Detroit Pistons Weekly: Battle For Last Frontcourt Rotation Spot Undecided

Going into training camp, it was clear the Detroit Pistons would commit to holdover Greg Monroe, talented second-year big Andre Drummond and free-agent acquisition Josh Smith as three of the major cogs in the frontcourt rotation.

Jonas Jerebko is in the mix for a spot in the frontcourt rotation. (NBA.com photo)

Charlie Villanueva is just 4-for-18 from deep in the preseason. (NBA.com photo)

New coach Maurice Cheeks figured the fourth rotation spot would come down to either Charlie Villanueva’s Expiring Contract or Jonas Jerebko, but with just a pair of preseason games remaining, the battle between Villanueva and Jerebko quickly deteriorated into a slap fight, with neither player doing much to make their case for the job.

Jerebko was terrific as a rookie in 2009-10, coming out of Sweden as a second-round pick to start 73 games and average 9.3 points and six rebounds a night while shooting 48.1 percent. After missing all of 2010-11 with an Achilles injury, however, the return for Jerebko hasn’t been good. He started 13 games in 2011-12 and his shooting percentage dipped to 46.8 percent while his playing time shrank to 22.9 minutes a game. He averaged 8.7 points and 4.8 rebounds—his per-36 minute scoring average actually increased, though, from 12 to 13.6.

Then came last year.

Jerebko landed in the doghouse of former coach Lawrence Frank and played in just 49 games a year ago, averaging 18.2 minutes a game and shooting a career-low 44.9 percent.

Villanueva, meanwhile, is in the final year of one of the most notoriously bad contracts in Pistons’ history. Signed in 2009 to a five-year, $37.7 million deal, Villanueva fell out of the rotation under Frank, averaging just 15.5 minutes per game the last two seasons.

Neither Jerebko nor Villanueva has distinguished themselves this October. Each has played in five of Detroit’s six preseason games, with Jerebko averaging 21.4 minutes, eight points and six rebounds a game. But he is shooting a horrific 12-for-37 (32.4 percent), including 1-for-10 from deep.

Villanueva’s only marginally better. Averaging 17.2 minutes in his five games, Villanueva is averaging 7.4 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 14-for-32 (43.8 percent), including 4-for-18 (22.2 percent) from 3-point range.

Cheeks thought one of the players would step forward, leaving the coach in a bit of a quandary, as he told the Detroit Free Press’ Vince Ellis:

"“Either one of those guys could play at any given time. Initially, I really thought [a winner would emerge], but I don’t necessarily agree with my thinking in that area as much as I did. … I don’t think anyone has separated himself to the point of me saying this guy will get more minutes or that guy will get more minutes. I don’t think that has happened.”"

And now to the week that was:

Wednesday, Oct. 16 at Chicago: Chicago Bulls 96, Pistons 81

• The Good: Andre Drummond continued to be a beast on the boards, grabbing 10 rebounds in 28 minutes. Rookie Kentavious Caldwell-Pope finally got a rhythm going from distance, hitting three of his four 3-point attempts. Then again …
• The Bad: Caldwell-Pope was just 3-for-13 from 2-point range. Greg Monroe continued to struggle, hitting 3-of-11 from the floor. Will Bynum missed all eight of his shots, but did have five assists. Detroit was just 26-for-80 on the night (32.5 percent).
• The Ugly: The Pistons continued to run Kyle Singler at the 2 out of necessity. With Chauncey Billups (being 37 years old and two years removed from an Achilles tear), Rodney Stuckey (broken thumb) and Brandon Jennings (impacted wisdom tooth/fractured jaw) out of the lineup, Detroit is down to three healthy guards (Bynum, Caldwell-Pope and second-round pick Peyton Siva).

Thursday, Oct. 17 at Cleveland: Cleveland Cavaliers 96, Pistons 84

• The Good: Will Bynum bounced back from oh-for-Wednesday with a 5-for-6 night that included 2-of-3 from 3-point range. Chauncey Billups made just his second appearance of the preseason and scored 10 points in 28 minutes.
• The Bad: Andre Drummond missed all three of his free-throw attempts. Josh Smith and Greg Monroe combined for 28 points, but were woefully inefficient in the process, shooting a combined 11-for-28.
• The Ugly: Smith continued to be enamored with his jumper, going 2-for-6 from 3-point range and not attempting a free throw. But at least he turned the ball over six times, so there’s that. Jonas Jerebko took 11 shots—and missed eight of them—in just 14 minutes.

Sunday, Oct. 20 at Orlando: Orlando Magic 87, Pistons 86

• The Good: Andre Drummond had a double-double in 37 minutes, shooting 6-for-9 and finishing with 14 points, 15 boards and a pair of blocks. Greg Monroe had a team-high 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting. Josh Smith stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four steals.
• The Bad: Detroit managed just nine points in the second quarter and 18 in the third period on a combined 8-for-35 shooting. Jonas Jerebko continued to struggle with his shot, going 1-for-9 in 15 minutes.
• The Ugly: With Will Bynum down with food poisoning, second-round pick Peyton Siva was pressed into 47 minutes of playing time, finishing with 12 points, seven assists and a whopping nine turnovers. The game featured 47 turnovers in all, 25 of them by the Pistons.

The Week Ahead

• Tuesday, Oct. 22: Home for the Washington Wizards, 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time tip on NBATV and Fox Sports Detroit.
• Thursday, Oct. 24: Home for the Minnesota Timberwolves, 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time tip on Fox Sports Detroit.

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