experiencing an influx of points at a position that they weren’t getting much production.
Brady Fredericksen: I’m with Braden, one guy isn’t going to fill that role. I have very high hopes for Marcus Morris as a scorer because, while he’s nowhere near Monroe the post scorer, he’s a good shooter who can post up a little as well. Jackson will do his thing and Ilyasova will give you something offensively, same with Stanley Johnson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Tim Thielke: It’s all about creating good looks. It’s not like others can’t make up Monroe’s scoring if they get the ball in positions suiting their abilities. It’s just about whether the team can break down defenses and get decent shots to its players on any kind of consistent basis.
Duncan Smith: Nobody on this team has ever been the go-to guy before on a day-in, day-out basis, but Reggie Jackson is going to have his hands full scoring and facilitating to take up the slack. He looked fantastic in Monroe’s absence last year, but the onus will be on him to prove that that was no aberration.
Mike Davidson: The power forwards must make shots, and Andre Drummond must learn to score consistently in ways other than alley-oops and put back dunks.
DeMarcus R. Garrett: By hitting shots. If the preseason is any indication, the Pistons won’t have a go-to scorer next season; scoring will be done by committee. Six preseason games, five different leading scorers (three players tied with 17 points in Detroit’s second game against Indiana which is the only game Andre Drummond lead or shared the lead in points) seems to indicate that each night the Pistons plan to ride whoever has the hot hand.
Tim Brokke: Crowdsourcing. The Pistons didn’t bring in a scorer who can match Monroe’s statistical output. But they brought in several pieces who can share the load to match the deficit.
Christopher Crowder: The distribution of Monroe’s scoring will now spread out to virtually everyone else in the lineup. They can make up for his scoring by running Van Gundy’s offense, which will run more efficiently without Monroe, spacing out the floor more for shooters.
Ricky LaBlue: Jackson and Drummond must own the pick-and-roll on offense. Jackson needs to create off the dribble and Drummond needs to clear lanes with his athleticism and ability to finish at the rim. This will be the Pistons primary option on offense.
Rod Berger: The premise is that he will be missed. That his plodding on the block, stiff hands and consistently inconsistent as a finisher around the rim will be missed. Shall I say more?
Next: Stanley Johnson has impressed in the preseason and looks like the best option at small forward. How do you see the frontcourt rotation shaking out?