2. 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?
Shackelford: Stanley Johnson should start. I think he’s already a better two-way player than Marcus Morris and I think Morris’ scoring off the bench would be very beneficial. My gut feeling is that Johnson and Morris end up starting with Ersan Ilyasova coming off the bench.
Fredericksen: I’m actually a fan of Johnson coming off the bench. He’s a versatile forward and sticking him out there with the starters limits his ability to handle the ball and kind of forces him into being a standstill shooter/cutter. Bringing him in off the bench gives you the option of playing him at shooting guard or small forward and allows for Morris to move to power forward for Ilyasova. But it will be a fluid rotation throughout the year, I’d guess.
Thielke: Aron Baynes and Drummond are virtually never on the floor together and only very rarely is neither on the floor. Johnson, Morris, Ilyasova, and Tolliver get the vast majority of the minutes at forward, in that order. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Reggie Bullock pick up the remnants.
Smith: I expect Johnson to get the most minutes of the main backcourt rotation of Johnson, Morris and Ilyasova. He’ll probably be starting by the beginning of the season, but even if somehow he isn’t he will still be getting the most time on the floor.
Davidson: I still think Morris starts at small forward on opening night, but Johnson has earned his minutes. They’ll come as a backup to Morris at first, but he may be thrust into the starting lineup if Morris is ineffective, or if Ilyasova goes down and Morris shifts over to power forward.
Garrett: A strong preseason does not make a good player necessarily. Out the gate, expect the veterans Ersan Ilyasova and Marcus Morris to be the starters at the forward positions and don’t be surprised if Anthony Tolliver receives more playing time than Johnson early on. If he proves reliable enough as the season progresses, you may see the Stanimal phase out Tolliver, but I don’t perceive him receiving more than 25 minutes per night by season’s end.
Brokke: I would be surprised if the Stanimal started on opening night. I think SVG highly values veterans, and they’re usually more trust-worthy. But I have to admit Johnson plays in a way that puts any fan at ease.
Crowder: I see Johnson getting the start at small forward, Ilyasova starting at power forward, and obviously Drummond at center. I do think Van Gundy may test out lineups by switching out Johnson and Morris at the small forward position early in the season, until one clearly takes over the starting job.
LaBlue: I think starting Morris at small forward is the Pistons’ best option right now. Johnson should get a solid 25 minutes a night, but his ability to score might be better used coming off the bench to start the year.
Berger: Johnson will be just fine as the Pistons energizer bunny off the bench and when Jennings comes back second units around the league will take notice at the results. Morris has already demonstrated that he can make up for Ilyasova’s lack of intensity.
Next: Fill in the blank: If the Pistons are going to reach their full potential, Andre Drummond must _______?