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Does Lorenzo Brown have a case to make the Detroit Pistons’ roster?

By Duncan Smith

Apr 15, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Lorenzo Brown (7) dunks the ball in the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 15, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Lorenzo Brown (7) dunks the ball in the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Pistons may have a third-string point guard in the making in Lorenzo Brown thanks to his Summer League showing in the absence of rookie Michael Gbinije.

The Detroit Pistons finally managed to address their desperately pressing backup point guard issues just hours into the beginning of free agency on July 1st, signing Ish Smith to a three-year deal worth $18 million. That’s certainly the most important hole that needed to be filled, but it looks like there may be an interesting battle forming through summer league and going into training camp for the third-string spot.

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Second round draft pick Michael Gbinije was the starter at point guard for the Pistons’ Summer League team going into the opener on Saturday but suffered an ankle sprain that will keep him out of action for the rest of the summer games. That injury allowed his backup Lorenzo Brown to step into the starting role in Monday’s game against the Orlando Blue squad.

Brown didn’t let the opportunity slip through his fingers. He scored 19 points on 5-of-12 shooting from the floor and hit on 9-of-11 from the free throw line.

He added two assists (although due to the rim having a virtual lid on it for both teams with both the Pistons and Orlando barely hitting 30 percent from the floor, assist opportunities might be a more valid stat in this one), three rebounds and an impressive six steals. He led the Pistons with 35 minutes played.

He also blocked a potential game-tying three-point attempt from Orlando’s Nick Johnson with about ten seconds to go in the most fitting way to ice a summer league game.

Brown has had to scrap for everything at the NBA level, playing on six different ten-day contracts between January of 2015 and the end of the 2015-16 season. According to Keith Langlois of Pistons.com, Brown knows his place in the pecking order and is willing to keep fighting to stay at the NBA level.

"“Trying not to think about it, but I’ve been through the fire before,” Brown said of the pressure of playing for a job in Summer League. “My main objective is to get that third spot. I feel like if I keep that up, I’ll be fine.”"

Brown impressed the Pistons’ summer league head coach Bob Beyer as well:

"“I just couldn’t take him off the floor,” Pistons associate head coach Bob Beyer said. “I just felt more comfortable having Lorenzo out there and I thought he really, really played well and played hard for the time he was out there. He helped us tremendously, especially down the stretch making big defensive plays, too.”"

It likely helps that Brown has had an unusual amount of stability since signing his first ten-day contract with the Pistons on March 18th.

Due to signing a second ten-day contract immediately after the first one ended, the Pistons signed him for the rest of last season on April 13th, which means he was present for the Pistons’ playoff games as well. In essence he has been a Piston for about three-and-a-half months, a period of acclimating himself to the organization’s system that he is surely unaccustomed to.

Next: Did the Detroit Pistons miss the boat with Trey Burke?

Time will tell if Brown has what it takes to win that third spot, but if the early signs are any indication, he may yet be able to get a spot on the Pistons’ roster.

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