Detroit Pistons: Projecting 3 situational lineups for 2021-22
As the 2021-22 NBA regular season slowly approaches, the Detroit Pistons head coach Dwane Casey will have a lot to sort out with his rotations.
The former NBA Coach of the Year winner is entering his fourth season as the head coach in Detroit. Unlike last season, Casey is entering this year with much more familiarity with his roster.
The head coach only had four holdovers from the 2019-20 season when last season began. Of those four, Blake Griffin, Derrick Rose, and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk were all traded away or bought out midseason. Only Sekou Doumbouya remains from two seasons ago, and even he appears to be on borrowed time.
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With the recent contract extension for Hamidou Diallo, Casey has 12 holdovers from last year’s roster heading into the upcoming season.
Detroit Pistons: Starting lineups and closers
With much more roster continuity heading into the 2020-21 season, Casey will be able to diagnose rotational minutes and lineups much easier and quicker than he did last season. The veteran coach has coached most of this year’s roster already and he has a good understanding of their strengths, weaknesses, and situational benefits.
As Casey sorts out his rotations, the Starting, bench, and closing lineups will all come into focus early on in the season. The only real question concerning the starting and closing lineups is whether sophomore guard Killian Hayes will fit into either.
The starting and closing lineups will most likely be comprised of the first overall pick, Cade Cunningham, and either Hayes, Frank Jackson, or Hamidou Diallo joining him in the backcourt. Second-year wing Saddiq Bey will pair with last season’s MIP finalist Jerami Grant as a forward duo, and young defensive stud Isaiah Stewart will round out the lineup as the team’s center.
The bench unit will likely unfold based on which remaining players are having hot and cold stretches throughout the season.
Throughout the course of the game, Casey will not be able to strictly follow a starting, bench unit, and closing lineup structure. Situational moments in the game will require the coach to get creative and throw out other lineups as well.
Here are three potential situational lineups Casey could utilize next season.