Reviewing the 2019-20 Detroit Pistons

November 12th, 2020

by Alan Lu

In 2019, the Detroit Pistons made it back to the playoffs with former head coach of the year, Dwane Casey’s first year coaching his new team, the Pistons.  They had a healthy Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond for a full season, and Blake Griffin had a very good 2019 season to surprise doubters, as he made the All-Star team and took his team to the playoffs, before they ended up getting smashed and walloped in four games as they got swept in the first round by the Milwaukee Bucks.  But other than that, it was almost like a dream season for the 2019 Detroit Pistons, as they had met expectations to get to the postseason.

However, this past season in 2020 was essentially a mess for the Detroit Pistons.  Blake Griffin played in 18 uneventful games before getting hurt again, and they lost a lot of games before deciding to trade Andre Drummond in what was largely seen as a salary dump move to Cleveland.  Expected to try to get back to the playoffs in 2020, the Pistons instead were one of the worst teams this year, as they won 20 of 66 games, and their most recognizable player, Blake Griffin, had his worst season in a long time.  On the bright side, they did get the 7^th overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, though that pick is not in the top 5 this year.

C Christian Wood – A-

2020 (DET): 62 GP, 13.1 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 0.9 BPG, 57 FG%, 21.4 MPG, 23.2 PER, 5.1 WS

Christian Wood was one of the last players to make Detroit’s team, as he had to fight and claw his way to make their roster, and he managed to beat out 7-time All-Star Joe Johnson to make the Pistons’ team.

It turned out to be a wise addition for the Pistons to have Christian Wood on their team.  Wood excelled as a shooter, scorer, and rebounder, and he also showed off some shot blocking skills.   This was the really the first time that Wood got real, extensive minutes from any team in the NBA for an entire season, and he did well.  He will need to improve his playmaking ability and continue to work on his on-ball defense, but Wood is a very athletic big man that showed that he can excel on both ends of the floor, and the Pistons should look for ways to keep him on their roster in 2021.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Starter or Good Backup Center in the NBA
Projected 2021 Rating: 2.5 stars (3 star potential)

Side note: Wood will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2020 season.

PF Blake Griffin – 2020 season grade, F+

2020 (DET): 18 GP, 15.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.3 APG, 35 FG%, 24 3PT%, 78 FT%, 28.4 MPG, 11.9 PER, -0.1 WS

After having a very good 2019 season, Griffin played an uneventful 18 games before missing the rest of the season due to a knee injury.  He played like he was hurt, and it definitely showed in the statistics, as he played like a shell of his former self. 

He was nowhere near as efficient of a shooter as he was before, and he had trouble getting rebounds when he was on the court.  It’ll be difficult to assess how well Griffin can play in the future, because it’s uncertain if he’ll be fully healthy or return to top form when he comes back, but one thing is for sure, the Pistons need Blake Griffin to be the player he used to be, which would be how he played in 2019, and not this year.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Starting Power Forward on the Detroit Pistons
Projected 2021 Rating: 2.5 stars

PG Bruce Brown – B-

58 GP, 8.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 4 APG, 1.1 SPG, 44 FG%, 34 3PT%, 74 FT%, 11.9 PER, 2.1 WS

Bruce Brown had his best season so far in his young career, and the athletic, young combo guard showed versatility as an overall player this year.  He excelled as a distributor and defender when he was on the court.  He racked up assists, played unselfishly, and took on tough assignments defensively. 

He also rebounded the ball well, and showed an improved jump shot.  Brown will still need to improve his outside shot, and he will need to assert himself more on offense, but he had a solid second year that could enable him to be both a mainstay on the Pistons’ roster, and to get a lot of minutes for them next season.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Starting point guard with the Detroit Pistons
Projected 2021 Rating: 2 stars (2.5 star potential)

SG Luke Kennard – B-

28 GP, 15.8 PPG, 4.1 APG, 3.5 RPG, 44 FG%, 40 3PT%, 89 FT%, 32.9 MPG, 14.4 PER, 1.9 WS

Luke Kennard had his best season yet, as the young sharpshooter excelled at making shots to provide his team with efficient scoring on the floor.  He also is a solid playmaker that was able to rack up assists.  On the other hand, he still will need to improve his rebounding and defense, and he also missed considerable time due to a knee injury this season.  Regardless, Kennard is a skilled player that had a solid season this year, and the Pistons will be looking to give Kennard a lot of minutes due to his solid offensive skills in 2021.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Starting shooting guard with the Detroit Pistons
Projected 2021 Rating: 2 stars (2.5 star potential)

SF Tony Snell – C+

59 GP, 8 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 2.2 APG, 45 FG%, 40 3PT%, 100 FT%, 27.8 MPG, 9.7 PER, 2.6 WS

Tony Snell is mostly known for his three-point shooting prowess, and he is an excellent marksman from downtown.  He is a very good shooter that can make shots efficiently, and he also can capably defend his opponents.  He will need to improve his rebounding and be more assertive on offense, but Snell is a floor spacer that can help his team on offense.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Rotation player in the NBA
Projected 2021 Rating: 2 stars

Side note: He has a player option that he can exercise, as he will decide either to opt in, or to opt out of his contract at the end of the 2019-20 season.

G Derrick Rose – B-

50 GP, 18.1 PPG, 5.6 APG, 2.4 RPG, 49 FG%, 31 3PT%, 87 FT%, 26 MPG, 21 PER, 2.5 WS

Individually, Derrick Rose had a very good season, as he excelled as a scorer on offense, and he was able to get plenty of assists in games.   However, he did not rebound nor defend very well, but his ability to score and put up points was able to help Detroit last year.  Rose provided a spark for his team off the bench in 2020, and he will likely be in a similar role in 2021.  If he can stay healthy, he could have a very good season next year.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Starter/Solid bench player for the Detroit Pistons
Projected 2021 Rating: 2.5 stars

G-F Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk – C+

56 GP, 9 PPG, 1.9 APG, 1.9 RPG, 41 FG%, 40 3PT%, 81 FT%, 22.6 MPG, 11.2 PER, 1.6 WS

Svi Mykhailiuk really excelled as an outside shooter and he was quite effective as a distributor on the Pistons.  He will need to improve in the other facets of the game, but his strong ability to knock down threes could enable him to get plenty of playing time on the Pistons next year.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Rotation player
Projected 2021 Rating: 2 stars (2.5 star potential)

Side note: He will be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2020 season.

G Langston Galloway – C

66 GP, 10.3 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 1.5 APG, 44 FG%, 40 3PT%, 86 FT%, 25.8 MPG, 12.3 PER, 3.1 WS

Langston Galloway is an athletic combo guard that can shoot and score the basketball.  He is a microwave type of scorer off the bench that specializes in getting buckets for his teams, but he rarely does much else in games.  Next season, he will likely be a key rotation player for the Pistons in 2021.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Rotation player
Projected 2021 Rating: 2 stars

Side note: He will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2020 season.

F Sekou Doumbouya – 2020 season grade, D

38 GP, 6.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 39 FG%, 29 3PT%, 67 FT%, 19.8 MPG, 6.2 PER, -0.3 WS

As it was becoming increasing clear that the Detroit Pistons were going to be a bad team in 2020, minutes suddenly opened up, as this allowed rookie forward, Sekou Doumbouya to get them.  Doumbouya got a lot of minutes towards the end of the season, but he did not play well in those with the Pistons as a rookie.

On the bright side, Doumbouya showed the potential to develop as a shooter, scorer, and rebounder, but he will need to make shots more efficiently, and he will need to refine his overall game.  He may need more time in the NBA G-League to polish up his game, and it doesn’t look like he may be ready to be a full-time member of the Pistons’ rotation yet in 2021, but at some point, they may have to find a way to integrate him into their lineup sooner than later.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Fringe rotation player, backend roster player
Projected 2021 Rating: 1.5 stars (2.5 star potential)

C Thon Maker – C

2020 (DET): 60 GP, 4.7 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 48 FG%, 34 3PT%, 66 FT%, 12.9 MPG, 13.7 PER, 1.5 WS

Thon Maker showed some interesting skills in limited minutes with Detroit this season.  He generally excelled as a shooter and scorer for his team, and he was effective as an interior defender and shot blocker on the court.  He will need to improve his playmaking skills and rebounding, and he must continue to work on that three-point shot.  He is a talented big man that could be due for more playing time next season, and he could be a regular in Detroit’s rotation in 2021.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Rotation player
Projected 2021 Rating: 2 stars

Side note: Thon Maker will be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2020 season.

F-C John Henson – C (C with Cleveland, C+ with Detroit)

2020 (TOT): 40 GP, 5.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.1 BPG, 56 FG%, 15 MPG, 17 PER, 1.4 WS
2020 (CLE): 29 GP, 5.0 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.1 BPG, 51 FG%, 14.2 MPG, 16.9 PER, 0.9 WS
2020 (DET): 11 GP, 6.9 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.9 BPG, 67 FG%, 17.1 MPG, 17.1 PER, 0.4 WS

John Henson had a fairly decent season as he played for both Cleveland and Detroit this year.  With Cleveland, he passed the ball well, and was a solid interior defender and shot blocker on the floor, but he needed to improve his ability to finish plays around the basket and rebounding. 

With Detroit, he excelled as a finisher in the paint, and he was effective as a shot blocker and defender, but his rebounding and passing were fairly middling.  In 2021, Henson could be a rotation player for Detroit, and he is an athletic big man that can man the paint and block some shots.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Rotation Player
Projected 2021 Rating: 2 stars

Side note: He will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2020 season.

G Jordan McRae – C (B- with Washington, C with Denver, F with Detroit)

2020 (TOT): 37 GP, 11.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.5 APG, 41 FG%, 36 3PT%, 76 FT%, 21.2 MPG, 14.2 PER, 0.7 WS
2020 (WAS): 29 GP, 12.8 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.8 APG, 42 FG%, 38 3PT%, 77 FT%, 22.6 MPG, 15.2 WS, 0.7 WS
2020 (DET): 4 GP, 11.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.8 APG, 33 FG%, 19 3PT%, 73 FT%, 24.5 MPG, 6.5 PER, -0.1 WS
2020 (DEN): 4 GP, 2.3 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 1.0 APG, 33 FG%, 50 3PT%, 75 FT%, 8 MPG, 16.7 PER, 0.1 WS

Jordan McRae played for three different teams this year, but he played his best basketball on the Washington Wizards this past season.  He was a solid offensive player that made shots and was effective as a distributor, but he will need to significantly improve his defense.  He was less effective in making shots in limited minutes, but with the season he had in 2020, he could build off of that to be a permanent fixture in a rotation of an NBA team next season.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Rotation player
Projected 2021 Rating: 2 stars

Side note: McRae will be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2020 season.

PG Brandon Knight – D (F+ with Cleveland, C with Detroit)

2020 (TOT): 25 GP, 7.3 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 1.6 RPG, 35 FG%, 34 3PT%, 59 FT%, 18.5 MPG, 8.5 PER, -0.1 WS
2020 (CLE): 16 GP, 4.9 PPG, 1.9 APG, 33 FG%, 30 3PT%, 31 FT%, 15.1 MPG, 5.4 PER, -0.3 WS
2020 (DET): 9 GP, 11.6 PPG, 4.2 APG, 2.3 RPG, 38 FG%, 39 3PT%, 76 FT%, 24.6 MPG, 11.9 PER, 0.2 WS

Knight was healthy enough to play in 25 games for two teams this year, but he played very badly for the Cavaliers before being traded to the Detroit Pistons.  He’s more or less been a shadow of his former self, as he’s had trouble making shots or defending, but he did shoot the ball well in nine games for Detroit in 2020.  It’s uncertain if he’ll crack their rotation next year, but as he had gotten to a solid start early in his NBA career years ago, there’s always hope that Knight can provide some scoring punch to the NBA team he’ll play for next season.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Fringe rotation player, backend roster player
Projected 2021 Rating: 1.5 stars

Side note: He will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2020 season.

C Justin Patton – D- (D- with Oklaholma City, Incomplete with Detroit)

2020 (OKC): 5 GP, 1.8 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0 BPG, 40 FG%, 4.8 MPG, 4.7 PER, 0 WS
2020 (NBA G-League): 30 GP, 12.1 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 3.2 BPG, 2.9 APG, 52 FG%, 32 3PT%, 58 FT%, 27 MPG, 17.7 PER, 1.4 WS

Justin Patton has been very disappointing in the NBA.  So far, his NBA career has been derailed by foot injuries over the years and by an overall lack of playing time.  He didn’t play well in mop-up duty for Oklahoma City, though it was an achievement in itself that he made their team, and it’s unlikely he’ll play much or at all in the NBA in 2021.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Depth big man, fringe roster player
Projected 2021 Rating: 1 star (2 star potential)

Side note: Patton will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2020 season.

G Jordan Bone (Two-Way) – D

2020 (DET): 10 GP, 1.2 PPG, 0.8 APG, 25 FG%, 5.3 MPG, 0.8 PER, -0.1 WS
2020 (NBA G-League): 31 GP, 17.5 PPG, 6.9 APG, 3.3 RPG, 43 FG%, 38 3PT%, 77 FT%, 31.8 MPG, 15.4 PER, 1.9 WS

He was a surprise invite to the 2019 NBA Draft Combine, and Jordan Bone proved his mettle there.  He tested very well in the athletic testing, and played solid defense in the scrimmage games.

Unfortunately, that hasn’t translated to NBA production yet, and he did not play very well in limiting playing time with the Pistons this season.   He’s shown the ability to get assists and run the team, but he has not done well at many other things at this level.  On the bright side, he played well in the G-League this year. He’ll be fighting to keep his roster spot on the Pistons’ team in 2021.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Depth guard, fringe roster player
Projected 2021 Rating: 1 star (2 star potential)

F Louis King (Two-Way) – D

2020 (DET): 10 GP, 2 PPG, 1 RPG, 0.5 APG, 38 FG%, 36 3PT%, 0 FT%, 6.2 MPG, 6.2 PER, 0 WS
2020 (NBA G-League): 31 GP, 15 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.8 APG, 42 FG%, 33 3PT%, 81 FT%, 28.5 MPG, 13.7 PER, 1.1 WS

He’s an athletic swingman that shot the ball well in the second half of his freshman season at Oregon, and after having a solid 2019 NCAA Tournament, it was thought that he played well enough to get drafted in 2019.  Instead, he went undrafted, and he signed on to be a two-way player with the Detroit Pistons.

King did a good job of making threes and he was able to get some rebounds and assists, but he struggled to make two-point shots or to defend, and King picked up fouls at a high rate.  He’s still a project player and he didn’t quite shoot as well as expected when he was in the G-League, but he could project to be a shooter off the bench if he can adjust to playing in the NBA. 

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Depth wing player, fringe roster player
Projected 2021 Rating: 1 star (2 star potential)

G Khyri Thomas – D-

2020 (DET): 8 GP, 2.1 PPG, 29 FG%, 36 3PT%, 50 FT%, 3.1 PER, 0 WS
2020 (NBA G-League): 2 GP, 17 PPG, 4 RPG, 1.5 APG, 31 FG%, 40 3PT%, 100 FT%, 22 MPG, 13.3 PER, 0.0 WS

Much like Justin Patton, Khyri Thomas has been a vast disappointment in the NBA, but mostly he has had trouble getting on the floor in the association.  He also didn’t get into many NBA G-League games either in 2020, and he was neither an efficient scorer nor an effective playmaker in the two games he played down there.

Thomas did do a decent job of making threes this season and he showed that he can get steals, but he didn’t do anything else too well at the NBA level.  Time’s running out on whether if he can be a full-time player in the NBA, and it would not be surprising if he did not make an NBA team’s regular season roster in 2021.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Depth guard, fringe roster player
Projected 2021 Rating: 1 star (2 star potential)

Notable Cuts:

G-F Joe Johnson – 2020 season grade, Incomplete

7-time All-Star and 2019 Big 3 MVP, Joe Johnson had seemed like he was ready to make his comeback to the NBA, as he played very well in the Big 3 in the offseason. He was a former superstar that played his best basketball for the Atlanta Hawks, and he’s had a great career in the NBA.

Joe Johnson is a skilled swingman that can shoot, score, and distribute the basketball. However, there wasn’t enough roster spots as he was in a tough, fierce competition with others including Christian Wood when fighting for roster spots. Joe Johnson was one of the last cuts, and he did not end up playing in the 2019-20 NBA season, but there’s hope that maybe he could latch onto another NBA team if they invite him to try out for them for the 2020-21 season.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Depth swingman, fringe roster player
Projected 2021 Rating: 1.5 stars

Head Coach:
Dwane Casey, 2020 season grade: D
2020 (DET): 20-46, missed the playoffs
Head Coaching Career: 434-394, 21-34 in the playoffs

The 2019-20 season did not go well for Dwane Casey or the Detroit Pistons overall, as they lost a lot more games than expected, and star forward, Blake Griffin played 18 uneventful games before missing the rest of the season due to a knee injury. 

They then traded Andre Drummond to Cleveland for spare parts, role players (John Henson and Brandon Knight) and a 2023 second round pick, which had to leave many Detroit fans scratching their heads, wondering why they couldn’t get more out of that deal.  On the plus side, the Pistons managed to get career years out of unheralded young players such as Christian Wood, Luke Kennard, Svi Mykhailiuk, and Bruce Brown. 

Projected 2021 Role: Head Coach of the Detroit Pistons
Projected 2021 Rating: 2 stars

2019-20 Detroit Pistons, season grade: D

As a team, the Pistons didn’t do many things well, but they were 11^th in three-point percentage, and rated in the middle of the pack in points allowed per game.  They still had trouble scoring, passing or taking care of the ball, rebounding, or defending, but they do have players that can knock down outside shots.  Right now, they don’t seem to have much of a semblance of a core or a clear path to success next season or in the future.  Next season could be a rough one for the Pistons, but if they can continue to cultivate and develop their young players, they could make their future a better one down the road.

The Detroit Pistons’ Projected 2020-21 NBA Rotation

Projected Starters:
C Christian Wood* (UFA)
F Blake Griffin
The 7^th Overall Pick of the 2020 NBA Draft
G Luke Kennard
G Bruce Brown

Key Reserves:
G Derrick Rose
F Tony Snell
G-F Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk* (RFA)
G Langston Galloway* (UFA)

Others competing for a spot in the rotation next season:
F-C Thon Maker* (RFA)
F-C John Henson* (UFA)
G Jordan McRae* (RFA)
F Sekou Doumbouya

Other players that are currently projected to be on their next season’s roster:
G Jordan Bone (Two-Way)
F Louis King (Two-Way)
G Khyri Thomas

Players that will be Restricted Free Agents:
Sviatoslav Myhailiuk
Thon Maker
Jordan McRae

Players that will be Unrestricted Free Agents:
Christian Wood
Langston Galloway
Brandon Knight
Justin Patton

Projected Players Cut from Next Season’s Roster:
Khyri Thomas

2020 NBA Draft Picks:
#7

Projected Offseason Plan for the Pistons:

First and foremost, it is absolutely imperative that they do everything they can to try to sign Christian Wood.  If they have to overpay him, they should do it.  Christian Wood is a very athletic, skilled big man that had a very good 2020 season, and his ability to shoot, score, and protect the rim would easily make him one of the Pistons’ best players in 2021.

After Blake Griffin had a terrific 2019 season, he’s coming off his worst season in a while, as he played only 18 games while shooting the ball terribly before missing the rest of the season due to a knee injury.  They merely dumped Andre Drummond in a midseason trade to Cleveland for spare parts, role players such as John Henson and Brandon Knight, and a 2023 2^nd round pick in what is largely seen as a cap-clearing move to unload Drummond’s sizable contract.

In the short term, it is unclear if they can re-sign Christian Wood, and it may be doubtful if the Pistons have any clear core pieces in the meantime.  They did get solid seasons out of young guards such as Luke Kennard, Bruce Brown, and Svi Mykhailiuk, and Derrick Rose excelled as a 6^th man off the bench, but the Pistons don’t seem to have an elite player on their roster, which especially would be the case if Griffin cannot return to the 2019 version of the player he used to be.

Assuming that they are still building around Blake Griffin and hopefully Christian Wood, it seems that the Pistons would likely draft a player in the backcourt or a wing player, but they might look to take a point guard that can throw lobs to Griffin and Wood, and some of the prospects they could look at may be players such as Tyrese Haliburton or Killian Hayes, or they could opt to select who they feel would be the best player available.  As well as Rose has played for Detroit, he’s been known to be injury-prone over the course of his career, and there’s always potential for decline, as he will be entering his mid-30s soon.  The Pistons also could just elect to take the best player available, as there is no guarantee that Griffin would play like his old self, or if they can re-sign Wood.

The Pistons have cap space to work with, and they have roughly $37 million that they can spend according to Spotrac.  They can go in any number of ways, as there are lot of options they can choose to go in free agency.

Expected Regular-Season Win-Loss Record in 2021*: 24-48, 15^th in the Eastern Conference

Expected 2021 Season Outcome: They will likely be one of the worst teams in the NBA next season. 

(* – The asterisk denotes that the expected regular season win total is adjusted for the 72 game schedule that the NBA will play for the 2020-21 season.  The initial projection for the Pistons was for them to get 27 wins in an 82-game season.  Also, the projected 2021 regular season record for the Pistons is merely a projection right now because it does not take into account for the NBA draft or free agency, as those events have not happened yet.)

In case if you need the rubric for my player rating system of projecting NBA players for the 2020-21 season, here is the link. In addition, Basketball-Reference, RealGM, and Spotrac were vital information sites that I used to look at player and team statistics, as well as contract information.

Side note: Also, the letter grades attached to the player name was my grade for their 2019-20 season, as it is my judgment of their performance and whether or not they met or exceeded my expectations, and didn’t have much bearing on my projection of how they will perform for the 2020-21 NBA season.

Anyways, those are my grades for the 2019-20 Detroit Pistons, and my early forecast for how their team may do for the upcoming season. They have a tough road ahead of them, but if they can draft well and make effective use of their trades and signings, the Detroit Pistons could make their rebuilding process smoother as they plan for what would be best for them as a franchise.