Greg Monroe is no longer a Detroit Piston. It was hard to see him leave for Stan Van Gundy and Detroit because he moved to a division rival Milwaukee Bucks. That won’t help them at all. Despite that, they’re happy for him, but they may be having their regrets. According to Zach Lowe’s Podcast with Stan Van Gundy:
“Monroe and Drummond aren’t best fit. Game moving smaller and quicker as is.”
“I went back and forth with it. Part of me is wondering if it’s the right move. We’re not sure if we wanted him to leave”
So the Pistons roster doesn’t look that bad next year. Their rotation looks like this:
C: Andre Drummond/ Aron Baynes/ Joel Anthony
PF: Marcus Morris/ Ersan Ilyasova/ Anthony Tolliver
SF: Stanley Johnson/ Cartier Martin
SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope/ Jodie Meeks/ Darrun Hillard
PG: Reggie Jackson/ Brandon Jennings/ Steve Blake/ Spencer Dinwiddle
Their real lack of depth in the Forward position allows a well experienced player like Aron Baynes get minutes and possible move up in the rotation. Van Gundy bet big money on Baynes. 3-Years $19 million for a 3rd string Center for the Spurs. The good thing was he was a Spur. The bad thing was that I remember him for the Blake Griffin dunks. Van Gundy discusses it once again:
“There is nobody better than him in field goal or free throw percentage that’s available”
“It was going to be above a mid level exception”
He also mentions that Brandon Wright is not better than Aron Baynes.
The Pistons will be an interesting team to look at next season. They have the pieces to surprise people in a weak Eastern Conference. Can they be the 8th seed? Yes if Brandon Jennings and Reggie Jackson work well. If Stanley Johnson grows and if Drummond becomes an All-Star. Cards are all set, time for Van Gundy’s squad to compete.
