Detroit Pistons: Player grades at the All-Star break
No, it’s not the halfway point – but it is the post-All-Star-break segment of the season, and with 59 games in the books it’s a good opportunity to look at how the Detroit Pistons have played to date and give out some grades. I did so with a bit of a sliding scale, grading each player in a vacuum. My expectations for veterans were different than they were for younger players. I tried to assess how each player was measuring to their ideal role with the Pistons, and then grade accordingly. I tried not to be soft on anyone, nor severe. I tried to be fair. And I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below.
Adding Wiseman makes Weaver's offseason mission clear. light. Related Story
Detroit Pistons: Player grades at the All-Star break
Nerlens Noel – F
Maybe it’s not all his fault. Maybe his foot, his knee, his groin, or his cumbersome contract is to blame. Perhaps the presence of Marvin Bagley III, Isaiah Stewart, Jalen Duren and now James Wiseman are the chief reasons why. Whatever the cause, Nerlens Noel’s season in Detroit will be a forgettable one. As a matter of fact, now that he’s staying home for “personal reasons,” it already is. Debating whether he played badly or if he just didn’t play very much at all is besides the point. Whether on the court, on the bench, or now, on hiatus, Noel gave us nothing. We’re in the Motorcade Era, and in it, Noel is no Piston.
Rodney McGruder – D+
Rodney McGruder is one of the more reliable 3-point shooters that we have on the Detroit Pistons, but he doesn’t do enough elsewhere to earn meaningful minutes. He’s had chances; he’s been in The D since 2020, but he can’t crack the rotation and solidify himself as a bonafide winner in the NBA. For his sake, he will hopefully have an opportunity to do so somewhere else next season. A fresh start may do him some good. I really hate to be hard on anyone, but unfortunately, McGruder has just been a body. He’s replaceable.