Fansided

Detroit Pistons 2015 NBA Season Preview

By Cody Williams

Mar 27, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (0) looks up before the game against the Orlando Magic at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 27, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (0) looks up before the game against the Orlando Magic at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 31, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Greg Monroe (10) and Houston Rockets forward Donatas Motiejunas (20) get their arms locked during the fourth quarter at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons beat the Rockets 114-101. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 31, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Greg Monroe (10) and Houston Rockets forward Donatas Motiejunas (20) get their arms locked during the fourth quarter at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons beat the Rockets 114-101. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /

Biggest Offseason Move

The Pistons made some very smart acquisitions via free agency and trades this offseason. For one, I love the trade for Ersan Ilyasova, a player who will slot in wonderfully as a stretch four in a Stan Van Gundy offense. However, it was allowing a player to walk that was the most consequential move for the Pistons this offseason.

In the summer of 2014, the Pistons decided not to extend Greg Monroe and instead just kept him for the qualifying offer last year. By season’s end, it was abundantly clear that the Pistons and Monroe were going to be parting ways and that Monroe would sign elsewhere.

Monroe is a great NBA talent, but he was a bad fit in Detroit alongside Andre Drummond, especially with Van Gundy trying to space the floor around Drummond on the interior. Monroe clogged all of that up and his departure could prove to wildly beneficial for the growth of this team into something special.

Biggest Offseason Mistake

I need to preface this by saying that I think Reggie Jackson is a starting caliber NBA point guard that could be quite good under Stan Van Gundy and playing alongside Andre Drummond in the pick-and-roll. That being said, the Pistons gave Jackson a ton of money this season as the re-signed the point guard.

Jackson agreed to return to Detroit to the tune of a five-year, $80 million contract. For a player that was a backup in this league until the trade deadline of last year and that the Pistons haven’t seen a great deal from, that’s just an enormous contract to be handing out and is a high-risk move to say the least. It could wind up being a quality deal and Jackson could thrive, but the apparent risk in giving him that kind of money gives me pause.

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