The Detroit Pistons have five different players on the roster who will get some time at center next season.
They have upgraded their size, rim protection and athleticism, so we should expect more from this group than we got last season when the Pistons were mostly undersized and undermanned at the position.
Detroit now has veterans Nerlens Noel and Kelly Olynyk to go along with rookie Jalen Duren and the returning duo of Marvin Bagley III and Isaiah Stewart.
MBIII, Stewart and Olynyk will also see some time at power forward in certain lineups, but all five of these players will also be tasked with patrolling the paint at times.
Here are some important over/unders for each guy to hit next season to maximize the Detroit Pistons’ potential at the center position.
Detroit Pistons: Important over/unders for the centers
Kelly Olynyk: +/- 40 percent from 3-point range
Olynyk was hurt most of last season and only played 40 games. When he was in there, he didn’t do much, as he put up the worst numbers of his career from behind the 3-point line, which is supposed to be his area of expertise. Olynyk has hit over 40 percent from long range twice in his career, and will be in a good position to do so again with Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey getting a lot of attention from defenses and a good pick-and-roll guard in Killian Hayes to work with in the second unit.
If he does, expect Olynyk to be a hot commodity at the trade deadline.
Nerlens Noel: +/- 1.5 blocks per game
Noel is not going to play big minutes for the Detroit Pistons next season, as he has only averaged around 22 minutes per game for his career. What’s important is what he does with those minutes, as the Pistons brought him in to be a rim protector, something they lacked last season. Noel has been at or over 1.5 blocks per game four times in his career, including 2020-21, when he blocked over two per game for the Knicks. He’s also averaged over a steal per game in his career, which are the two ways he can help shore up the Pistons’ interior defense next season.