Detroit Pistons: 5 worst duos in franchise history

5 worst duos in Detroit Pistons’ history

#3: Rodney Stuckey and Amir Johnson

Let’s face it: championship acts are tough to follow. Whenever a great era for a franchise finally comes to an end, the immediate aftermath is always brutal. Going from the top to the bottom is so often a precipitously fast fall. In the sports world, it sometimes comes with the sale of a bill of goods. That’s what we got in both Rodney Stuckey and Amir Johnson, both of whom the hyperbole around was sometimes off the charts. Stuckey being compared to Chauncey Billups was unrealistic enough, but the occasional comp to Dwyane Wade was flat out unfair. Stuckey spent seven seasons in Detroit, which is rather stunning in retrospect, but he never came close to matching the success of his predecessor Mr. Big Shot.

Johnson’s stay with the Pistons lasted only four seasons, in which he played just 135 games, averaging just 13 minutes per game. He ended up having a 14 year career, and you have to have some game in order to do that (size helps as well). Stuckey managed to hang around for ten seasons, which is also a solid achievement. They both made plenty of money and deserve respect for their longevity at least. It’s just unfortunate that they were cast as replacements for franchise stalwarts, impossible roles for nearly anyone to succeed in.