The Detroit Pistons have made some key additions this offseason, including forward/center Kelly Olynyk, who signed for 3 years/$37 million the first day of free agency.
I think Olynyk was a great signing for a number of reasons, namely that he can spread the floor, provides an additional scoring option and is on a low-cost contract whose third year is not guaranteed.
But Pistons’ fans are obsessed with starting lineups, so already the question of whether Olynyk or Isaiah Stewart will start at center is being bandied about Twitter.
For the record, I don’t think it matters. It’s nice to be in the starting lineup and hear Mason bellowing your name, but other than that, it doesn’t make a lot of difference. What matter is who plays more and who is playing at the end of the game.
But I’ll play along only because Olynyk gives Dwane Casey a lot of options in the starting five and may be better suited to start than Beef Stew.
Let’s take al look at some possibilities now that Kelly Olynyk has joined the Detroit Pistons.
Detroit Pistons starting lineup: The future
This is the starting lineup most fans want to see and the one most are afraid Kelly Olynyk might disrupt.
- PG: Killian Hayes
- SG: Cade Cunningham
- SF: Saddiq Bey
- PF: Jerami Grant
- C: Isaiah Stewart
This lineup represents the future of the Detroit Pistons, the young guys who are now the core of the team and are expected to grow together into a cohesive unit that can eventually bring the Pistons a title.
I have no problems with this lineup, as it is long, athletic and versatile defensively. It has plenty of playmaking with Cade Cunningham, Killian Hayes and Jerami Grant, though it may be light on shooting, depending on how Cunningham does as a rookie.
Cunningham is really going to help Saddiq Bey get more open looks, so he might be enough to push this lineup over the top offensively.
But I wouldn’t count on this being the opening night starting five.