Detroit Pistons: Victor Wembanyama does have weaknesses

Detroit Pistons: Victor Wembanyama’s strengths and weaknesses

How Victor Wembanyama fits on the Detroit Pistons

So this is the most interesting component of this whole matter, right? We’ve been watching the reconstruction of our beloved Detroit Pistons, eagerly awaiting FDA approval of an over-the-counter hypnotic that would make us forget about the last ten years – or in lieu of that – competitive basketball. We were hopeful that we’d begin to see that this season, prior to Cade Cunningham’s season-ending surgery. When it became apparent that Cade wouldn’t be coming back and that we’d Fade-for-Wembanyama, masters of the tank as we are, we found hope in the emergence of Jalen Duren.

Troy Weaver’s first draft class ran four players deep (one of which, Saben Lee, is the odd man out regarding what comes next) and quickly found himself with a trio of players worthy of auditioning to be foundational pieces for the talent bereft franchise. Two of those three players are now regarded as potentially being solid parts of the rotation in Isaiah Stewart and Killian Hayes, while the third, Saddiq Bey, is likely now held in a similar regard in Atlanta.

Entering this season, a new trio was beginning to emerge in Cade Cunningham, who was beginning his sophomore campaign, and rookies Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren. Duren was the one who quickly began exceeding expectations. In his first game he was the first big off the bench and tallied 14 points and 10 boards, taking advantage of the playing time afforded him by a Marvin Bagley injury. Duren spent the season ranking among the league’s best rookies, which made it that much more surprising when Weaver flipped Bey for Warriors center and former #2 overall pick James Wiseman. Wiseman’s addition to the roster confused fans and muddied projections, while also making many fans opine about the general manager’s infatuation with centers.

Experimentation with both Wiseman and Duren in the lineup was difficult to track. Usually, Wiseman started and Duren came off the bench, but they started alongside each other in the last five games. How valuable that data is, given how inexperienced each one of them still is and how badly the team played in general, is questionable.

All of that is to set the stage for the analyzation of how Wembanyama would fit with the Detroit Pistons. Even if Weaver currently prefers Wiseman to Duren, and intends to try to prioritize the former over the latter, that would seemingly change with the arrival of Wembanyama, whose skillset resembles Wiseman’s more than Duren’s, making the deadline acquisition expendable and a sure bet to be dealt again. Duren and Wembanyama, on the other hand, might be a beautiful fit together, at least early in their careers. Duren is built to bang, as is teammate Isaiah Stewart who could also help alleviate some of the responsibilities typical given to “centers.” And again, Stewart has a developing outside shot but the same can’t be said of Duren, so Wembanyama’s range would prevent the floor-spacing issues that are unavoidable with the Wiseman/Duren pairing.

A starting five of Cunningham, Ivey, a free-agent wing, Wembanyama and Duren looks really good on paper. The pick and roll potential with that team is sky high, and will be criminal if and when the majority of them are reliable from range. Defensively, they have the length that Weaver wants. It should be a good rebounding unit. The old guard of Hayes and Stewart looks even better coming off the bench and dispersing into this group.

Whether or not Wembanyama is the next Zion Williamson or LeBron James, he’s going to help whatever team he goes to. The Pistons, who are still in the talent acquisition phase would have no hiccups bringing him into the fold. They might be able to flip Wiseman for, oddly enough, a Bey-like talent (but maybe more talented) that would fit the team better. Wiseman wasn’t here long but he flashed more in Detroit than he did Golden State, with nearly 13 points and 8 rebounds in 25 minutes a game. There would be good reason to be excited should Detroit win this lottery.