Who is the Detroit Pistons’ franchise player? It is an important question that could affect how the team makes decisions beyond this season and it is one that needs to be answered quickly.
Andre Drummond has laid claim to the Pistons’ “franchise player” title–and rightfully so, at times he has proven to be a menacing defender, rebounder, and low-post scorer.
It’s these glimpses of dominance that made the Pistons sign him to a max deal without a second thought.
The problem with Drummond, however, is that these glimpses are happening less frequently and his inconsistent energy hasn’t gotten any better. What’s worst, his basketball limitations–lack of free throw shooting and inability to shoot or guard from outside the paint–have been magnified as the league continues to become more perimeter oriented.
While Drummond is just 23 years old (and already a one-time all-star) his lack of overall improvement paired with the NBA’s perimeter oriented style has made many fans question whether or not he can be the franchise player we all thought he would be.
It’s fair to question Drummond’s fit as the franchise player, but to give up on him at this stage would be premature. Drummond can still be valuable and dominant with the skills he possesses, but in order to become a franchise cornerstone he has to be respectable in his weakest areas which at this point seems unlikely.
As Drummond’s “control of the franchise” slips, another player inches closer to his throne–Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
It wasn’t long ago that Caldwell-Pope divided the fan base. Some thought he was never going to be more than a bench/rotational player due to his lack of consistency, slight frame, and ball handling. Others, including myself, saw a player with all the tools to be a breakout player.
Shoot, I’ve been pitching Caldwell-Pope as a future star since his fantastic Summer League in his second offseason in the NBA.
Fast forward a couple seasons and Caldwell-Pope looks like a player that fits perfectly in today’s NBA franchise cornerstones.
The only thing that’s really held him back his his inconsistent role–which has lead to inconsistent offensive numbers– as the team continues to search for its identity that has centered around Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson.
The Pistons should use the rest of the season to evaluate whether or not Caldwell-Pope can be the focus of an offense.
Should Caldwell-Pope succeed in an increased role, the Pistons would then need to use the offseason to evaluate what players fit well with his style of play.
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The franchise still belongs to Drummond, but if given the opportunity, Caldwell-Pope could soon usurp him for the mantel of franchise player.