Fansided

Brandon Jennings out until December for Pistons

By John Buhler

Jan 19, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Brandon Jennings (7) dribbles the ball as Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0) defends during the first half at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 19, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Brandon Jennings (7) dribbles the ball as Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0) defends during the first half at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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According to Kurt Helin of Pro Basketball Talk on NBC Sports, Detroit Pistons point guard Brandon Jennings will likely be out until at least December in the 2015-16 NBA Season.

It looks like the Detroit Pistons will be without a major backcourt piece in Brandon Jennings for some time. The young point guard of the Pistons tore his Achilles’ Tendon last season and isn’t progressing as well as Head Coach Stan Van Gundy would have liked.

Stan Van Gundy told Detroit Sports 105.1, “We don’ know where Brandon is going to be health-wise. Right now, he’s still recovering. We’re probably looking at mid-to-late December to have him back.”

Jennings stated via his Twitter account that he could bounce back from his Achilles’ tear in six to nine months, after suffering the devastating injury back in January. That seems a little too ambitious for an injury that once undoubtedly ended players’ careers.

Perhaps the logic behind Jennings wanting to hasten his return is that he is in the final year of his contract with the Detroit Pistons. With Van Gundy, who is also the club’s general manager, locking up fellow point guard Reggie Jackson with a five-year deal after his trade from Oklahoma City, Jennings will likely serve in a backup point guard role for the Pistons in 2016.

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Detroit plays in a deep division where Cleveland, Chicago, and Milwaukee seem like locks to make the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Both Detroit and Indiana are certainly in the mix this upcoming season after missing out on of them last year.

Van Gundy has a history of overpaying players to come to his teams (Miami, Orlando, and now Detroit). Could the trade and prompt extension of point guard Reggie Jackson be the writing on the wall for Brandon Jennings as a starter in Motown? At the moment that seems likely, but expect Jennings to impact the game coming off the bench when he’s finally healthy in early 2016.

The Detroit Pistons organization is handling Jennings’ rehab with great precaution. Assuming he can bounce back in January and give the Pistons some spark in the back court, Detroit could potentially contend for a seventh or eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. For now, it’s up to Jackson and company to keep the Pistons afloat in the East during Jennings’ extended absence.

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