Pistons revamped depth chart shows Trajan Langdon acing what he does best

The Detroit Pistons’ depth chart is fluctuating by the day, as the Pistons continue to add role players to the roster. 

All of their additions so far fit a theme, which is that are all players that can shoot the 3-ball, which was a big need coming into the offseason. 

After trading for Taurean Prince and Gary Harris in a complicated deal, the Pistons have added four players who shot over 40 percent from 3-point range last season. 

Even if the Pistons don’t ultimately keep Harris, Prince fills a valuable backup power forward role and gives them a guy who is deadly from the corner. 

Isaiah Joe gives them another elite shooting option, so the Pistons should benefit from increased space, which should have a ripple effect on their ball handling and turnovers. 

All of the players the Pistons have added are on favorable deals that will be easy to move and potentially aggregate in a big trade in the future, so the Pistons have addressed a major need while keeping their financial flexibility and core intact. 

Trajan Langdon continues to win on the fringes when it comes to role players, and it has led to a deep roster. 

Pistons depth chart has a lot of options

The roster will likely change between now and the start of the season, so this is all tentative of course and could be different by the time I finish this sentence. But for now, the Pistons have a roster deep in role players and shooting around their core. 

-Cade Cunningham/Daniss Jenkins/Ebuka Okorie 

-Duncan Robinson/Isaiah Joe/Kevin Huerter 

-Ausar Thompson/Ron Holland II/Javonte Green 

-John Collins/Taurean Prince 

-Jalen Duren (pending)/Paul Reed/Tolu Smith 

Not all of these players will be in the rotation full time, but JB Bickerstaff will have no shortage of options depending on what else happens in the offseason. 

Coach Bickerstaff can keep shooters around Cade Cunningham at all times, which is an option he didn’t have last season.  

The team is deep and has quality role players on team-friendly deals, but is it enough? 

We know Trajan Langdon can win on the fringes, but is there more? 

If the Pistons use their remaining space under the tax to sign Duren, then this offseason may be over unless a big deal springs out of nowhere. That could happen, but I am not holding my breath at this point. 

Langdon has been masterful at finding value role players and winning on the fringe deals, which is crucial under the new CBA where every penny matters. But he has yet to put a signature stamp on the team with a franchise-altering move. 

And maybe he doesn’t need to. He’s taken a 14-win team to 60 wins in two seasons by adding the right role players around Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren, and it’s possible he found the right combination without sacrificing anything. 

The Pistons haven’t made the big move that was widely anticipated, but they have made smart moves, quietly addressed needs and are still equipped to swing when the time comes. 

That's all great, but this still doesn't scream "championship roster" which is now the standard on which Trajan Langdon will be judged.

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