Ranking the Detroit Pistons’ most valuable assets
Rotation players with tantalizing upside: Bruce Brown, Svi Mykhailiuk, and Thon Maker
Bruce Brown is a 23-year-old guard on a minimum contract averaging 8.9 points per game along with 3.9 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.2 steals. He’s shooting 34% from three-point and possesses the ability to guard the opposing team’s best guard. He’ll be under contract until 2021.
That’s an asset! What’s exciting about Brown is that he’s already a plus defender who is getting better on offense literally by the month. Here’s his points per game by month starting in October of this season: 4.8, 8.4, 9.4, 9.4, 11.0.
More from PistonPowered
- Which Detroit Pistons could save Team USA in the Olympics?
- Detroit Pistons could have major roster churn after 2023-24 season
- The best Detroit Pistons to wear each uniform number
- Full Detroit Pistons NBA 2K24 ratings
- Detroit Pistons: Who will sign the remaining NBA free agents?
While Brown was just a fantastic draft pick, Svi, on the other hand, is a great example of Stefanski’s front office savviness. Svi and a 2nd round draft pick were originally received from the Lakers for Reggie Bullock.
The Pistons saved about a million dollars in cap space, added a 2nd round pick, and replaced Bullock’s production with the added possibility of upside in 22-year-old Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk.
Svi’s becoming more than just a three-point shooter. He’s shown the ability to get to the rim, even though he’s admittedly still working on finishing through defenders.
He’s also a sneaky good passer, here’s his assists per game trending upwards by month, starting in October: 0, 1.3, 1.5, 2.1, 4.0.
I’m sneaking Thon Maker into this tier due to his recent play. Admittedly, at the beginning of the season, I wasn’t sure if Maker would cut it as a rotation player in Detroit. But since Drummond’s departure, it’s as if a Thon was injected with rotation level Monstar powers.
Related Story. is Svi Mykhailiuk a better prospect than Luke Kennard?. light
Maybe coming off the bench was just beneath Maker. Since Drummond’s departure he’s been averaging 12.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game on 56% shooting including 33% from three. He’s only 22!
None of these players project as future stars in the NBA but they’re young and improving seemingly night to night. Brown and Svi, in particular, are the types of players that smart teams covet. An elite three-point shooter and a plus defender who can handle the ball and stretch the floor are rare. Especially at their current salaries.