How Marvin Bagley lll will thrive in the Detroit Pistons’ offense

The NBA trade deadline is officially over. Fans of the Detroit Pistons were on pins and needles as rumors leading up to the deadline were swirling. When the dust settled they had made a four team trade involving multiple players and draft picks.

Here’s a look at the trade below.

The franchise needed to add size and athleticism to a lackluster front court. The glaring need for a lob threat in the pick-and-roll was addressed by adding center Marvin Bagley lll. He’s a 6-foot-11, 235 lbs 22-year-old averaging 9.3 points and 7.2 rebounds. He fits the timeline of the other key players in the restoration and his size and touch around the basket should be a welcome addition.

But how will he fit in Dwane Casey’s offense? We’ll look at things like dribble handoffs, pick-and-roll, and grab and go rebounding. These are vital to what the Detroit Pistons do offensively, and are staples to most NBA teams.

It looks as though he’ll bring skill in some of these areas if not all of them, providing valuable minutes as a big. Now let’s break down how he can contribute in these situations on the court.

Detroit Pistons: Marvin Bagley III in the pick-and-roll

Marvin is a hyper athletic big at 6-foot-11 with good hands allowing him to finish in traffic. He often converts emphatic dunks with ease in these situations. He’ll make things a lot easier for the guards as they probe to find gaps in the pick-and-roll action, something these young guards desperately need to expand their games.

His above the rim play will give defenses something to think about. He has excellent touch shooting at 70 percent for his career within three feet of the basket. The issue has been not enough touches in those situations only accounting for 28 percent of his shot attempts. Finding Bagley lll in this area on the floor will be a recipe for success creating easy assists for the facilitator.

There’s a lot that takes place in a pick-and-roll set and slipping screens is another easy way to get open. When the defense is over-pursuing the action, the screener can avoid the screens altogether, opting to sprint to the front of the basket freeing himself in the process. This is something Bagley excelled at, using his quickness to create passing lanes over the top of the defenses. Making reads like this allowed him score 66.2 percent of his points in the paint.

This forces teams to play the action honest giving his guards room to operate instead of facing blitzes when he’s involved in the play. The Detroit Pistons young roster will benefit tremendously from this newfound wrinkle within the offense. Look for the guards’ efficiency to go up, as a lob threat will change the dynamics of this team moving forward.