The Detroit Pistons were already thin at power forward before Tobias Harris hurt his ankle, so fans were wondering if we might get a glimpse of second year forward Bobi Klintman, but that looks unlikely after a recent signing.
The Pistons claimed power forward/center Isaac Jones off waivers, a surprising move given that many held out hope they were keeping that spot open for Malik Beasley.
I don’t think the two things are in anyway connected, as Jones is very likely on a non-guaranteed deal and can be waived again at any time if the Pistons need a roster spot for Beasley.
If anyone should be worried, it’s Bobi Klintman, as this couldn’t have been a big vote of confidence for him.
Detroit Pistons roster: Did Bobi Klintman and Tolu Smith get passed over?
It makes sense that the Pistons might sign some big-man depth If Tobias Harris is expected to miss some time, and Jones is an interesting defensive prospect with a huge 7-foot-3 wingspan that allows him to defend multiple positions.
Jones isn’t likely to play much if at all, and it may not be true that he’s ahead of Klintman and Smith on the depth chart, but it’s not a great sign for those guys.
Even if the Pistons thought they might need some bodies with Harris out, why not just go to Klintman or Smith for spot minutes? If they had confidence in these players, it seems like they would.
But Klintman still hasn’t gotten off the bench, even with all of the injuries, and the Pistons seem perfectly comfortable using Isaiah Stewart with Ron Holland and Paul Reed backing him up until Harris returns.
This would be an ideal time for one of these young players to get some reps, but they now have even more competition in Jones, who is older, has more NBA experience and is a better defender than either of the young Pistons currently on the roster.
We know coach JB Bickerstaff is going to play defense first, which may not bode well for Klintman, who has some real question marks on that end. He may not be long for Detroit if he can’t get any run now, as he is buried on a depth chart behind more experienced players.
The Pistons haven’t hit on a second-round pick in a long time, something that can provide a real advantage on the cap sheet, and if this Jones signing is an indication, Klintman may not break the streak.