The rook. Henry Ellenson. Impact this year?

[zeebneeb]

We now know the Pistons are getting better, as there are exactly zero threads on our shiny new rookie who the Pistons snapped up at #18 when he was pegged to be a higher lottery pick. This thread is getting an idea of what this dynamic player will contribute this year. He has impressive skills notably his ball handling skills for a player his size, and his dirk nowitzki style post game. Now I'm not saying he's going to play 30+mpg, but I do believe he will impress enough this year to pick up more, and more playing time as the season goes on.

I'm thinking by the end of the year he wi be looking at around 13-20mpg and perhaps discussions on him playing substantially more minutes. I know that sounds optimistic, but players at his size with his skill set usually don't rot on benches.

1.)Doesn't see much time early on
2.)impresses in several blowouts garnering him more playing time
3.)has a few breakout games mid-late season
4.)his play makes certain trades seem possible to get him on the court more

That may sound optimistic but this kid has serious game and I think it deserves some serious discussion.

Some vids!

https://youtu.be/9nOc5cQVUpg

https://youtu.be/JICRjofgWoQ

https://youtu.be/ofuitFjYImo

https://youtu.be/snIfYj4RLcQ

He reminds me so much of Dirk it's crazy. I'm super high on this kid. Hope he doesn't disappoint.

[engelbert321]

I have low expectations for him this year considering it's his first year, and he's not gonna get plenty of minutes with Leuer and Baynes taking up most of the back up minutes. I'm expecting he kills it in garbage time :shrug:

[Spider156]

I think it's a developmental/strength training year for him this year and Baynes is likely gone after this season. Then you have Boban, Leuer, and Henry as backups. All are suitable for back up center and it'll depend on matchups. One great thing Henry has is his ball handling, I've never seen a tall guy dribble like that before.

[ImHeisenberg]

He didn't slip to 18 by pure chance. Lottery teams have serious concerns about his athleticism at the NBA level, and his shot mechanics are smooth but as we saw in SL, it doesn't go through the net nearly enough.

I see this as strictly a developmental year. He'll play garbage time and plenty of games in Grand Rapids. Hopefully SVG can mold him into something special.

[BadMofoPimp]

I really don't think he gets much time all season long unless there are injuries. He isn't better than Harris, Leuer, Boban, Morris or Baynes.

[Kilo]

Red Shirt year to work on body, agility and skill development. With Aron Baynes and Boban getting back-up center minutes, it means Leuer gets all the back-up PF minutes, behind Tobias, with Mook used there if necessary (foul trouble of either of others, or injury etc).

[RexRyan]

Vegas has the over/under for Ellenson's point total this season at 121. Vote now!

[hoophabit]

My misgivings about predicting the future aside, I don't see Ellenson having much impact this year. I think his lack of athleticism is overstated, but if anything was painfully clear in summer league it was his lack of strength. Almost shockingly so for a 6'10" 240lb player. Justise Winslow simply bullied him. Happily, the Pistons don't really need a lot from him to start.

[Kilo]

Ellenson lost a 30-40lbs in the last year or so IIRC, likely sapped a lot strength in the process. Get him eating to gain and put him on a strength program and he could put on 10-15lbs of lean muscle in the next year and be much stronger.

[hoophabit]

I had read that he'd lost about 20lbs. Clearly, he needs to be put on a strength program. I'm sure that will occur. Most 19 YOs aren't physically ready for NBA competition. I suppose having drafted SJ and AD might have skewed perspective a little?

[coordinator0]

Very, very little this season. There just aren't any minutes to be had. He's clearly the low guy on the bigs totem poll with Drummond, Baynes, Marjanovic, and Leuer all above him and then there's Harris/Morris who will start and get most of the minutes at the four. Henry is going to be the one of the two or three guys on the inactive list most nights unless the Pistons get hit with injuries. Gbinije will be right there with him.

[dVs33]

He's got a few guys ahead of him, we're going for wins and he's got a lot of developing to do. I can't see him making too much of an impact this season and I'm totally fine with that.

[Laimbeer]

Watch on YouTube

[detroitKG]

Ah to be in a position where our team doesn't need our first round pick to play big minutes or any at all really for that matter. Thank you SVG and Bower!

[whitehops]

yeah this is essentially a redshirt year for him, i'm not even sure he'd be on the eactive roster when he's not in the D league.

patience will be key with ellenson. he might not get any kind of minutes until his third year or so but like some have said, we don't need to rush him onto the court.

[DocRI]

Just my two cents, but with Dre / Baynes / Boban this year and Leuer also in the fold as a small-ball-C option, I don't think Ellenson sees any minutes at the 5 whatsoever; I think he's entirely developed as a PF. And considering his strengths (i.e. inside / outside game and ball handling) and weaknesses (i.e. lack of strength), I'm perfectly fine with that. Besides, with Dre locked up long term, isn't that just good asset management? The kid's a lottery ticket, so we might as well teach and train him at the position where we could potentially get the most return.

To answer the OP — my expectations are low, but (like yours!) my hopes are high. I'm really a fan of Ellenson, and I optimistically hope he can force his way into the rotation for 10-ish minutes a game by the spring (giving us a 10-man rotation instead of 9, taking minutes from Baynes / Boban with Leuer splitting his time between the 4 and 5). But that's my "pie in the sky" hope for him this year.

Oh, and P.S. — he won't earn any minutes from SVG by his performance in blow outs; he'll earn 'em by improving day in, day out in practice, which he seems to have the correct mindset and work ethic to do.

[mattao313]

I don't think he get much PT his physical tools are concerning kinda like Greg Monroe in that regard but not ready to play minutes.

[tmorgan]

Impact this year: zero, unless we have injury problems.

[The_Irony]

Grand Rapids Drive

[Blkbrd671]

He's had some time to build strength which is going to be the largest factor. He's in a perfect place right now where we don't have to rush him, but he looks like he can contribute.