If the last three games have taught us anything about the Detroit Pistons, it’s that they aren’t there yet.
They’ve been frisky, and certainly improved, but there is still a big talent gap between them and the elite teams, as we’ve seen in the last two blowouts.
The Pistons play with a talent deficiency at three positions on most nights and depending on how Jaden Ivey is playing, it could be four.
But none stand out as much as small forward, where the Pistons have long been trying to find an answer for arguably the league’s most important position.
Tim Hardaway Jr. is the worst starting small forward in the NBA
THJ has been slightly better than expected this season, but he’s still a one-trick pony who offers nothing if his 3-point shot isn’t falling. He’s averaging just 9.7 points, 1.6 assists and 1.9 rebounds per game, which are not numbers you can live with from your starting wing.
He’s shooting 40 percent from the floor and just 35 percent from 3-point range, so it’s long past time he heads to the bench.
THJ ranks 34th among small forwards in PER and isn’t in the top 40 in scoring, so there are plenty of bench wings providing more than Hardaway Jr. By most measures, he’s the worst starting small forward in the NBA.
The good news is that the Pistons may have the answer on the roster already.
It’s time to unleash Ausar Thompson
Thompson is getting more rebounds and assists than THJ in just over half as many minutes so far since returning from blood clots. Thompson clearly isn’t at 100 percent yet and the Pistons are being cautious with his minutes.
Thompson changes the game every time he enters with his defense, energy and rebounding, but he is also showing signs of being the secondary playmaker the Pistons lack.
He has to tighten up his handles, as he’s still sloppy with the ball in traffic, but he can get to the paint and create, which we’ve already seen several times in limited action.
Thompson is never going to be the 3-point threat that THJ is but he’s hitting 33 percent in his run so far, a promising sign that he can at least be around league average.
As Thompson ramps up to his regular minutes, I expect him to be in the starting five and for THJ to take a spot off the bench, where his limited repertoire will be more effective.
The Pistons continue to get off to slow starts, which JB Bickerstaff mentioned after last night’s loss to the Celtics, so it’s time for a change in the starting five to try and fix that issue.
I’d also point to rookie Ron Holland II as a player who has earned more minutes, as he plays hard every time he steps on the floor. If the Pistons are truly trying to build a defensive identity, then I’d love to see more of the guys who are actually playing it, regardless of their shooting numbers.
If the small forward the Pistons have sought for over a decade is on the roster, it’s time to find out, as they spent two #5 draft picks on the position and are sitting them behind a guy who probably won’t be on the team past the trade deadline.