The Reserves
Langston Galloway
Langston Galloway was great and terrible in equal amounts last year, but still seems to have Dwayne Casey’s trust. He’s one of the Pistons’ only decent trade assets, so the best-case scenario is that Galloway plays well enough to be packaged for a better player. Of all the Pistons who will make the final roster, I’d say Galloway is the least likely to end the season with Detroit.
The worst-case scenario is what we saw from Galloway for much of last year, a streaky shooter who can’t hit the Pacific Ocean when he’s cold. In this scenario he doesn’t play much, doesn’t build any trade value and just ends up as dead money coming off the books next year.
Tim Frazier
Tim Frazier is the latest on the carousel of Detroit’s third-string point guards, though he has a chance to be the best of a not so talented group. The best-case scenario is that Frazier improves his mediocre 3-point shooting (32 percent) and plays well enough for Detroit to feel comfortable trading Jackson (which will be a recurring theme here).
The worst-case scenario is that he is Jose Calderon, forced into big minutes, exposed and an overall detriment to the team.
Svi Mykhailiuk
Svi Mykhailiuk nearly caused a riot on #LakersTwitter when he was traded along with a 2nd round pick for Reggie Bullock, but he’s most famous for being the guy LeBron James had never heard of. He’s got size, can shoot and plays a position of need for the Pistons. The best-case scenario is that he makes the team, shoots 45 percent from three and develops into a scoring threat off the bench. Eventually the Pistons will have to hit big on one of these young projects if they want to be consistently good. Is Mykhailiuk the one?
The worst-case scenario is that he remains a G-League legend and, like Lebron, we never learn how to properly pronounce his name.
Khyri Thomas
Khyri Thomas emerged as a second round surprise and showed enough during last season to warrant some hope. The best-case scenario is that he improved his shooting and defense in the offseason and makes the team as a backup at multiple spots. This will likely be the year to see if any of the promise he showed will translate into NBA rotation minutes.
Worst-case scenario is that he takes a step back, doesn’t get out of the G-League with his name officially becoming “Khyri, no no no, not that one.”