How Christian Wood can improve for the Detroit Pistons

How Wood can improve

Ultimately how he can benefit the Pistons moving forward doesn’t only fall on him, it’s dependent on how he’s utilized.

Wood is both listed as and is traditionally best as a power forward. The issue with him playing center often comes on the defensive end, where he’s too frequently finding himself out of position or can’t match up with his opponent.

The benefit to him playing center comes offensively, where he’s marginally quicker than most of the opponents he comes up against, which gives him an advantage that Detroit needs to utilize more frequently.

Even though he improved as a rim protector to close out the year, Wood’s ability to get beaten by his man in the post has become far to regular of an occurrence. Defending without fouling and staying on his feet need to be improved moving forward.

His offensive game is sharp, and is inarguably the reason that so many fans now know his name. However, getting him more involved could help the overall efficiency of the team next season.

One of Blake Griffin‘s primary responsibilities on offense in 2018 was the execution of dribble hand-offs along the perimeter.

What made this so effortless for him was his ball handling abilities and his athleticism. Wood unfortunately lacks the former, but if he were able to improve it on even the smallest level, this could be executed with him as well.

It frees up Pistons’ shooters so easily if the screen is set properly, and diversifying their offensive playbook could take them an extra mile.