Stan Van Gundy with more bench options thanks to Hilliard and Bullock
By Joe Imburgia
Heading into the upcoming season, most of the Detroit Pistons’ rotation is already set. Their starting lineup will most likely be the same as last season and bench players Stanley Johnson, Aron Baynes, Jon Leuer, and Ish Smith will have their place in the rotation. That leaves Reggie Bullock and Darrun Hilliard to battle for the backup shooting guard role.
Reggie Bullock and Darrun Hilliard will battle for the backup shooting guard for the Detroit Pistons this season. Both players have to improve upon last season but have differing skill sets that gives coach Stan Van Gundy options.
Reggie Bullock gives the Pistons a good spot up three-point shooter, an area in which the Piston’s are lacking. Bullock shot 42 percent from three last season on only 1.4 threes attempted per game though you would think he could maintain a good percentage with increased volume.
He can help provide floor spacing for Ish Smith, giving him more space to create for others. Bullock really hasn’t shown any other skills on offense though he does move the ball well which is always a welcomed ability in today’s NBA.
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Defensively, Bullock has good size at 6’7” but can struggle to keep quicker players in front of him. If he can simply be an average defender, it would greatly increase his chances of becoming part of the rotation.
Darrun Hilliard is a bit of a different player than Reggie Bullock. While Hilliard may not quite be the shooter than Bullock is, he can hold his own as he shot 38 percent from three on a limited 1.3 attempts per game. In addition, Hilliard has the potential to be a capable finisher around the rim because of his touch and strength.
Hilliard has also flashed the ability to create off the dribble and coupled with his passing could give the Pistons added shot creation. He could potentially be a solid secondary playmaker for the Pistons and help relieve Ish Smith of some of the second unit playmaking duties.
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Like Bullock, Hilliard has good size for a shooting guard at 6’6” and could be a capable defender. Hilliard is stronger than Bullock, which can help him against the bulky shooting guards that could give Bullock trouble.
Ideally, Van Gundy would like for either Bullock or Hilliard to step up and take control of that backup shooting guard role. If that doesn’t end up being the case, the third option at backup shooting guard for the Pistons is to simply have a nine-man rotation similar the beginning of last season.
Stan Van Gundy could take out Kentavious Caldwell-Pope early and have Stanley Johnson run with the starters for a few minutes or something similar to this.
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This season, Van Gundy will have a roster with more talent than previous years and it’s up to him to find the best lineup combinations to get the most out of this team.