If you are into watching young players fight for minutes then the Detroit Pistons are the team for you.
After losing rookie Killian Hayes to a season-ending hip injury and Delon Wright for several weeks with a strained groin, the Pistons are down to three young point guards who all want to seize the opportunity.
I wrote about what Delon Wright’s injury could mean, and one of those things is that we will see a whole lot more of Dennis Smith Jr., Saben Lee and Frank Jackson as the Pistons roll with a point guard by committee approach.
Lee and Jackson are both on two-way contracts that will convey if they are active for more than 50 games, but that should be plenty of time to figure out if the Pistons are comfortable making them full-time members of the roster.
But which one will grab this opportunity and turn it into a job? Let’s take a look.
Detroit Pistons: Dennis Smith Jr. will get the first chance
Because Dennis Smith Jr. is actually under a full contract, he is likely to continue to get minutes as the Pistons try to figure out if he can be their next reclamation project.
And let’s be frank, if you can’t make the Knicks’ or Pistons’ rotation, you probably aren’t going to be in the NBA very long, so this could be his last chance to secure a job for himself.
Smith Jr. was once thought of as a top prospect and was the centerpiece of the Kristaps Porzingis trade (nice move there, Knickerbockers!) but hasn’t done much since an impressive rookie season.
Personally, I am least high on Smith Jr. of the three, as he doesn’t do any one thing well and is a terrible shooter. The Detroit Pistons do not shoot the ball well as a team, so the last thing they need out there is another bricklayer.
I hope Smith Jr. eventually figures it out, but I doubt it will be with the Detroit Pistons.
Detroit Pistons: Frank Jackson deserves a shot
Frank Jackson has not gotten much opportunity with the Detroit Pistons, but he deserves a chance.
This is a guy who started 16 games for the New Orleans Pelicans just a few seasons ago and had some nice stretches including a ten-game stint where he scored at least 13 points in each game.
He is a streaky shooter and needs to extend his range, but he is strong with the ball and can defend multiple spots, so he at least has a potential role as a backup combo guard.
In his second season Jackson didn’t get as much run but still had three games of more than 20 points for the Pels, including a 31-point outburst against the Orlando Magic to close out the season.
He has done more and done it more recently than any of these three young point guards, and could be a weapon off the Pistons’ bench in the future.
With Dennis Smith Jr. playing poorly, the Detroit Pistons have nothing to lose by getting Jackson more minutes to see if he can eventually be a player in Detroit.
Detroit Pistons: Saben Lee is tough and smart
Saben Lee is the youngest of the three point guards and has the most upside.
He flashed some of it against Orlando, with season highs in points, assists and steals in the recent loss to the Magic.
He also showed exciting athleticism, rising up a few times for dunk attempts that nearly brought he rim down.
Coach Dwane Casey had this to say after his performance:
"““He’s a true point guard,” Casey said. “He’s a true point. Talking to coach (Jerry) Stackhouse at Vanderbilt, he loved him. He’s a leader, he plays with pure heart. There’s no ‘me’ in his game whatsoever. That’s something that comes out when he’s out on the floor.”"
That sounds like an endorsement to me. I also like that he was coached by Jerry Stackhouse, former Piston and a guy many think deserves a shot at a head coaching gig in the NBA.
Like all the Pistons’ rookies, Lee has some flaws in his game that need improvement, namely his long-range shooting.
But Lee has the passing, athleticism and quickness to play in the NBA, especially if he can extend the range on his shot.
Saben Lee is my choice to get the most minutes but it will be a battle worth watching as long as Delon Wright is still out.