There are real concerns about the Detroit Pistons’ shooting after they lost both Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. this offseason. The Pistons couldn't control what happened with Beasley, but they might end up regretting not bringing back Hardaway Jr. on a minimum deal.
We know about Beasley’s historic season, but THJ was also steady, and the two of them combined to make nearly half of the Pistons’ total 3-point shots last season.
Even with the two of them accounting for so many 3’s and a record-breaking season from Beasley, the Pistons were still below average as a team, something pointed out on a recent episode of The Game Theory podcast.
If they weren’t good before, and lost their two best shooters, then the Pistons’ lack of 3-point shooting might be their biggest concern heading into next season.
Duncan Robinson will replace some of that shooting and spacing, but he is just one guy, and what would happen if he got hurt?
The Pistons won’t have a Tim Hardaway Jr. there to fall back on, and his replacement, Caris LeVert is not the same kind of threat from long range.
Given that THJ signed for the veteran’s minimum, the Pistons may end up regretting not bringing him back. He wasn’t incredible last season, but he was solid, and they will have to get that production from somewhere to even be league average as a team.
Detroit Pistons: Can Caris LeVert step up as a shooter?
LeVert isn’t a terrible shooter by any means, but he certainly doesn’t have the kind of reputation that THJ and Beasley have as guys you can’t leave alone on the perimeter.
LeVert is far superior playmaker and can get points in a larger variety of ways than either Beasley or THJ but isn’t going to scare defenses in the same way, though he did hit 37 percent on 4.4 attempts per game overall last season.
In his best season, LeVert did hit 39 percent, so he’s a capable 3-point shooter, but the question is whether he can get back to that level while ratcheting up his attempts slightly. LeVert has also averaged four assists per game over his career, so he’s not just a guy who stands there and shoots like THJ.
Will LeVert’s better all-around game be enough to replace THJ’s shooting? We shall see. What we know for sure is that the Pistons could have just brought THJ back for $3 million and made this point moot while giving themselves some insurance against injury.
There is also still a chance they bring Beasley back, though they can’t count on that until they see the results of multiple investigations for gambling.
The lack of shooting should be concerning to the Pistons, as it was a problem last season and they might be worse.