Which Pistons’ big men will thrive or be doomed under Monty Williams?

Detroit Pistons: James Wiseman and Marvin Bagley III under Monty Williams

While Stewart and Duren should thrive under Monty Williams, James Wiseman and Marvin Bagley III might be doomed to the bench or the trade block, as neither really fit what he wants to do.

Both Wiseman and Bagley III are more traditional centers who like to work in the post and often take a LONG time to do it. I can’t tell you how many times I screamed “PASS THE BALL” watching these two last season.

They both can be black holes from which the ball does not return, something that Williams won’t tolerate.

Another thing he won’t tolerate is lack of effort on defense. Neither Wiseman nor Bagley III are good defenders, which is criminal considering how big and athletic they are. Both guys could be elite rim protectors, but so far neither of them have even averaged a block per game for their career.

Defensive rebounding is also a big part of closing out possessions and neither of these players are very good at it. While you’ll see Wiseman and MBIII going all out on the offensive boards when there is a chance to get an easy bucket, the effort on the defensive side isn’t always there.

Wiseman averaged just 5.8 defensive rebounds per game last season and MBIII just 4.2 per game.

It’s possible that getting a coach like Williams is exactly what these two need to light a fire under them, but it’s also possible that their shortcomings will lead them to the bench or to other teams.