Ten Years of Detroit Pistons Basketball Reviewed
Record: ???
Head Coach: Dwane Casey
Offensive Rating: ???
Defensive Rating: ???
Draft Additions:
Sekou Doumbouya (1st round, 15th pick)
Deividas Sirvydis (2nd round, 37th pick)
Jordan Bone (2nd round, 57th pick)
Free Agent/Trade Additions So Far:
Current Projected Depth Chart:
Point Guard: Reggie Jackson, Derrick Rose, Tim Frazier
Shooting Guard: Bruce Brown, Luke Kennard, Langston Galloway, Khyri Thomas
Small Forward: Tony Snell, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, Sekou Doumbouya
Power Forward: Blake Griffin, Markieff Morris
Center: Andre Drummond, Thon Maker
Projected Best Players: Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond, Luke Kennard
The summer league has just ended meaning we will not be able to watch any Pistons basketball for a few months. So who says that we cannot take a glimpse into the future? There are numerous reasons to be excited for your 2019-2020 Detroit Pistons. The first being that we still have a true superstar on our roster in Blake Griffin.
So long as Griffin is on this roster and is healthy the Pistons are a team expected to make the playoffs. While Griffin ended the season with a nagging knee injury it is not expected to sideline him from any offseason activities and Griffin should be fully ready to go come to the season opener.
Reggie Jackson finished off a strong 2018-2019 campaign in which he played the full 82 game season. For a guy who has trouble staying on the court due to injuries, this is an incredibly promising sign as in the two seasons of a healthy Reggie Jackson we have seen a player capable of taking a team to the playoffs and competing.
To back him up this season we have the former MVP, Derrick Rose. The signing of Rose is a risky one as we all know he has a serious injury history. However, if healthy Rose is a highly productive player that can bring play-making and shot creation to a bench that desperately needs a surge. Do not forget that last season Rose put up a 50 point performance.
On a bench that lacks scoring options, this will be a huge luxury to have if Rose can remain healthy and I have faith that the trio of Griffin, Jackson, and Rose will remain healthy this upcoming season. It is no coincidence that even though Griffin and Jackson are historically injury prone players that they were able to remain healthy this season playing 75 and 82 games respectively.
The injury-prone duo’s sudden stroke of luck finding health is attributed to the wonders of Pistons highly respected trainer Arnie Kander. Kander is renowned as a training guru and I have faith that with proper training and load management that the injury-prone trio of Griffin, Jackson, and Rose can find health.
We hope to see a larger role for Luke Kennard this season who had his coming out to the NBA party in the playoffs where we relied on him to score with Griffin out and he didn’t disappoint (15 points per playoff game shooting 60 percent from three)! Bruce Brown started all year for the Pistons and put up a great performance in the summer league where he became the only person alongside Lonzo Ball to put up a triple-double in the showcase.
Then, of course, there is Sekou Doumbouya. Our first round draft picks this year who is drawing comparisons to Pascal Siakam or Giannis Antetokounmpo. Additionally, we have yet to see the best of Khyri Thomas, Thon Maker, and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk. Will they make a leap in their game and get more playing time this season? I would like to believe so.
The Pistons made solid moves this offseason to build around young players primed to make big jumps in their skill-sets to spark internal growth for the team. Assuming the big-name players in Jackson, Griffin, Drummond, and Rose all remain relatively healthy (which is a big if). I expect the Pistons to improve upon their previous season making the playoffs with ease, and making some noise once they get there!