2016-17 Lineup and questions

[theBigLip]

So yet another offseason thread....

When I look at a complete roster, I basically peg 3 guys at each position. we obviously have guys that can play more than one position, but we still need depth at each one. So when I lay it out, it seems like we have a few gaps or at least questions.

PG: RJ / ??? / Gbinje?
It's no secret that we are looking for a backup PG and I'm sure we'll get one through free agency. We have certainly bounced around a lot of options, but we know it will not be Blake. Also, is Gbinje going to be our 3rd PG? I think he could for sure.

SG: KCP / Meeks??? / Hilliard?
It's funny, we talk about trading Meeks all the time, but we also seem to need a backup SG. Is Hilliard capable of that role? What do we do if we trade Meeks? I think we are thin at SG and need to address it this summer as well.

SF: Morris / Johnson / Bullock?
This seems to be our deepest position. Morris played well last year, Johnson could become a starter this year, Bullock showed some glimpses, and KCP and Harris can both slide over to play SF as well.

PF: Harris / ??? / Ellenson?
Harris is the obvious starter of course, but we got a surprise in getting Ellenson. He seems certainly worthy of the 3rd PF spot, maybe even step into the rotation, which is great for an #18 pick in a weak draft. But we will still be looking for a backup PF in free agency.

C: Drummond / Baynes / ???
We certainly need 3 centers on the team, especially when Drummond isn't playing 4th quarters (hopefully a rule change will help us there). But we still need to be 3 deep to cover if we have any injuries. It seems like Ellenson should be big enough to play some, and maybe our free agent PF. But we need to have someone fill in this role.

So my shopping list in priority order:
1. Backup PG
2. Backup PF
3. Backup SG
4. 3rd string center

15M to fill those gaps, maybe another 6.5 if we move Meeks. It will be interesting to see what SVG and Bowers do starting Friday.

[ImHeisenberg]

Unless someone can see the future, I have no clue what our starting line-up and rotation will look like in November.

[tmorgan]

Given that Johnson and Bullock get some of their minutes at the 2, we're definitely not shopping for a backup SG in any way, shape, or form... even if we deal Meeks. Counting Gbinije and Hilliard there (which they play some), we're six deep with Meeks.

[zeebneeb]

I am almost 100% certain Meeks is gone somehow someway. He is utterly redundant and will only take minutes from Johnson and Hilliard.

PF/PG are the targets according to Stan.

[Brapman]

Gbinije, if he shows he can handle our 3rd pt guard, will be that 3rd point guard until about 24 hours after either of our PG's goes down for more than a few games. Certainly, SVG will sign or trade for the backup PG right away.

Agreed that we're overloaded with SG's. I expect Meeks will be moved in a trade for a veteran PG we like (we meaning SVG, as the posters here will mostly hate anyone we pick up!).

Ellenson, hopefully will be ready for rotation minutes. Either way, SVG will sign the best available veteran PF to be the legit big we need when we face guys like love. We already know that Harris, Morris, SJ, KCP, and one or two of the backup SGs (Hilliard or Bullock) will handle all the 3-4-and 5 minutes, along with either Ellenson or the new PF. Baynes will see some PF minutes, occasionally, but he'll get a lot of time at backup C.

If Ellenson can wiggle into the C rotation, so much the better. Most likely that's something we'll see his sophomore year.

[theBigLip]

Given that Johnson and Bullock get some of their minutes at the 2, we're definitely not shopping for a backup SG in any way, shape, or form... even if we deal Meeks. Counting Gbinije and Hilliard there (which they play some), we're six deep with Meeks.

Not too much of a surprise, we no longer have Meeks. But I still think we need to look at SG. So KCP has the starting spot for sure. Johnson can play there, but he is also primarily our backup SF. So if KCP gets hurt (like he did last year), we are expecting Gbinije and Hilliard to be able to handle significant minutes? Maybe, maybe not.

I just think our weakness last year was our bench, and if we can get a better backup SG, we should do that.

[coordinator0]

Given that Johnson and Bullock get some of their minutes at the 2, we're definitely not shopping for a backup SG in any way, shape, or form... even if we deal Meeks. Counting Gbinije and Hilliard there (which they play some), we're six deep with Meeks.

Not too much of a surprise, we no longer have Meeks. But I still think we need to look at SG. So KCP has the starting spot for sure. Johnson can play there, but he is also primarily our backup SF. So if KCP gets hurt (like he did last year), we are expecting Gbinije and Hilliard to be able to handle significant minutes? Maybe, maybe not.

I just think our weakness last year was our bench, and if we can get a better backup SG, we should do that.

More like Bullock and Hilliard with some Gbinije thrown in if he gets minutes as a rookie. Add in a backup point guard that gets minutes with Jackson on the floor and the Pistons are about as set as you can get at shooting guard. Even if Caldwell-Pope gets hurt.

[DetroitPistons]

Ideally, we sign Horford and trade Morris for a backup PG. Johnson takes over at SF and Harris becomes our supersub.

Jackson/???
Caldwell-Pope/Johnson/Bullock
Johnson/Harris
Horford/Harris
Drummond/Horford/Baynes

That's easily a contender. KCP/SJ/Horford and Drummond, when he is focused, would make us a highly elite defense. With Horford's expanded range he has become one of the rarest players in the league. PF's who play defense AND can shoot 3's (not to mention everything else he does) are incredibly rare. I would cry if we landed him this offseason.

[Han Solo]

Morris gives us toughness. Real toughness. I wouldn't trade him for a lotto pick even. Plus his contract... That dude is a Piston.

[DetroitPistons]

Morris gives us toughness. Real toughness. I wouldn't trade him for a lotto pick even. Plus his contract... That dude is a Piston.

I love Morris too but if did land Horford I think someone needs to go. We would have a longjam at the forward positions and as good as Morris, I think Harris is better and SJ will eventually be better than both of those guys.

[Han Solo]

Morris gives us toughness. Real toughness. I wouldn't trade him for a lotto pick even. Plus his contract... That dude is a Piston.

I love Morris too but if did land Horford I think someone needs to go. We would have a longjam at the forward positions and as good as Morris, I think Harris is better and SJ will eventually be better than both of those guys.

I'd trade Harris before Morris.

[Han Solo]

Marcus Morris may be the best contract in the NBA too.

[Kilo]

I think we'd trade Baynes before Mook assuming Horford would be okay playing back-up Ce which would be better for flexibility.
If we can sign Horford outright, maybe ATL would take Baynes in a S&T as they have San Antonio connection between them, and it would give us 7M to spend on a PG. Or we could try and trade Baynes for a PG.

Baynes and Horford here causes a one year jam with Harris starting at the three and backing up four, and Mook getting all his minutes then at the three but nothing for Stanley then there, so Stanley would be back at the 2-guard backing up KCP and getting paltry minutes and meaning no minutes for Hilliard or Bullock.

[Pharaoh]

C: Dre, Baynes

PF: Harris, Henry

SF: Mook, SJ, Bull

SG: KCP, Hilly

PG: RJ, Benji

We're exactly where we were before the Draft and the Meeks trade in that we need:

Bigger, longer PF that can also play back up C

And

A combo guard that can run sets or play off the ball with RJ

[dVs33]

Let's keep in mind that mook is getting paid 5 mil per year right now. In an offseason where Noah is reported to be getting 18 per year and guys like delly are commanding 10 per year, we are not trading mook. There's no way.

[The Penguin]

Morris gives us toughness. Real toughness. I wouldn't trade him for a lotto pick even. Plus his contract... That dude is a Piston.

I love Morris too but if did land Horford I think someone needs to go. We would have a longjam at the forward positions and as good as Morris, I think Harris is better and SJ will eventually be better than both of those guys.

If we sign Horford, I think Baynes goes. Nice guy, nice regular season player, but since he doesn't stretch the floor and doesn't protect the rim, he gives up way too much to play in the postseason.


Drummond (33 mpg) / Horford (10 mpg) / Ellenson (5 mpg)
Horford (23 mpg) / Tobias (20 mpg) / Mook (5 mpg)
Tobias (13 mpg) / Mook (27 mpg) / SJ (8 mpg)
KCP (33 mpg) / SJ (15 mpg)
Reggie (35 mpg) / backup pg (13 mpg)

Basically a tight 8 guy rotation with Bullock / Ellenson / Benji / Hilliard getting some burn during blowouts or in the case of injury.

[theBigLip]

An update on Day 1 of Free Agency

PG: RJ / Smith / Gbinje
I think we are done here. Nice Ish signing SVG/Bowers!

SG: KCP / ??? / Hilliard?
Meeks has been traded, Hilliard has a back injury, and even if no one agrees with me, I think we could use another SG.

SF: Morris / Johnson / Bullock
I think we are done here as well. This seems to be our deepest position. Morris played well last year, Johnson could become a starter this year, Bullock showed some glimpses, and KCP and Harris can both slide over to play SF as well.

PF: Harris / ??? / Ellenson?
All eyes on PF now. Harris is the obvious starter of course, but we got a surprise in getting Ellenson. He seems certainly worthy of the 3rd PF spot, maybe even step into the rotation, which is great for an #18 pick in a weak draft. But we will still be looking for a backup PF in free agency.

C: Drummond / Baynes / ???
We certainly need 3 centers on the team, especially when Drummond isn't playing 4th quarters (hopefully a rule change will help us there). But we still need to be 3 deep to cover if we have any injuries. It seems like Ellenson should be big enough to play some, and maybe our free agent PF. But we need to have someone fill in this role.

So my shopping list in priority order:
1. Backup PG - complete
2. Backup PF
3. Backup SG
4. 3rd string center

Somewhere around 15M to fill those gaps.

[coordinator0]

I think you need to slide Bullock into the #2 SG spot. According to Nylon Calculus he played a bit over 62% of his minutes there last season and that passes the eye test as well. He was definitely ahead of Hilliard in the rotation and sticking him as a small forward on the third string doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Whether you believe the Pistons could use an upgrade over him as the backup there is another question, but I don't see a hole like you do.

[theBigLip]

I think you need to slide Bullock into the #2 SG spot. According to Nylon Calculus he played a bit over 62% of his minutes there last season and that passes the eye test as well. He was definitely ahead of Hilliard in the rotation and sticking him as a small forward on the third string doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Whether you believe the Pistons could use an upgrade over him as the backup there is another question, but I don't see a hole like you do.

Ok, I can accept the position slot change. But it does raise the question, is he a legit #2 at the 2?

[A_dub06]

This won't be a popular view but I've wanted Lucas Nogueira as our 3rd string center for some time. He's a bit thin but a decent athlete with a 7"5 wingspan. I see our 3rd string as someone that can come in, block shots and rebound a little, he should achieve both. I'd try trading our 2019 2nd round pick acquired in the Meeks trade.


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