The Detroit Pistons finished last season 16 games under .500 and missed the playoffs by 10 games. The rebuilding project that has tested fans’ patience in the Motor City looks set to last through at least 2012-13, but there are some reasons for optimism — possibly even reasons that Detroit could contend for a playoff spot this season.
The march back to respectability begins Tuesday, as the Pistons open training camp. The preseason opens for Detroit on Oct. 10 with a visit from the Toronto Raptors.
How does the roster shape up heading into camp? Here’s a breakdown by positions:
Guards (Brandon Knight, Rodney Stuckey, Will Bynum, Kim English, Terrence Williams, Jonny Flynn)
The starting backcourt is set: Knight at PG with Stuckey at SG. What happens behind that duo will be interesting to watch.
The wild cards here are Williams and Flynn, two players with NBA experience that the Pistons brought in on training-camp contracts. Williams, the 11th pick in the 2009 draft, has struggled to carve out playing time on three separate rosters, though he did average nearly nine points per game for the Kings last season. Flynn, picked No. 6 in that ’09 draft, had a sensational rookie season in Minnesota but has flopped in two seasons since.
The Pistons are at a full roster of 15, so Flynn or Williams making the roster would require Detroit to cut or trade one of the other players listed. Flynn will be fighting for a backup PG role, with Bynum in good shape to take some minutes there; Williams, 6-foot-6, is more of a swingman, of which Detroit has a ton — he may have the higher upside, though.
The Pistons also really like the shooting ability of English, one of their two second-round picks this year. It’d be hard to part with him to make room for Williams or Flynn, but he could be an odd man out if one of those two players wows the staff.
Forwards (Tayshaun Prince, Jason Maxiell, Jonas Jerebko, Austin Daye, Charlie Villanueva, Corey Maggette, Kyle Singler, Khris Middleton)
As has been the case for a couple seasons now, the Pistons have just a mish-mash of players at forward, most of whom are too small to play at the 4 and not quick enough to play at the 2. We saw Lawrence Frank constantly tweak his lineups last season as a result.
Maxiell’s return does give Detroit some beef and defensive flexibility up front, and there’s a decent shot he starts next to Greg Monroe on most nights. Prince, too, would seem to have a starting job locked down, especially given his ability on the defensive end.
Maggette is coming back from a pair of injuries, and at 32, cannot be counted on for 30-plus minutes a night anymore. He should provide, if healthy, a solid scoring option off the bench for Detroit — important since the Pistons are bereft of pure scorers. The Pistons once hoped Daye could be that weapon, and they’re still holding onto that dream to at least some extent. Likewise, Singler is a guy that can fill it up when he gets hot from the outside.
Detroit more or less knows what it will get from Jerebko at this point. Sadly, the same can be said for the underachieving Villanueva, who’s been a total bust in Detroit. If the Pistons still opt to use the amnesty clause, he’s the most likely candidate to go.
Middleton’s role will be minimal, if everything goes according to plan.
Centers (Greg Monroe, Andre Drummond, Slava Kravtsov
Probably the most intriguing of the Pistons’ position groups — and arguably the spot with the most potential.
Monroe had a breakthrough 2011-12 season, performing so well that some made a case for him as a replacement on the United States’ Olympic basketball team when injuries hit. His challenge will be maintaining what he did last year through a full, non-lockout-shortened season, but the Pistons are counting on him to start 82 games and provide double-double numbers up front.
What happens behind Monroe on the depth chart will be something to watch. Detroit had Ben Wallace to eat minutes last year (and may still this season), plus slid Maxiell down to the 5 in a pinch. With or without Wallace — whose return would, like the additions of Williams and Flynn, force Detroit to part with one of their core 15 — Detroit would love to use Drummond and Kravtsov as depth guys. Both are raw prospects, though both bring great size (7-0 for Kravtsov, 6-11 for Drummond) and are strong rebounders. Kravtsov, too, has received early praise for his work on the defensive end, a terrific sign.
If either guy provides a spark on the offensive end, it would go a long ways toward balancing out the frontcourt and providing Monroe some meaningful minutes to rest.
