Player grades: Detroit Pistons have many players underachieving

The bench warmers

Jose Calderon

Jose Calderon is a functional reserve point guard option for the Detroit Pistons. Being asked to step into a more productive role has provided some interesting highlights for the veteran guard. Ish Smith’s absence sets forth a call to duty for Calderon.

With Dwane Casey and Calderon’s previous relationship in Toronto, the guard knows what his coach expects from him in his new position.

In the last two games for the Detroit Pistons, Calderon has been an efficient floor general off the bench.

Stationed in lineups with Jon Leuer, Zaza Pachulia, Luke Kennard and Langston Galloway, Calderon leads the bench unit with a veteran court vision and handling ability that the Pistons need on the backs of the efforts from their starting unit.

One huge problem: Calderon doesn’t score too much. Against the New Orleans Pelicans, he scored zero points in 13 minutes for the Detroit Pistons.

His ability to move the ball aside, the point guard is almost non-existent offensively and the guard position takes an even greater nose-dive defensively in his presence.

Grade: D

Jon Leuer

Jon Leuer hasn’t had the best of luck in a Pistons uniform. Returning from a major injury that sidelined him for 74 games last season; Leuer had little to no expectations to play and perform much at all this season.

Little to no surprise, he started off the season with 4 inactive games. But with recent injuries with Stanley Johnson and Reggie Bullock; he has found himself back into the rotation and playing well.

In the last four games, he has averaged 7.3 points per game on 70.6 percent shooting. In his most recent outing versus the Pelicans, he has seemed to have more life in him and move around healthier than before.

It will be interesting to see if Casey keeps him in the rotation with the soon returnings of Bullock and Stanley.

Grade: C

Luke Kennard

After a solid rookie season; Luke Kennard entered the year with expectations of taking a bigger leap under Coach Dwane Casey. Those expectations would quickly go away after an injury during the 4th game of the season.

Midway through the Pistons home game versus Cleveland; Kennard ran into the screen that sprained his shoulder. He would miss the next 16 games of the season for recovery.

Kennard would eventually return to basketball activities when the Pistons sent him down to the team’s G-League team, the Grand Rapids Drive. He had an impressive performance dropping 27 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists while shooting 5 for 8 from 3 point land.

Since returning back to the Pistons, Kennard has not been good. Averaging 2.3 points per game on abysmal shooting in 4 games. Although he might not be 100 percent healthy; it will be interesting to see if he can pick up his numbers back to his efficient ways.

Grade: D+