Shoot! Why can’t the Pistons shoot?
The Detroit Pistons made shooting a priority in the off-season, yet the team is even worse when it comes to making shots. What gives?
The fact the Pistons needed to improve their outside shooting was not lost on general manager Troy Weaver. Particularly with the loss of its best three-point shooter, Wayne Ellington, finding people who could hit an open jumper, let alone a three-pointer, were definitely needed.
So in came Kelly Olynyk and Trey Lyles as free agents, fine outside shooters in college like Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Livers were drafted, and players who were good from ‘3’ last season like Frank Jackson and Cory Joseph were brought back.
Problem solved? Heck no!
Problem worsened? So far, yes.
As of the morning of December 2, the Pistons were the worst shooting team in the entire NBA. They had been 24th in shooting percentage the year before; not exactly the Brooklyn Nets, but better than dead last.
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The three-point shooting, which Weaver made a concerted effort to bulk up, is even worse. The Pistons are not only last in three-point shooting percentage, but they are the only team making less than 30-percent of its attempts from three in the NBA.
Killian Hayes is not the Detroit Pistons problem
Ironically, one of the reasons Detroit was looking to add shooters was because they knew, barring injury, that second-year guard Killian Hayes would play a major role this season. The 6-foot-5 Frenchman can do a lot of things well, pass, play defense, but outside shooting is not suppose to be a strong point.
Guess who leads Detroit in three-point shooting percentage, not counting deep reserves? Killian Hayes at 34.9 percent.
It is not like Hayes suddenly turned into Damian Lillard. In terms of Effective Field Goal percentage, Hayes is 14th out of 15 players on a poor shooting Detroit squad.
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However, when left open, he can make a three-pointer a decent amount of the time. That skill, ordinary among most players on other NBA teams, makes Hayes like the JJ Redick in Detroit.
Problem: Shooters can not shoot
The main problem the Pistons have is that the players paid to shoot, are doing at below their career average. Basically, all the players counted upon to rain threes on opponents are only making a drizzle’s worth, is not something one could plan for.
Of course, the fact forward/center Kelly Olynyk is out with a sprained knee does not help. A career 36.5 percent three-point shooter, he was counted upon to help create space for others.
Even Trey Lyles, who has played pretty well, is not hitting like he has in the past. A career 34-percent shooter from beyond the arc, Lyles has made just 29-percent so far.
We can go through the others: Frank Jackson at 30.7% after making 40-percent last season, Jerami Grant sinking just 32.1-percent after hitting 35% from three the year before, Joseph is making just 30.8 percent from three after sinking a solid 36.8% when he arrived from Sacramento last year.
As for Cunningham, he made 40% of his threes in college, but, although he has warmed up lately, he still is at 27.4% from three in his rookie campaign. Due to injury, Livers is working his way back to shape for the G-League Cruise.
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With Olynyk, hopefully, returning in a few weeks, that will help. Also, if players return to their normal accuracy, Detroit’s outside shooting should improve as the season goes along.
Most players do not suffer an 82-game slump. The Pistons offense is counting on players to snap out of it, and start snapping their wrists to make some shots into the basket.