Detroit Pistons: The key to Saben Lee’s development

Detroit Pistons: Saben Lee’s scoring was stunted by an inconsistent role

Lee had his moments as a scorer. In a win against the Orlando Magic, Lee scored 21 points while shooting eight for 11 from the field and knocking down all three of his shots from beyond the arc. His highest scoring game came at the end of the season in a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The point guard scored 22 points while shooting seven of nine from the field and knocking down all eight of his free throw attempts. Lee did not attempt a three-pointer in the 19 point loss.

All-in-all, Lee’s rookie season may not have been awe-inspiring, but it was good, especially for a second-round pick. Lee showed flashes of his full potential as a point guard in the NBA. Despite his inconsistent play, the 22-year-old showed he had the ability to score, and when he struggled to score, his playmaking was reliable enough to keep him from sitting on the bench.

Lee is a free agent this offseason, but the likelihood of the 22-year-old not returning to Detroit are slim to none. Detroit is also very unlikely to not offer the guard a second contract as Weaver has made it clear the team wants to retain their key free agents this offseason.

Lee will continue to develop as a point guard as he enters his second year in the league. The Vanderbilt product will look to carve out a bigger role for himself in Detroit’s rotation as well. Detroit’s front office hopes that Lee can reach his full potential in the coming years. The young guard may have been a second-round pick, but he has shown glimpses of a player who could play a big role in the Pistons’ rotation one day.