2016-17 NBA Season Preview: Detroit Pistons
Welcome to theScore's 2016-17 NBA preview, where you'll find comprehensive coverage of all 30 teams and storylines to watch this season.
Detroit Pistons
2015-16
| Record | Central | East | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 44-38 | 3rd | 8th | Round 1 loss to CLE (4-0) |
Offseason roundup
| Additions | Departures |
|---|---|
| Jon Leuer (4/$42M) | Jodie Meeks (ORL) |
| Ish Smith (3/$18M) | Steve Blake |
| Boban Marjanovic (3/$12M) | Anthony Tolliver (SAC) |
| Ray McCallum (undisclosed) | |
| Michael Gbinije (draft) |
Projected starting five
- PG Reggie Jackson
- SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
- SF Marcus Morris
- PF Tobias Harris
- C Andre Drummond
Player to watch: Tobias Harris
The Pistons had a foundation in place with Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond. All they needed was a third piece, and they got that by stealing Tobias Harris away from the Orlando Magic.
Here was this 24-year-old forward on a cheap contract who would fit beautifully as a stretch-four in Stan Van Gundy's spread pick-and-roll system. Harris can play multiple positions, stretch the floor, score inside, and create his own shot efficiently.
He instantly found his niche. During his first 12 games with the Pistons, he averaged 17.7 points, six rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 52 percent from the floor and 43 percent from deep.
He drained spot-up jumpers when he played with the starters, then switched to being the go-to guy when playing with the second unit. That was exactly what the Pistons were missing.
With Harris on the floor, Detroit posted an offensive rating of 106.5 that would have ranked sixth in the league last season. That figure should only improve after he gets a full training camp under his belt.
Season expectations
Detroit's biggest problem last season was a lack of production from the bench.
Dealing Ersan Ilyasova and Brandon Jennings robbed the Pistons of their depth, making Van Gundy's squad far too reliant on the likes of Steve Blake and Aron Baynes. The second unit couldn't hold leads, and that led to the starters being overworked on most nights.
The Pistons set out to fix that this summer. None of their additions were flashy, but the likes of Jon Leuer, Boban Marjanovic, and Ish Smith are vast upgrades over what they had previously.
If those bench issues are indeed fixed, Detroit could top the 50-win plateau.