As we approach the end of the season, there are a few things that have become clear about this Pistons team.
Cade is the real deal
This is just the truth. He probably won't win Rookie of the Year, but I have no doubt this is the best rookie of this class (followed by Evan Mobley and Josh Giddey). The reality is that it is easy to find someone that can score at the NBA level. There are a ton of guys that can score, score, score. The trick to having a franchise-changing player is finding someone that can do a bunch of different things: rebound, pass, control the tempo, make plays, play defense. Cade Cunningham is that type of guy. While it wasn't obvious that he was the best player on day 1 (early injuries can do that), it is obvious now. This is the best player the Pistons have had in 14 years (since they traded Chauncey Billups) and the best rookie since Grant Hill. We've got a generational talent in the Motor City. Let's just hope we don't waste it.
Bey is the other young star
Saddiq Bey struggled to start the season and still has occasional bad shooting nights, but I believe he is currently the second-best player on this Pistons team. Maybe a better way to put it is that he is the second-best prospect on the team. After Cade, this is the premier young Piston. Bey can score in multiple ways, is improving at finishing around the rim, and is a solid defensive player. I think he'll continue to improve and even more so as the Pistons continue to grow internally and add more solid ballplayers.
Garza won't be back
The fact that Garza couldn't get any minutes against the Clippers and their traditional bigs says everything about where the Pistons are currently tracking Garza. If he can't get any minutes while Beef Stew is out to defend the stronger bigs that push Bagley and Olynyk around, then he is never getting any minutes. I like Garza and realize that it's probably not the end of the world, but it would've been interesting to see him play a little bit in a situation that was more suitable for him.
Olynyk doesn't fit
Kelly Olynyk is a good basketball player. He doesn't fit what Troy Weaver is doing. He is the most out of character acquisition he has made. Olynyk is a terrible defensive player and he belongs on a run-and-gun-no-defense team. While he is a much better offensive player than Mason Plumlee, the essential swap didn't make sense. Plumlee offers defense, size, and toughness. Kelly Olynyk offers erratic scoring. He absolutely can't play the 5 in the East. He just can't defend those guys and he can't rebound at all. Playing him at the 5 makes him look like a bad basketball player. He needs to play at the 4. Even so, what he does contribute to the Pistons (the occasional scoring punch) is replaceable for a lot less money. Think of Frank Jackson. They bring the same thing.
Cory Joseph can't be a starter on a playoff caliber team
Pistons fans may be a little over the top about Cory Joseph, but I stand by what I've said. He is not a starter on a team that is going to make the playoffs. For one, he is a massive defensive liability. No amount of hand waving will trick me into thinking it wasn't his fault that his guy beat him with one dribble. Part of this is the coach's fault. Cory Joseph cannot guard multiple positions. The Pistons run a switching defense, and opponents take advantage of Joseph's size and mobility. It hurts both Bey and Cade when the Pistons play a team with multiple strong wing players. The Pistons need to replace Joseph in this lineup with a strong defensive wing that can score without the ball. I'm convinced that Bagley III can fill the 5-problem the Pistons have had this season. They have got to get someone to replace Joseph in the starting lineup.
We tanked again
The NBA probably can't prove it, but I think the Pistons lost a lot of games on purpose. Keeping a bad lineup in just long enough can significantly change the outcomes of games. Dwane Casey has been a coach long enough to know when the momentum is being taken away. How often this season has a lineup gone on a run that caused the other team to call a timeout only to have an entirely new Pistons' lineup subbed in when they come back? Those things didn't happen a few times, they happened a lot. Now, I'm not delusional. This team was not going to be a playoff contender; however, I think they got some nudges here and there, especially after all of the injuries problems.
Grant is not an iso player
Jerami Grant is a good scorer, but he is not an isolation player. He can score in one or two dribbles. He cannot, like Cade can, get a bucket whenever he wants. He's a system scorer. There's nothing wrong with that. Rip Hamilton did it in Detroit for years. Get your buckets out of the offense. No more isos.
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