3 most underrated Detroit Pistons on the roster
The Detroit Pistons didn’t make free-agent headlines this offseason, but instead used their cap space on two veterans on expiring deals.
The lack of splash is the primary reason some pundits aren’t showing the Pistons much love in their predictions for next season.
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And they might be right.
Detroit still has a very young roster with a lot of questions around it, namely how new head coach Monty Williams is going to use his surplus of guards and centers, how much impact newcomers Joe Harris, Monte Morris, Ausar Thompson and Marcus Sasser can make and what exactly we can expect from a stronger and healthy Cade Cunningham.
But they also have a few players flying under the radar of the national media who could have a huge impact on the Detroit Pistons next season.
3 most underrated Detroit Pistons on the roster
Monte Morris
After years of watching the Detroit Pistons use filler veterans like Corey Joseph and Rodney McGruder in the backup guard spots, Detroit finally has a good one in Monte Morris.
It’s assumed that Morris will be the primary backup point guard with the second unit, which should excite fans, as this is a guy who has recently been a full-time starter on good teams.
He helped lead the Denver Nuggets to 48 wins as the starting point guard before being traded to the Washington Wizards, where he started all but one game last season.
His counting numbers don’t jump off the page, but this is a guy who has career shooting numbers of 48 percent from the field, 39 percent from three-point range and 83 percent from the line, putting him just outside of the illustrious 50/40/90 club.
He also has a lifetime 4/.08 assist-to-turnover ratio, so this is a solid guard who can shoot and take care of the ball, something the Pistons sorely lacked. He could have the kind of impact that Ricky Rubio had for Monty Williams in his first season with the Suns, but he’s largely been overlooked by those outside of Detroit and even within it.
He’s more than just the stop-gap veterans we are used to and will not only give the Detroit Pistons a solid veteran leader but a guy who can step up in case of injuries, putting them in a much better position than they have been the last four seasons.