Do Pistons have problem if Jalen Duren keeps playing well?
Jalen Duren deserves to play but does the math add up?
Five players getting a good amount of playing time being stuffed into just two positions will make coach Dwane Casey’s hair turn grey.
Simple math: There is a combined 96 minutes available in a game at power forward and center. If all five played equally, that is 19 minutes a game for each player. But this is not biddy-ball, it’s the pros, and everyone does not get a turn.
Bagley and Olynyk are the highest-paid players on the team. Stewart is a returning starter and the Knicks came in fourth in the East two years ago when Noel was healthy enough to be a starter. Assuming they play at their normal levels, who do you sit?
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Where the heck can you cram in minutes for Duren?
But, if Duren is looking like he can play NBA minutes right now, and more than hold his own, how do you not play him? If the season is about development, some deserving vets are going to have to be benched.
For a team that went 23-59 last season to have too many good players at any position is a positive.
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The better Jalen Duren looks (and into training camp and pre-season) the more he will force the Pistons to change their plans for the middle. It is a good, but possibly messy, thing to occur.