Stanley Johnson was once arguably the Detroit Pistons most promising youngster during his rookie year. Four years later, we have to say goodbye to the 22 year old.
It feels like just yesterday I was listening to the Detroit Pistons eighth overall pick say “Detroit vs Everybody!” on draft night.
It feels like just yesterday I watched our young Stanimal go toe to toe with LeBron James his rookie year in the NBA Playoffs.
It feels like just yesterday I was in attendance to watch #7 go off for 26 points against the Milwaukee Bucks.
But, sadly…
Just yesterday I had to say goodbye to Stanley Johnson.
Johnson was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks for Thon Maker. He was then traded to the New Orleans Pelicans the next day for Nikola Mirotic.
The Pelicans is a much better spot for Johnson than Milwaukee or even Detroit was. This is something that I’ve found joy in, something that I need to do after watching the guy I wrote article, after article about what he could be.
What he should’ve been.
Johnson will look to find a place that’ll help him develop, something the Pistons could never do.
He brings elite defense to whatever team he lands with, but he will continue to be hard to work into an offense until he develops something on that end.
And after four years, Johnson couldn’t do that.
The Pistons didn’t help, having Johnson shoot an absurd amount of threes (career high 6.8 attempts per-36) for someone who was never much of a long range shooter (career 29.2 percent shooter from deep).
But in the end, Johnson just didn’t develop enough consistency on the offensive end to warrant a longer contract with the Detroit Pistons. After four years of trying and two head coaches later, why would it work the fifth year?
Johnson was a hot rod among fans. Either you thought he was hot garbage, or you loved his defense and believed he had potential on offense.
The swag, confidence, and never-back-down mentality of Johnson grew old for Pistons fans, and most were done watching him.
So, the Detroit Pistons swapped disgruntled young players with the Bucks.
Maker hasn’t played much this season and has struggled in his three years with the Bucks. The potential is there no doubt for the 7’1″ athlete, but it didn’t look like it was ever going to be tapped into in Milwaukee.
Almost completely similar to Johnson’s situation with Detroit.
Stanimal is almost surely going to go to another team and figure it out. A team will realize how much value he brings on defense, and they wont have him spotting up throughout the perimeter. They’ll likely take advantage of his unique passing vision and passing ability, and use him in roll situations.
Johnson will have to work hard on his offensive game and improve a lot on that end, but the Pelicans wont force a peg into a round hole until then. But, I can guarantee he likely wont have 51 percent of his attempts come from an area he’s not very good at (behind the three point line) on his next journey.
Four years and one jersey bought later, I have to say goodbye to the guy I once said during his rookie season would be the best player out of the Detroit Pistons young core.
It had to happen, and Detroit got what they could for their once promising young player.
The SS. Johnson hasn’t sunk, however.
And yes, I’m still the captain of the ship.
We’re just sailing on better, more clear water now.