The Detroit Pistons had to change their plans to sign Malik Beasley to a lucrative deal last summer, instead pivoting to Duncan Robinson, who has quietly been one of the league’s most important additions.
Beasley was a revelation last season when he was second in made 3-pointers in the NBA off the Pistons’ bench, but a gambling investigation ruined any chance of running it back even though there was mutual interest in a reunion.
A large swath of fans was displeased with the swap for Robinson, who was seen as a downgrade, mostly because fans only focused on 3-point shooting.
Beasley was the best volume 3-point shooter in the NBA last season, so those were always going to be hard shoes to fill, but Robinson has proven he is more and has actually been an upgrade when you look at the total package.
Duncan Robinson is better than Malik Beasley, but playoffs will be the test
When the Pistons signed Robinson fans were disappointed, but it had less to do with Robinson and more to do with Beasley being a fan favorite who won over Detroit with his shooting and shimmy.
But Beasley was a one-trick pony whose only job was to run off screens and shoot 3-point shots. Whenever Beasley had to put the ball on the floor or take a shot inside the 3-point line, it usually ended in disaster.
Beasley shot just 46 percent from 2-point range and averaged a turnover per game even though he was rarely asked to dribble.
Robinson by comparison is averaging fewer points per game than Beasley did, but he’s doing it far more efficiently, shooting 59 percent from inside the 3-point line and showing the ability to attack aggressive close outs and finish in the lane, something Beasley rarely did.
When Robinson doesn’t have a shot or drive, he keeps the ball moving and is scoring 12 a game on just a 15 percent usage, lowest since his rookie season, while Beasley had 22 percent usage, and that was off the bench.
Cade Cunningham noticed and said of his teammate, “He’s been the best movement shooter since he’s been in the league. Somebody that just moves so well, so freely, and he has a lot of gravity as far as when he’s coming off a screen, guys know they have to come out to him, so he’s able to make a lot of plays out of that. He’s good off the bounce too. He can drive, close-outs and everything and really make you pay, so just a really good player, a high IQ player that we’re lucky to have.”
There has been some negative focus on Robinson’s defense, but he has more than doubled Beasley’s defensive win shares, has a better defensive rating and Robinson is a part of nearly all of the Pistons’ best defensive lineups, so he hasn’t killed Detroit.
The true test will be in the playoffs, as teams are going to target Robinson, who isn’t going to win many one-on-one battles, but he’s at least a smart team defender with size who can bother shots. Only time will tell if he’ll be a liability when the games slow down.
Robinson has been a sneaky-good upgrade for the Pistons so far, but the playoffs will ultimately decide the narrative.