Pistons sign Eric Moreland to multi-year deal
By Andrew Hejka
The Detroit Pistons have signed Eric Moreland to a multi-year deal to be their No. 3 center.
After an overtime loss in the championship game of the Orlando Summer League to the Dallas Mavericks, the Detroit Pistons seem to have found their third-string center.
Pistons announce signing of Eric Moreland who had a terrific 10 days here. He'll be the No. 3 center
— Keith Langlois (@Keith_Langlois) July 6, 2017
Eric Moreland had a great showing in Orlando, averaging nearly 8.5 rebounds and 3 blocks per game while contributing 7.6 points per contest.
The 25-year old big man has made a name for himself in the G League, as he was a 2017 All-Star and found himself on the All-Defensive team.
Moreland looks to be behind current Pistons center Boban Marjanovic on the depth chart, but that doesn’t mean he won’t get any minutes, as they are very different players.
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Marjanovic has plenty of offensive skill and touch but struggles defensively. On the other hand, Moreland is an active defender who can battle down low on the defensive end. Look for Marjanovic to handle the bulk of the workload spelling Andre Drummond, but don’t be surprised if Moreland is used in certain situations and matchups due to his versatility.
This move also effectively eliminates the slim chance that the Pistons would re-sign Aron Baynes due to the lack of interest he has received thus far in free agency.
One red flag for Moreland, which Pistons fans surely can relate to due to Drummond, is free-throw shooting.
Yikes. Eric Moreland shot 36.9% from the free throw line in the D-League.
— Duncan Smith (@DuncanSmithNBA) July 5, 2017
However, this should not be as big of a deal for Moreland in his limited workload, especially because the Pistons will not depend on him to score whatsoever.
Next: Pistons lose title in Orlando Summer League
Overall, Moreland has been praised for his work ethic throughout his young career, so look for him to be an energetic body that can provide quality minutes, especially defensively, when needed for the Pistons.