NBA Free Agency 2017: 5 offseason needs for the Detroit Pistons
By Adam Stocker
3. Adding a stretch four
The Detroit Pistons often fielded a lineup of Andre Drummond, Marcus Morris, and Tobias Harris last season. Morris and Harris are interchangeable pieces capable of playing both forward positions. Coming off the bench next season for the Pistons were Jon Leuer, Boban Marjanovic, and Aron Baynes. Leuer is a league average backup while Marjanovic has shown flashes of potential but mostly situationally. Bayes is a bruiser.
The Pistons need to add a better option than Leuer to come off the bench. When given a bigger role last season, Leuer was exposed as the season when on. The added depth on the bench would allow Van Gundy to use Marjanovic less often. In today’s NBA game, Marjanovic can only be ultized against other big lumbering centers. With the NBA going smaller and faster, players like Marjanovic are being marginalized.
Adding a stretch four capable of playing center in a pinch would give the Pistons a lot of lineup flexibility and let them stretch the floor. Someone like Toronto’s Patrick Patterson is a perfect candidate for the Pistons to sign. The Kentucky product would allow the Pistons to go small with Morris, Harris, and Patterson all on the court at the same time, all capable of hitting threes and guarding frontcourt players.