Detroit Pistons: Did ESPN get the starting lineup right?
There’s a lot to like about this Pistons starting lineup
I would bet against seeing ESPN’s starting five on opening night next season, but it’s one we will likely see at some point and there is plenty to like about it.
Getting the future started now
The Pistons doubled down on their core when they didn’t go after a big free agent this Summer, so their future relies on Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson. So why not get it going right away? They’d still have veteran Bojan Bogdanovic to balance the youth a bit and would be a super athletic group that could get up and down the floor even with him out there. If Cade and Ivey’s shooting numbers improve like we think they can, this group should have plenty of shooting, a lob threat, facilitators and slashers. They can find ways to match up defensively and create mismatches on the other end. We all know Detroit is only going to go as far as this group takes them, so why waste time?
Why Jaden Ivey's shooting numbers are going to improve. light. Related Story
Ausar Thompson and Bojan Bogdanovic
One of the biggest issues the Detroit Pistons had last season was defending wings, mostly because Bojan Bogdanovic isn’t quick enough to stay in front of them and Saddiq Bey wasn’t much better. Hopefully those days are over now that the Pistons have Ausar Thompson, who should be a good wing defender right away. This allows Bojan to slide to the four, where he’ll be easier to hide defensively and can create some mismatches on the other end with bigger, slower guys trying to defend him.
Second unit shooting
The Pistons could bring as many as four good 3-point shooters off the bench in Morris, Burks, Harris and Livers, which will give Monty Williams a lot of options and ways to keep spacing on the floor at all times, even when there are two bigs.
This will keep the Pistons from trying to play MBIII or Wiseman at the four and keep them in their natural center positions behind Duren. They can stagger Cade and Ivey to keep one of them on the floor at all times, limit the 2-big lineups and always have shooting on the floor, an option that Dwane Casey didn’t have last season.
So it makes a lot of sense, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen, and does it really matter?