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Eight predictions for the Detroit Pistons’ season in 2016-17

By Duncan Smith

Apr 5, 2016; Miami, FL, USA;Detroit Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy during the first half of Tuesday nights game against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Robert Duyos-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 5, 2016; Miami, FL, USA;Detroit Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy during the first half of Tuesday nights game against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Robert Duyos-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Henry Ellenson (Marquette) walks to the stage after being selected as the number eighteen overall pick to the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Henry Ellenson (Marquette) walks to the stage after being selected as the number eighteen overall pick to the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

Henry Ellenson will have a productive season. In the D-League.

Speaking of guys who may find themselves playing in the D-League with the Drive, Henry Ellenson is going to get plenty of minutes this season. He’s not going to have what it takes to crack the Pistons’ rotation, so at some point this season Ellenson will be sent to Grand Rapids to get minutes and develop on the court in game action.

It doesn’t make any sense to keep the 19-year old rotting on the bench behind the cadre of bigs that Stan Van Gundy assembled this summer.

If this wasn’t a season where winning and winning now were the top priorities for the Pistons, more patience could be demonstrated with the young Ellenson. As it stands, they’ll be disadvantaged too greatly at power forward and center when he hits the floor.

The Pistons will need Tobias Harris, Jon Leuer, Aron Baynes, Boban Marjanovic, Andre Drummond and Marcus Morris to carry the lion’s share of the effective minutes at the three and four.

Fear not, though. A season’s worth of development in the D-League will do Ellenson a world of good going forward.

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