Detroit Pistons: 5 reasons the starting center remains Mason Plumlee
4. Plumlee starting gives Detroit Pistons future trade flexibility
Plumlee may start the season with the Pistons, we did not say he will definitely end it there.
Due to lugging around the final year of Blake Griffin’s contract, Detroit has little salary flexibility this upcoming season. Now, the following year, they have gobs of salary cap space.
But if there is a deal out there this season, Plumlee has one of the few contracts with any value. According to Spotrac, as of now, Plumlee is the only player guaranteed to make more than $5.5 million besides Jerami Grant.
And no, the Pistons are not trading Grant, so that leaves Plumlee as the only decent-sized contract they can flip (that could change if Detroit picks up Cory Joseph’s $12.3 million option).
No one is trading for a guy who can’t start, so, to keep his trade value up, Plumlee must remain a starter.
5. Let the kids grow
Isaiah Stewart showed promise but it was not like he became an instant 20-and-10 guy. He only averaged 7.9 points and 6.7 rebounds, playing just a few minutes less a gameon average than Plumlee.
Stewart just turned 20 in May, and a lot of people are projecting what he will become, rather than what he is right now.
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We are not downing in any way how good a player Stewart will be in the future. Heck, I compared him to Hall of Famer Wes Unseld, but at this moment, Plumlee is a better player.
And unless the Pistons are planning on being title contenders next year, there is no reason to rush Stewart’s development.
The Pistons are not even sure what position they want ‘Beef Stew’ to play. At the end of the season, they ordered him to start attempting more three-pointers, as power forward might be where he ends up (particularly if Detroit does draft Evan Mobley).
Sekou Doumbouya is also a possibility as a small-ball center. No need to rush him either.
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Plumlee gives the Pistons a solid, dependable player in the middle who fits very well with what Cade Cunningham brings to the table. He is also good in the locker room, and a nice stopgap so the younger bigs can develop at their own pace.
So remember, when doodling your starting lineups for next year, Mason Plumlee is still the starting center.