RealGM

I'm not entirely sure this need it's own thread, but we're getting into the dead part of the offseason now that free agency is practically wrapped up. The board could use some topics where the Caldwell-Pope debate (hopefully) doesn't get dragged in too. I was thinking about how the Pistons upgraded their depth and it left me wondering if their third-string this season is better than the second-string last season. To compare:

2015-16 Second-String

Steve Blake
Reggie Bullock
Stanley Johnson
Anthony Tolliver
Aron Baynes

2016-17 Third-String

Lorenzo Brown
Michael Gbinije
Darrun Hilliard
Henry Ellenson
Boban Marjanovic (or Baynes)

I feel like I'm being too optimistic but the third-string going into this season looks better to me. Brown is better than Blake. Gbinije isn't as good as Bullock (yet) and is a rookie but he has interesting skills while being a guy who should be able to step in and play right away if needed. I'm not sure how to compare an inconsistent rookie Johnson to a sophomore Hilliard, but I don't think it's a huge difference. I'm kind of high on Darrun though. Even though I didn't/don't like the Ellenson pick he's an upgrade over Tolliver. And it's not close. Center is a push at worse if Marjanovic beats out Baynes for the second-string, but a decent upgrade if Aron keeps his spot in the rotation for what will almost guaranteed to be his last season in Detroit.

What say you?

I can't believe we gave Tolliver and Steve Blake that many minutes, looking back at in retrospect. Tolly literally can't do anything but shoot 3s, I don't even think he even got layups which nullifies his shooting. More or less with Blake, although he did pass like Nash sometimes too.

Like that was literally our bench along with SJ tagging along. No wonder some of our starters played/got gassed so much. This is usually that case where correlation does imply causation with in regards to minutes -> fatigue -> inefficiencies. It's too obvious of a conclusion not too.

Really loved that our bench is basically 13 man deep this year. Everyone is getting superstars or trying for them, while we got really good low-key guys that are good with analytics and pass somewhat on the eyetest too. They can probably packaged into usable assets too if we feel like our ceiling was reached too early with this group.

On the down low, we got a sneaky good group this year.

I view our current third string as unreliable and unproven outside of Boban. It could potentially be better. I could see a scenario in which Brown proves to be a guy worthy of a roster spot, Gbinjie is a decent enough to get spot minutes, Hilliard becomes a serviceable 3&D guy off the bench and Ellenson thrives. But I could also see a scenario in which Boban is the only one worthy of getting meaningful minutes this season, so that for that reason I'd say our previous 2nd unit was better than our current 3rd unit.

With that said, the fact that this is even comparable is amazing. Last year our depth was awful, so Ish/Leur/Boban as additions is a very nice upgrade.

On paper i think yes, in reality i say no. Vet experience really does have value and particular have coaches trust. I have a feeling if we really had a competition between those 2 lineups, the 3rd string would look like a chicken with head cut off in terms of spacing , play calls, defense, where the 2nd unit would actually look like a team

2nd string destroys our 3rd string and it's not even close.

Blake was always a threat from deep, as was Tolly & Bull.

You let SJ dominate the ball and he'll bully Hilly, forcing help D then SJ kicks out to open shooters.

Third string would struggle mightily on D & on the other end wouldn't get much from the 2/3 positions with SJ & Bull locking them up.

King Henry might dominate Tolly though I think the old man does enough and with the wings locking **** up it's over

Just when you thought this thread was safe:

KCP inevitably gets benched and then falls even further to 3rd string, which will make the 3rd string even worse than they were before, so last year's 2nd string easily takes it. KCP then retroactively gets benched to last year's second string, thus giving the edge back to this year's 3rd string.

Am I doing it right?