State of the Roster

[coordinator0]

With Drummond agreeing to re-sign, bringing in Smith and Leuer, and the two draft picks added here's a rough depth chart:

PG: Reggie Jackson / Ish Smith / Lorenzo Brown
SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope / Reggie Bullock / Michael Gbinije
SF: Marcus Morris / Stanley Johnson / Darrun Hilliard
PF: Tobias Harris / Jon Leuer / Henry Ellenson / Cameron Bairstow
C: Andre Drummond / Aron Baynes / Joel Anthony

UFA: Steve Blake

Brown, Bairstow, and Anthony are all unguaranteed and can be cut to add more cap space. Doing that and renouncing Blake would bring the Pistons to about $10 million in cap space depending on the contract structure for Smith and Leuer. With those moves made there would be two roster spots open. There's an offseason roster limit of twenty but the backend is usually filled with summer league guys on minimum deals so they don't really count for much.

What moves would you like to see? Gbinije can be a third string PG and SG, Hilliard can be a third string SG and SF, and Ellenson can be a third string PF and C. There's no real positional needs anymore. Brown and Anthony or Bairstow could just be kept, but that's boring. On the other hand there's only so many guys you want to pay that would be outside of the rotation anyways.

[zeebneeb]

"As I look upon these Detroit Pistons I can smile and say confidentiality, the state of the Detroit Pistons is good"~Zeebneeb July 2nd 2016

Man am I excited. When does the season start again?

[Moses ShamMoses]

I dont think Bairstow and Lorenzo Brown make the roster. Also, I thought Hilliard was a shooting guard and Gbinije a point guard?

[DETermination]

Love the bench now that was our biggest weakness and we have definitely upgraded.

[coordinator0]

I dont think Bairstow and Lorenzo Brown make the roster. Also, I thought Hilliard was a shooting guard and Gbinije a point guard?

Gbinije can be a third string PG and SG, Hilliard can be a third string SG and SF, and Ellenson can be a third string PF and C.

Flexibility. Especially with Hilliard supposedly up to 230 lbs. before his back injury. He was an interchangeable wing against all but the biggest guys last season anyways.

[Han Solo]

We need a 3rd PG

[Kilo]

I concur. Looking at our roster, we need a 3rd PG better than Brown/Gbinije.

Who can play PG - Jackson, Smith, ???, Gbinije
Who can play SG - KCP, Hilliard, Bullock, Johnson, Gbinije
Who can play SF - Harris, Johnson, Morris, Bullock, BGbinije
Who can play PF - Harris, Morris, Leuer, Ellenson, Johnson
Who can play center - Dre, Baynes, Leuer, Ellenson

[Scout Taron]

Watching this summer league game, Gbinije doesn't look ready to be the third PG.

[Kilo]

Gbinije doesn't look like an NBA player. Wonder if we could stash him in Europe or something.

[treefi]

"As I look upon these Detroit Pistons I can smile and say confidentiality, the state of the Detroit Pistons is good"~Zeebneeb July 2nd 2016

Man am I excited. When does the season start again?

[Moses ShamMoses]

Watching this summer league game, Gbinije doesn't look ready to be the third PG.

Let's pickup Trey Burke for a 2nd rounder

[treefi]

We need a 3rd PG

Only been 1.5 summer league quarters... SVG saw somethin'! Will wait until midway preseason before I give up. Trey Burke-types will be available.

[bkseven]

Wow you guys are writing someone off after less than half a game of summer league lol

[Han Solo]

Wow you guys are writing someone off after less than half a game of summer league lol

He dribbles the ball too high at times.. In the NBA, that won't work.

[MrBigShot]

We re-signed Dre, brought in a solid back up PG and PF. Drafted Ellenson who was arguably a lotto talent. We got a meeting with Horford but if he's not interested there's not much SVG can do. So that in mind, I think SVG did a good job this off season. We are definitely an improved team.

[Han Solo]

Yeah, regarding Benji, it's not the missed shots at all that have people questioning him.. His handles don't look good enough to be an NBA PG.

[BadMofoPimp]

I concur. Looking at our roster, we need a 3rd PG better than Brown/Gbinije.

Who can play PG - Jackson, Smith, ???, Gbinije
Who can play SG - KCP, Hilliard, Bullock, Johnson, Gbinije
Who can play SF - Harris, Johnson, Morris, Bullock, BGbinije
Who can play PF - Harris, Morris, Leuer, Ellenson, Johnson
Who can play center - Dre, Baynes, Leuer, Ellenson

SVG said yesterday that SJ will play some PG.

[Scout Taron]

Yeah, regarding Benji, it's not the missed shots at all that have people questioning him.. His handles don't look good enough to be an NBA PG.

Yep. With those handles, don't see anyway he'd be better than Dinwiddie at the point right now (and Dinwiddie was butt).

[whitehops]

the only person who has a chance to be an unrestricted free agent next offseason is baynes. bullock and KCP will be restricted free agents if they aren't extended this offseason and hilliard (likely gbinije too) will have non-guaranteed deals.

so if baynes opts in to his contract we have "team control" over 13 players next year (assuming KCP and bullock are re-signed). that's not even including our rookies next year.

you might be upset that we're not players in free agency next year when there's a great free agent class but it is better long-term if we sit it out. the cap peaks next year and then decreases the next couple year after that so that's when contracts will be inflated the most.

another smart move by SVG and co.

[Arp590]

Looks good to me! As long as Bullock/Hilliard get the backup SG/SF minutes.. those dudes can shoot.