Detroit Pistons: 1 spot left for training camp, who gets it?

2. Run it back with Dennis Smith Jr.

Pistons general manager Troy Weaver did say he wanted to bring back most of last year’s team. Filling the 20th roster spot with Dennis Smith Jr. certainly would help that objective.

Smith came over in the Derrick Rose trade. He had some nice moments for Detroit, averaging 7.3 points, 3.7 assists (to just 1.3 turnovers) and starting nine of the 20 games he played in, before a leg injury prematurely ended his season.

Because he was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Detroit would have had to offer him a big qualifying offer sheet to retain his rights. The Pistons declined to make the offer and Smith became an unrestricted free agent.

Most Pistons fans know his story.

The 6-foot-2 Smith had some good early seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, even making the All-Rookie team. He then got traded to the Knicks as part of the Kristaps Porzingus deal and faded from there. At the time of the trade, Smith was packing to play for the Knicks’ G-League team in Orlando, at his request, just to get some playing time.

Smith would bring some additional athletic ability to the guard position.. Outside of Saben Lee, no one in the current guard lineup is what could be called an elite athlete.

The factor against Smith is his shooting. He is only a career 31.6-percent shooter on three-pointers, although he upped it to 35.6% during his stay in Detroit, so there is hope.

Based on what he showed last year in Detroit, it certainly would not hurt to give Smith another look thru training camp and the exhibition season.

No. 1 Anthony Tarke gives you everything

Your first thought might be: Who the heck is Anthony Tarke?

The answer is, if you watched the last couple of Pistons summer league games, you might know.

Tarke is a 6-foot-6 guard out of Coppin State who was the Mid-Eastern Conference Player of the Year, as well as its Defensive Player of the Year.

He is a shooting guard who rebounds well for his size. With most of the Pistons top players sitting out the end of summer league, Tarke had a chance to shine against the Los Angeles Lakers. He filled the stat sheet with 10 points (making 5 of 6 shots), four rebounds, three blocks, two assists and a steal.

Here he is in action:

Tarke is a native of the suburban Washington D.C. area, having gone to Gaithersburg High School. Weaver is also from that area, which doesn’t hurt.

While a rookie, Tarke is no kid. He is 23-years-old, having done a year of prep school, followed by two years at NJIT and one at Texas-El Paso before playing his senior year closer to home at Coppin State.

He bloomed with the Eagles as he was the only player in the nation to average at least 16 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals, according to the college.

Tarke has NBA size at 6-foot-6, 220-pounds. He plays guard but, with 8.3 rebounds last season, has shown he can help on the boards as well, so he can slide to small forward as well.

His one weakness, of course, is outside shooting. He only made 32.1-percent of his three-point attempts last season, probably a reason he did not get drafted.

Besides the main club, the Pistons also have to field a roster for their new G-League team based at Wayne State, the Motor City Cruise.

Tarke could use time with the Cruise to work on his outside shot. He is mature enough to be able handle the rigors of pro basketball but young enough where he is still prospect and can raise his game.

Tarke can score, rebound, pass and play solid defense. If  Troy Weaver prefers filling the last spot with a prospect who could help the Cruise now, and maybe the Pistons later, Tarke would seem to be the one.