The Detroit Pistons offseason has so far gone mostly as planned, which might bot be good news for Sekou Doumbouya.
With the first overall selection, Pistons GM Troy Weaver selected, thank goodness, Oklahoma State point guard Cade Cunningham. Then, with their trio of second-rounders, the second-year GM drafted some size with the selections of 6-7 wing Isaiah Livers and centers Luka Garza and Balša Koprivica.
After the first day of free agency, the Pistons then added more depth to their frontcourt with the signings of center Kelly Olynyk and power forward Trey Lyles.
Through the draft and the first day of free agency, the Pistons have done a very good job of rounding out their roster with versatile role players (and one budding superstar). This added depth, especially in the frontcourt, has left the future of one young Piston player in question.
Detroit Pistons: Sekou Doumbouya’s time with Detroit could end soon
The Detroit Pistons drafted the now 20-year-old power forward Sekou Doumbouya as the 15th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. The 6-8 forward was drafted as a raw prospect who needed time to develop. Two seasons later, and Doumbouya’s development has not been that substantial.
From year one to year two, Doumbouya has seen a reduction in minutes per game and, consequentially, a reduction in box score numbers. The 20-year-old has also regressed in his scoring efficiency as well. Doumbouya has seen his field goal percentage reduced by 1.1 percent. The forward’s three-point shooting also went down by six percent, which is really not good in the modern NBA.
However, Doumbouya has shown some flashes of potential. A prime example is a late-season matchup with the Charlotte Hornets. Doumbouya shot 60-percent from the field, while knocking down two of his five attempts from beyond the arc. The superb scoring efficiency resulted in a 20 point game for Doumbouya.
Performances like that have been scattered throughout the 20-year-old’s young career, but inconsistency has plagued the young forward as well. After two seasons with the team, Doumbouya has not been able to carve himself a role with Detroit. If you can not find playing time on a team that has had one of the worst records in the NBA, that is not a good sign.
The forward’s inconsistency is the most glaring reason. A devastating factor in the Frenchman’s development was the fact the Pistons had no G-League team this past year. Due to the pandemic, the Grand Rapids Drive did field a team. As a rookie, Doumbouya was able to go there and gets lots of badly needed playing experience.
The additions of Lyles, Olynyk, and Livers to Detroit’s roster are going to make it even harder for Doumbouya to find minutes with the team.
With his inconsistency and lack of proven growth, Doumbouya will most likely be buried in Detroit’s depth chart next season. It is hard to see him receiving minutes as Jerami Grant‘s backup, when there are three other candidates who provide greater upside.
Detroit Pistons bring in power forwards who can shoot three. Problem?
New free agent signee Trey Lyles does not score a lot of points, but he fills his role as a stretch-four well. In his last two seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, Lyles shot 38 percent from three-point range. He is a very average backup option who would fill his role and play it well behind Grant. The 25-year-old power forward is, importantly, a more reliable three-point shooter than Doumbouya.
Olynyk is more of a center than a power forward, but the 6-11 big man can play the four spot if Detroit wants to put out a big lineup. The 30-year-old shoots a career 36.7 percent from beyond the arc and made 39.5% during his time in Houston.
The big man has proven he can play the power forward position well, as he was the four next to Christian Wood during his short tenure with the Houston Rockets. Olynyk is a versatile big man who can play in pick-and-rolls and pick-and-pops. His shooting ability, size, and rebounding are all edges the eight-year veteran has over Doumbouya.
Livers was the 42nd pick of the 2021 NBA Draft. The former Michigan Wolverine is a combo forward who is best suited at the power forward position. Livers is the ideal stretch four in the modern NBA. In four years with the Wolverines, Livers shot a career 41.2 percent on three-pointers.
Livers’ off-ball movement will transition well from college to the pros. He’ll never be more than a catch-and-shoot or pick-and-pop threat, but the forward will fill that role as well as anybody.
The trio of Lyles, Olynyk, and Livers have an edge over Doumbouya for backup power forward minutes at the moment. Most importantly, the trio of forwards all have the ability to reliably stretch the floor, something Doumbouya has not been able to do.
With the switch from Mason Plumlee to Olynyk as the veteran center, it is obvious the Pistons are looking for spacing on offense, so Cunningham has the lane open to him.
It is also important to note that Doumbouya is the last remaining player from the pre-Troy Weaver era in Detroit. The second-year GM quickly dismantled the previous regime’s roster (even though the previous regime still hold its titles). Trading Doumbouya could just be the final roster move to make the Pistons roster completely in Weaver’s image.
Detroit’s offseason moves appear to indicate that Doumbouya’s time with the Pistons could be nearing its end. Weaver added plenty of depth at the power forward position. Being the last remnant of the previous regime is not a favorable situation either.
There is the possibility that Doumbouya spends the season with Detroit’s G-League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise, but the writing seems to be on the wall for the young forward.
Doumbouya is entering the third year of his contract. It would be to the Pistons’ benefit to trade him before he is on the final year of his rookie deal. Trading him now would be selling low, but there would also likely be more buyers.
Unless the 20-year-old takes a massive jump in performance and consistency heading into year three, it is hard to see Doumbouya on Detroit’s roster past the trade deadline next season.