Detroit Pistons: It’s time to apologize to Troy Weaver

Media members: Please send your apology letters to Troy Weaver, care of the Detroit Pistons.

Weaver was widely panned for his offseason moves, which pretty much drew jeers from every national media publication.

Some geniuses like John Hollinger (a terrible GM btw) had this to say:

"“The Grant deal is a maddening coda to a bizarre sequence of transactions. The Pistons could have kept rebuilding with (Christian) Wood and (Luke) Kennard…"

Ready to eat that yet, John?

The criticism of Weaver took a nasty turn during the offseason, with some questioning the man’s experience, intelligence etc… but Troy Weaver and the Detroit Pistons are going to have the last laugh.

All of the moves that were so widely panned are making Weaver look like a genius with an eye for talent.

Let’s take a look at his offseason additions.

Detroit Pistons: Offseason moves are all paying off

Jerami Grant

What can you say? After hearing how Weaver “overpaid” for a role player and how Detroit was once again bribing a mediocre free agent to come to the D, Jerami Grant has been a top-3 wing in the NBA and revealed that he *gasp” WANTED to play in Detroit.

Grant is a frontrunner for the Most Improved Player award but if he keeps this up he’ll be All-NBA.

Take a look at where Grant ranks at small forward:

• Scoring-3rd
• 3PM- 7th
• FTA-2nd
• Rebounds: 5th
• Assists: 12th
• Blocks- 2nd

So Weaver identified a guy with elite talent that wasn’t being utilized and that deal suddenly looks like a steal. The Detroit Pistons have a wing who can score and defend to build around.

Mason Plumlee

This one was probably the most mocked move but Plumlee has been very good so far and looks like an asset.

This is a guy who is nearly averaging a double-double and is 2nd among all centers in assists. The ball movement is better when he is on the floor and his $8 million contract looks very tradeable.

Plumlee is an asset as a low-cost veteran who plays the right way or as backup center to a contender in a trade.

Jahlil Okafor

Okafor hasn’t played much for the Pistons but considering he is on a minimum deal, this was a risk worth taking.

Okafor is a bucket in the post, a guy who would have dominated in the 1990s, but his lack of jumper and rim protection have kept him from getting there in the modern game.

But eventually, there will be a team that needs a backup center because of injury and the Pistons might be able to get a pick in return for Okafor. He was no-risk and could pay off as well.

Josh Jackson

Jackson became a Pistons’ favorite last night after having some choice words for Ben Simmons. If you’ve not seen the video, look it up.

Jackson was another low-risk, high-reward signing that is paying off. Jackson was great to start the season but has been up and down since returning from injury. He played well last night against Philly and looks like a guy who could be part of the future.

A whole lot of teams gave up on this guy but the Pistons might have a player.

Delon Wright

After dropping 28 points on Philly, I had to ask the question: Is Delon Wright actually good?

The answer is yes!

Is he a starting level poing guard? Maybe not.

Is a guy who could be your primary backup, add scoring punch off the bench and carry the offense in stretches? Absolutely.

He is also a guy who is on a team-friendly contract that could almost certainly be moved. Whether the Pistons keep him or trade him, Wright is an asset.

Wayne Ellington

Ho hum, Wayne Ellington is just the best shooter in the NBA this season. He is 33-years-old and on a one-year deal but Ellington is absolutely an asset the way he is shooting. Some contender is going to end up giving Detroit a first-round pick for this guy if things keep going this way.

This is a guy who no one else wanted and looked like a nothing addition but has been lights-out so far for Detroit and is going to net the Pistons an asset at the trade deadline.

It also looks like Weaver hit on draft picks with Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart, so if you’re not ready to get on board with the Weaver era, I don’t know what to tell you.

Troy Weaver clearly has an eye for talent and once the  Pistons add another star they are going to be good sooner than expected.