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5 Things Pistons Fans Learned During the 2019-20 NBA Season (so far)

By Blake Stackpoole

PORTLAND, OREGON - FEBRUARY 23: Christian Wood #35 and Bruce Brown #6 of the Detroit Pistons react in the third quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers during their game at Moda Center on February 23, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OREGON - FEBRUARY 23: Christian Wood #35 and Bruce Brown #6 of the Detroit Pistons react in the third quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers during their game at Moda Center on February 23, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /
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Detroit Pistons
DETROIT, MI – DECEMBER 26: Reggie Jackson #1 of the Detroit Pistons (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /

The value of durability

In a year where the Pistons were plagued by injury, we unfortunately realized how important durability is in the NBA as injuries can take a team in the midst of a dynasty in the Golden State Warriors, to the top spot in the lottery with the league’s worst record, just like that.

The Pistons were one of the leagues unluckiest in terms of injuries. A lot of people would say that teams like the Warriors or Wizards suffered more from injury, but I’d disagree as they knew that their stars, John Wall and Klay Thompson, were going to miss the entire year before the season started.

Detroit had Griffin, Luke Kennard, Jackson, all missing over 40 games this season and Rose missing 16 games as well.

We already knew that Griffin, Jackson, and Rose are all injury prone heading into this season, but now that we are realizing that Kennard could be the next Pistons with an injury bug, do we want to extend him?

After averaging 15.8 points per game in his 28 games he played this year, he’s still got some value as an asset.

I understand that there are a ton of Kennard fans in Detroit who like to overvalue him in my opinion but after watching Griffin and Reggie’s trade values crash, I think that the Pistons should due their due diligence on trading away Kennard.

light. Also. 3 Detroit Pistons who will receive an elevated role for the Pistons next year

Luke has played in 164 out of the 230 games he could have meaning he’s played in 71 percent of his games. It was seemingly likely that Kennard wasn’t going to come back this season so with that in mind he would fall to playing in only 67 percent of his games, something that might make the Pistons’ front office hesitate extending him.

Load management, as much as it stinks to watch and support, it’s the right thing for Griffin.

Knowing how competitive he is, he will most likely hate this idea, but I think this 2020-21 Pistons team is better than the 2017-18 team so barring a first-round matchup versus the Bucks, I think the Pistons could at least win a game against any other team in a hypothetical 2021 playoff matchup.

As crazy as it sounds, I firmly believe that the Pistons would have one of the two games in Detroit last season if Blake was fully healthy. People like to forget that Griffin was on the All-NBA third team last year and was playing at a level where he could have carried the Pistons to win on his own.

While I hate load management as much as anyone, it makes sense to hopefully get 2017-18 Blake Griffin back.

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