The Pistons were able to share the wealth and get their guys going in a blowout win over the Hornets on Monday night, but rookie Ebuka Okorie wasn't really included. Okorie saw just 6 minutes of playing time, even though the Pistons were up by 23 heading into the fourth quarter. If Detroit wants him to grow into a playoff contributor this season, he'll need some more minutes in easy victories.
Okorie needs a chance to develop
Unsurprisingly, Okorie found it difficult to develop a rhythm and finished the game shooting 2-of-7 from the field for 4 points, but also added 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. Okorie flashed a lot of potential as a dazzling shot creator in the preseason, but hasn't gotten many opportunities to showcase his skills in the regular season so far. If he comes along, he could eventually help the Pistons offense reach a new and improved form.
However, Okorie has only appeared in 4 of the Pistons' 7 games so far and averaged 3.5 minutes per appearance. That's not enough time for any player to develop a rhythm, let alone a 19-year-old rookie. It was understandable to keep Okorie out of tight contests against conference rivals like the Celtics, but he should've gotten more run in recent blowout wins over the Hornets and Nets.
The Pistons have an obligation to develop Okorie as much as reasonably possible this season, if they hope for him to factor into the playoff picture for them. Considering that they gave up a beloved fan favorite in Isaiah Stewart to move up 5 spots in the draft and select them, the Pistons must have high hopes for Okorie. But his development won't come overnight without the proper reps to get him acclimated.
The Pistons should take advantage of blowouts
Detroit's defense often leads to blowouts against bad teams by forcing turnovers and completely shutting off an opposing offense. They went on a 39-10 run in Charlotte that last practically a full quarter from 4:39 left in the third until 5:00 left in the fourth. When the team has that level of momentum going against an inferior team and has already built a big lead, their promising prospects should get on the court.
Last season, the Pistons didn't have any rookie or even second-year players with the same talent as Okorie. His quickness and handle can already be elite if he gets comfortable in the NBA. Considering his youth, each bit of experience now will have exponential payoff for his eventual development. So the Pistons need to start throwing some minutes his way when the score gets out of hand, rather than holding him back on the bench.
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