The Detroit Pistons just pulled off one of their more entertaining seasons in recent history, largely because of the play of their rookies.
It really was a masterclass in tanking, as the Pistons played competitive games while getting their young players a ton of minutes and bringing some excitement back to the city of Detroit.
You couldn’t really ask for much more in the first year of a rebuild and the Pistons are not only setting themselves up for long-term success but have enough talent to make the playoffs next season with the right offseason moves.
The “Core Four” of Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart, Killian Hayes and Saben Lee did not disappoint, and the Pistons even got a glimpse of Deividas Sirvydis, who showed some flashes of what he can do.
Here are the grades for each Detroit Pistons’ rookie after their debut season.
Detroit Pistons rookie grades: Deividas Sirvydis
It’s tough to give Sirvydis a grade, as he only appeared in 20 games, mostly in a few minutes of mop-up duty.
The truth is that Sirvydis probably wouldn’t have played a single minute for the Detroit Pistons had there been a full G-League, and it is shame, as players like him were really robbed of a season of development due to COVID-19.
He had his best game recently against the Denver Nuggets, scoring 16 in the first half and showing an impressive array of offensive weapons.
We still have no idea what position (if any) he can defend, nor if he is big or strong enough to hold up for an NBA season, but the kid can score, we know that.
But we have to see much more before we can know what he’ll be and I assume he’ll spend a good chunk of next season fine-tuning and getting stronger in the G-League.
Detroit Pistons rookie grades: Saben Lee
When you consider that Saben Lee was a second-round draft pick who signed to a two-way contract, the fact that he played at all is pretty impressive, as he is another guy who almost certainly would have spent this season in the G-League under normal circumstances.
Instead, injuries forced him into action and he actually ended up making seven starts for the Pistons this season.
In that time he showed better than advertised defense, plus athleticism, the ability to get to the rim and pretty slick passing once he does.
He was in an out of the rotation after playing some big minutes around midseason and seemed to hit a bit of a rookie wall towards the end, but otherwise his season was a success.
Lee really just needs to work on extending his range as a shooter, as right now he has a serious “Ish Smith” vibe when it comes to shooting beyond 12 feet.
That’s not necessarily an insult, as Smith has been a very good backup point guard in the NBA, but if Lee wants to be more than just a change-of-pace guy who plays 10 minutes a game as a third point guard, then he will need to develop more of a jumper so teams can’t just sag into the lane.
It was a surprising season for Lee, who wasn’t expected to play at all, so his debut was a success.
Detroit Pistons rookie grades: Killian Hayes
Killian Hayes’ season was pretty much ruined by a hip injury that sidelined him in just the seventh game of the season, so this grade might seem a little harsh, but I am taking the whole season into account.
Hayes played poorly before being injured but looked a lot better once he came back, and had the season been another 20 games, his grade would probably be higher.
He did end up playing in 26 games and finished averaging 6.8 points, 5.3 assists and a steal per game, not bad for a guy who had a short offseason, basically no training camp, little practice and an injury.
But he also shot 35 percent from the floor and just 27 percent from long range, which can’t be ignored. Hayes looked overwhelmed before the injury, but when he came back, started to get more comfortable running the offense.
There are plenty of reasons to be excited about Killian Hayes, particularly his passing and defense, which are ahead of schedule.
But he will have to get more aggressive shooting the ball and start to knock them down if he wants to keep defenses honest.
There was a lot to like about Hayes’ rookie season even though it didn’t go as planned. I am glad that he got back into the rotation, played much better and can go into the offseason with positivity.
He is going to make a huge leap next season and will almost average double-digits in assists. You heard it here first.
Detroit Pistons rookie grades: Isaiah Stewart
Isaiah Stewart’s season was far better than anyone expected. Most fans thought he was going to merely be a defense/hustle guy, a career role player who Troy Weaver might have drafted too soon.
But after his rookie season there are about 10 other teams that wish they had drafted him sooner, as Stewart led all rookies in rebounds, blocked shots, field goal percentage and flashed an evolving offensive game that no one though he’d have at this point in his career.
He also earned one of the strongest nicknames in the NBA, which is pretty impressive for a rookie drafted outside of the lottery.
Beef Stew not only blocked shots and defended larger centers, but he showed the ability to switch on the perimeter and stay in front of point guards, which might be the single more important skill for a defensive center in the modern NBA.
Stewart was a mainstay on the Rookie Ladder, should make the All-Rookie team and now looks like a foundational piece of the Pistons’ rebuild.
As far as rookie seasons go, you couldn’t ask for much more from a guy who was taken with the 16th pick.
Detroit Pistons rookie grades: Saddiq Bey
Saddiq Bey is not going to win Rookie of the Year, but he should finish in the top-five, which is pretty amazing considering he was drafted 19th overall.
Bey came into the NBA as a 3-and-D prospect who most thought would be very good defensively and below average offensively.
Instead, Bey nearly set the rookie record for made 3-point shots, played impact defense all over the perimeter and even showed that there is more to his game than just shooting.
Bey was getting better in the post as the season went on, and as he continues to add offensive weapons to his bag, has the potential to be an All-Star someday, as he is already a very good defender and knock-down 3-point shooter.
Bey’s toughness and durability set the tone for the Pistons’ rookies, as Bey played in all but two games and never gave up his starting role once he earned it.
He didn’t really look like a rookie out there most of the time and has given the Detroit Pistons a solid two-way player to build around.
The Detroit Pistons finally have some young talent, and if they can add another top pick in this year’s NBA Draft, are on their way to something special.