Detroit Pistons: Analyzing the current state of the shooting guard position
By Jacob Warfle
Longshot SG options: Bey, Ellington, and unique combos
The player on this list with the most potential is rookie, Saddiq Bey.
The Pistons selected Bey with the 19th pick in the draft and expect him to be with the franchise for a long, long time.
At Villanova, Bey played on the wing and showed that he is knock down shooter. At 6’8″, 218 lbs, he leans more towards the forward spot, but is versatile enough to play shooting guard.
He is most impressive on the offensive end, but should be athletic enough to defend three or four positions.
Although its unlikely Bey will get many starts this season, don’t be surprised if he plays his way into a significant role by the end of the year.
On the opposite side of the spectrum is veteran Wayne Ellington, in his second stint with the Pistons.
He is a solid player, but is the type of guy that clogs rotations and prevents young players from developing.
The need is always there for veteran leaders in the locker room, but I find it hard to see a fit for Ellington in the Pistons’ timeline.
Aside from most of the players mentioned so far, the team could go a completely different direction. As the NBA continues to move towards “position-less basketball”, a couple of non-traditional options are intriguing.
Playing Killian Hayes and Derrick Rose together could be a great option, similar to what the Toronto Raptors do with Fred VanVleet and Kyle Lowry. Having two primary ball handlers can create more offensive opportunities.
On the flip side, the team could go big and try to play Sekou Doumbouya on the wing alongside Killian Hayes. The biggest concern with this is perimeter shooting, but this could bring forth some interesting mismatches both offensively and defensively.
No matter which way Dwayne Casey decides to go with the rotation, one thing is clear: the Detroit Pistons are determined to put Killian Hayes in a position to succeed.
That support comes from the top down, but starts at the shooting guard position.
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