Detroit Pistons: 6 players with upside for the open roster spot

Detroit Pistons: Options for the open roster spot

Jared Butler

Butler is a guy I really liked coming out of Butler, as he is a high IQ player who makes winning plays and won a National Championship. But he’s not done much in the NBA since being drafted in the second round in 2021. He’s a bit of a tweener who is probably too small to play the wing and not quick enough to be a point guard, which is one of the reasons he has had a hard time getting on the court. But he was an accurate, high-volume 3-point shooter in college who was known as a smart on-the-ball defender, so he has late bloomer written all over him. He’s still only 22-years-old, so might be worth a look for the Detroit Pistons.

Stanley Johnson

Oh why the hell not? Stanley Johnson has bounced around since being chosen 8th by the Detroit Pistons way back in the 2015 Draft, but he is still somehow just 26-years-old. He’s not one of the all-time draft busts for the Pistons, but he is close after showing so much promise as a rookie when he was just 19-years-old. I’m actually shocked that no one has picked up the Stanimal yet, as he had a good run with the Spurs this season, shooting 45 percent from long range (on low volume) and playing his normally solid defense. He’s big, athletic and can defend, so he’s not likely to be in the G-League long. His return would be a chance for the Pistons to get something from that draft pick so long ago and I am sure fans would welcome him back with open arms, as he was a very popular player even though he never did much in Detroit.