The numbers show the Detroit Pistons’ bench is a disaster

Detroit Pistons’ bench: The wings and bigs are even worse

Josh Jackson

I do think that Jackson could help a team, just not this one. If the Pistons were loaded with shooters, then I would probably love Jackson coming off the bench as a defense/energy guy, but they are not. He will almost certainly be traded before the deadline.

That hurts, as I really wanted JJ to figure it out, as he loves Detroit and wants to be there. He’s just not a fit on a bad team. His ultimate role will be a defensive stopper off a good team’s bench.

Luka Garza

I don’t want to badmouth Garza too much, as he’s a 2nd-round rookie and the fact that he is even getting minutes shows you just how bad this bench really is. I love Luka’s hustle and work, but man is he slow. He’s one of the few pro athletes I think I could beat in a sprint, and I am in slightly less than peak human form (being kind to myself there).

Garza has a future as a 3rd big who can stretch the floor, but should be in the G-League working right now, not in the NBA.

Trey Lyles

Whoo, boy, do I ever hate watching this guy play basketball. I now understand why he’s been on a new team pretty much every year of his career. He’s a “stretch” who can’t shoot and watching him try to drive is actually physically painful for me. I have to turn away for fear of injuring my soul.

Oh, he can’t defend either, so there’s that.

All you can do is laugh at this point, as the Detroit Pistons are rebuilding and we knew this was going to be a long-term project, not a short one. At least it is clear that the Pistons need far more quality depth and at least none of these guys are on bad contracts.

By the time the Pistons are good, most of these guys won’t be on the team (or even in the league in some cases) so I don’t want to be too negative, but right now this bench is hard to watch and I am pretty much just waiting for Cade Cunningham to come back into the game.