Discussing the Detroit Pistons’ shooting guard depth chart
By Duncan Smith
The Detroit Pistons’ shooting guard depth chart underwent the least amount of turnover of any position, but the development of the players at the position is worth watching.
The Detroit Pistons have undergone a significant amount of turnover since the offseason began, but the shooting guard position has been by far the most stable spot on the roster. Not only has it been the most stable, but it’s a position filled with versatile defenders and guys who either can shoot from the outside or have hope to develop a perimeter shot.
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The Pistons only lost one player from the shooting guard corps, sending oft-injured (and now out indefinitely) Jodie Meeks to the Orlando Magic for a conditional second round draft pick in the 2019 NBA draft. The only addition is the potential part-time play from this year’s second round draft pick Michael Gbinije, who has the capability to play and guard the point guard, shooting guard and small forward positions thanks to his 6-foot-7 height.
It’s a young roster to begin with, but the youth of the two-guards on this team is something to behold. The Pistons will begin the season (if all rosters across the NBA were to remain static) tied for sixth-youngest in the NBA with an average age of 24.6 years old, and 23-year-old Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is the oldest shooting guard (just two months older than Darrun Hilliard) if we don’t count the 24-year-old Gbinije, which we won’t.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
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Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will enter the season as a lock for the starting shooting guard spot, barring any sort of injury or unexpected event. Any drama surrounding his standing on the team will surround the Pistons’ likelihood of signing him to an extension, with rumors surrounding the situation indicating the two camps are at least a few million dollars per year apart.
KCP expects to get a deal worth about $20 million per season, which will put the Pistons very close to the luxury tax of $122 million.
KCP had a career year in most categories last season. He had career highs with 14.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game, with career-best shooting numbers from the field at 42 percent and the free throw line at 81.1 percent. He regressed to the worst three-point shooting numbers of his three-year career from the three-point line, however, hitting just 30.9 percent from long-range.
Needless to say, if Caldwell-Pope wants to make a case for an average salary of $20 million annually, he needs to get those shooting numbers more in line.
KCP is also well-known for his perimeter defense. He checked premiere guards on a virtually nightly basis, making life hell on guys like Stephen Curry, James Harden and Dwyane Wade multiple times. His offense is essentially a bonus, but his defense is the constant.
Darrun Hilliard
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Darrun Hilliard is still recovering from a back injury suffered just before the beginning of the Orlando Summer League. He was expected to get decent minutes with the summer league team, but instead hasn’t been able to resume basketball activities.
The lack of playing time for the second-year Hilliard won’t be beneficial to him going into training camp as he only appeared in 38 games a season ago, averaging four points and 1.2 rebounds per game. He shot 39.7 percent from the floor and 38 percent from three-point range.
It’s worth noting that he was essentially featured on offense in his three-game NBA D-League stint with the Grand Rapids Drive, the Pistons’ affiliate squad.
In those three games, Hilliard took an average of 17 shots per game, hitting 49 percent of them, and hit 44 percent of the 8.3 three-pointers he took per game. He averaged 25.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while with the Drive.
Next: Projecting the Detroit Pistons' point guard depth chart
Hilliard possesses size enough to play or defend either wing position, standing at 6-foot-6 and 215 lbs, with a 5-foot-9 wingspan. On a team built to be versatile and able to switch defensively, he fits the mould just right.