Detroit’s frontcourt (Josh Smith, Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond) was unable to forge any symmetry last season. How will it perform this year under Stan Van Gundy?
The Detroit Pistons haven’t been to the postseason since the 2008-09 campaign, when the team went 39-43 and was swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round.
Six years later, the Motor City’s best may once again be on the outside looking in.
After a bizarre 2013-14 season that included Head Coach Maurice Cheeks getting canned and Josh Smith shooting a career-high 265 3-pointers, the Pistons shook up the front office by hiring veteran coach Stan Van Gundy to serve as the team’s head coach and president of basketball operations.
Van Gundy will hope to turn around an ailing franchise that struggled across the board last season, finishing 27th in total defense (104.7 PPG), 29th in 3-point percentage (32.1 percent), and 24th in point differential (-3.7) en route to a 29-53 record.
SVG will also attempt to get Brandon Jennings’ career back on track. Jennings, 25, struggled mightily last season and failed to live up to expectations in his first year as a Piston, shooting just 37.3 percent from the field and a career-low 75.1 percent from the charity stripe.
Offseason
Van Gundy isn’t the only new face in Motown. The Pistons signed former Lakers sharpshooter Jodie Meeks, former Bulls spark plug D.J. Augustin, and forward Cartier Martin, who spent time with both the Hawks and Bulls last season. The team also inked veteran forward Caron Butler and center Aaron Gray. Lastly, Detroit acquired center Joel Anthony from the Boston Celtics in exchange for guard Will Bynum.
Despite bringing in talent, the team also lost a few pieces. Guard Rodney Stuckey signed with the Indiana Pacers and big man Charlie Villanueva signed with the Dallas Mavericks. However, Meeks and Augustin will likely match and exceed the production of Stuckey, and as far as Villanueva goes, let’s just say most Detroit fans are probably happy his lucrative contract is finally off the books.
Detroit’s most significant roster move, though, is the signing of restricted free agent Greg Monroe. Monroe signed a qualifying offer with the team and will become an unrestricted free agent next year, but having him back for another season will make SVG’s job a lot easier. Monroe seemingly regressed in 2013, but most of his regression was due to the combination of Smith, Monroe, and Andre Drummond being unable to function properly. Van Gundy said the Smith-Monroe-Drummond lineup will not be used often, so expect to see Monroe’s numbers improve this year.
But Pistons fans are likely asking that eternal question: Will this be the year we finally return to the playoffs?
Prediction
Best-case scenario, the Pistons are able to develop chemistry nonexistent in 2013 and grab one of the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. However, the squad will have to improve their perimeter shooting, and with Meeks expected to miss significant time, the team is already down one of its best shooters. Defense is another concern, but with SVG in the fold, expect to see a greater amount of effort on the defensive end.
Worst-case scenario, Van Gundy is unable to bring the Pistons together and they miss the postseason. It’s hard to believe with the changes made this offseason that Detroit will be as anemic as they were last year, but stranger things have happened.
.500 (41-41) seems like a fair record to me. The team is in Van Gundy’s very capable hands, but it may take more than one season for chemistry to develop and the team’s identity to change.
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