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Do the Detroit Pistons really need 7 centers?

By Stuart London

Nigeria player Jahlil Okafor (15) grabs the rebound. Mandatory Credit: Kareem Elgazzar-USA TODAY Sports
Nigeria player Jahlil Okafor (15) grabs the rebound. Mandatory Credit: Kareem Elgazzar-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Detroit Pistons are reportedly interested in signing center Nerlens Noel and center-forward Kelly Olynyk when free agency begins. If they get both, that would give Detroit a total of seven players who can play center currently on their roster. That is a lot.

The center position, after being devalued the past few years as the three-ball was made the main focus of teams, is back in vogue. The last two NBA champions (Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers) both featured big lineups.

The Detroit Pistons want to make sure they have size, but are they going overboard?

Those small, fast, outside-shooting lineups are sort of going out of style. The Houston Rockets tried to go strictly small ball in 2019-2020 and ended up losing in the second round and making the situation look so hopeless, star James Harden demanded a trade. The Boston Celtics this past season were pretty undersized, that did not go well either.

So it is pretty much established that an NBA team needs a couple of decent big guys to be competitive. Yet, the Detroit Pistons traded last year’s starting center, 7-foot Mason Plumlee, for a draft pick.

Even without Plumlee, the Pistons will not be lacking for big guys. They might even have too many … way too many.

Related Story. The Detroit Pistons drafted four players, they don’t have room. light

There are reports that the Detroit Pistons are interested in getting Knicks center Nerlens Noel and Rockets center/forward Kelly Olynyk when free agency opens up.

Now, besides wondering what was the point of trading one veteran center to add two more, on a team with no big ambitions for next year, it also brings up a numbers problem.

How many players who can play center do the Pistons need?

If they add Noel and Olynyk, they would seem to have seven.

Yes, SEVEN.

Let’s run them down, in order of status, not playing ability.

  1. Isaiah Stewart (under contract)
  2. Jahlil Okafor (under contract)
  3. Jerami Grant (under contract)
  4. Luka Garza (drafted)
  5. Balsa Koprivica (drafted)
  6. Nerlens Noel (prospective free agent signing)
  7. Kelly Olynyk (prospective free agent signing)

How much help does projected starter Isaiah Stewart need?