1. Increase his three-point percentage
Henry Ellenson has plenty of time to develop into a consistent three-point shooter. But the quicker he raises his 29 percent three-point percentage, the quicker he becomes a part of Van Gundy’s rotation.
The Pistons shot 33 percent as a team from beyond the arc last season. They were near the bottom in that department, ranking 28th in the NBA. Detroit addressed those needs by adding a handful of perimeter shooters – Avery Bradley, Luke Kennard and Langston Galloway.
But those three can’t do it alone. To win in this league, you need an outside scoring threat at just about every position. Center is a little different, but even that job is now dominated by strong three-point shooters.
The Pistons could use a versatile scorer off the bench. Ellenson has a chance to be that guy. Aside from starting his shot below the waist, the mechanics are all there. He just has to learn when and where to pull up from three.
Ellenson was trigger happy last season. He made just 10 of his 35 three-point attempts. A number of those were early in the possession and flat out unnecessary. Granted, Ellenson was a rookie who saw limited action. But he won’t get a pass this time around. Better shot selection shoud lead to a higher average.