Detroit Pistons: Optimistic predictions for the veteran leaders revisited
Kelly Olynyk
The prediction: Kelly Olynyk will hit more than 40 percent of his 3-point shots, lead the bench in scoring and finish top-5 for the Most Improved Player award.
The reality: An early injury cost Olynyk any chance of reaching these optimistic goals. He’s only hit 29 percent of his 3-point shots this season, though he hasn’t yet had a chance to really get into a rhythm nor build chemistry with the young guards. This season has been pretty disappointing for Olynyk, who was the Pistons’ big offseason acquisition but has yet to make much of an impact.
Jerami Grant
The prediction: Grant will make his first All-Star team as a power forward in the Eastern Conference. He will not be traded for Ben Simmons.
The reality: Grant was also robbed of most of his season by an injury, so he never got a chance to make his bid for the All-Star game. He was once again putting up fringe All-Star numbers before his injury but has only played in 33 games so far this season. The big question now is whether Grant can adjust his game to better fit the young core. If not, he might be playing his last 24 games as a Piston. He was not, in fact, traded for Ben Simmons, so at least that part was right.