Detroit Pistons: Van Gundy Pairing Josh Smith With Monroe?
Should the Detroit Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy pair Josh Smith with Greg Monroe?
There is a laundry list of things that Stan Van Gundy needs to clean up heading into his first regular season as coach of the Detroit Pistons.
He has a point guard who thinks he is a two-guard, uncertainty at the wing positions as a whole, and he has to erase the stigma of underachievement that came about last season. Van Gundy also has a problem that has to do with the team’s embarrassment of riches when it comes to post players, mainly trying to decide which of their ultra-talented big guys will start the season with the first five.
With the untouchable Andre Drummond at center, and it’s clear he’s not going anywhere, there is one spot remaining assuming the Pistons want to play Josh Smith at his best position as a power forward. The problem is they have another talented, young fellow in Greg Monroe who stakes claim to the same slot. There are worse problems to have surely, but this one in particular was a quandary that cost the Pistons some cohesiveness (and ultimately wins) last season.
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Looking at this problem from afar, there seems to be three logical options.
Start One, Bench One
In this scenario, I envision Josh Smith as the power forward alongside Andre Drummond. From an outside perspective, the Detroit Pistons did not exactly give a ringing endorsement to Greg Monroe this summer, even though they were likely to match any contract offer he received. They know he’s looking to play out this contract and look for a better situation, so it makes sense for the organization to go forward with the guy they gave a big contract to one summer ago.
Greg Monroe’s relegation to the bench would not exactly be a demotion, and he ideally would see a fair amount of run as a sixth man, and the Pistons could frame their bench attack around the skilled big man. Not only would this solve the mismatched pieces that are vying for starting roles, this move would give Detroit a great advantage in bench battles with a legitimate starter at the forefront of their second-unit.
Of course, this one requires some swallowing of pride from one party, as it’s completely possible the roles would be reversed (Monroe starts, Smith as sixth man), and someone would have to take one for the team. Unfortunately, this is usually not the case, and while the ideal scenario from a team perspective, I am not sure this strategy would work out in the long-term for coach Stan Van Gundy.
Keep One, Trade One
This is a line of thinking that the Detroit Pistons have already reportedly been on. From Josh-Smith-to-the-Kings to Greg Monroe wanting a sign-and-trade anywhere else, the rumors have swirled all summer and are likely to resurface as we head closer to the trade deadline.
Monroe has the higher trade value due to a lot of factors, and is the more likely candidate to be dealt because of that. This scenario could help the Pistons acquire more wing shooting, draft choices, or whatever else they want to include in a deal for their young rising star. Josh Smith carries lower value due to his contract among other reasons, but he could be swapped for a lower return if that is the direction that the new staff wants to take.
While I don’t personally like breaking up such a talented group, this seems to be the course of action that typically wins out, so I would throw a guess that this is what happens in the end.
Play Josh Smith, Greg Monroe Together
This option is one that will work in stretches. The big lineup they trot out on occasion does see results, and will give the team an advantage in certain match-ups. To do this requires a commitment of conscious efforts to change the way both players play the game, even if that onus falls mostly on Josh Smith.
As a small forward, Smith should be able to take advantage of smaller guys in the post. Instead, he ends up chucking three-pointers and taking low-percentage shots. Of course, with two other post players crowding that area, it’s an easy out for Smith to try to become Stephen Curry; it’s just not going to work.
Defensively, the Pistons would need to make up some ground on the wing, but would have the potential to dominate the painted area, and in-turn forge an identity that would serve them well come playoff time. That alone makes this a venture worth considering, and the fact that the most talented players on the roster would be on the floor at the same time is also highly intriguing.
So What Do The Detroit Pistons Do?
While playing the two talented forwards together is tempting, I am of the mind that starting Josh Smith, and allowing Greg Monroe to play either post position off the bench is the best move that Stan Van Gundy can make.
This allows for more three-point shooters around budding star Andre Drummond, and makes sure one of those three-point shooters is not Josh Smith (at least for the most part). As for Monroe, he is given complete license to dominate the touches with the second-unit, and with the proper minute allocation could see some good numbers that would make a strong case for a big time contract this summer.
As noted, the problem with this strategy is the risk of losing whichever player is given the bench assignment, but if these guys aren’t willing to sacrifice from Day 1, then it’s better to find that out before committing to either player.
Of course, I still think the most likely scenario is a trade. We will probably be seeing quite a few rumors involving the Detroit Pistons as the months tick by, and most will involve one of these two players.
Until then, Stan Van Gundy has a decision to make. Playing the two together will require a conscious effort to make the thing work smoothly, and if done correctly could see big rewards. Playing one off the bench runs a whole new risk of team turmoil.
Either way, Van Gundy won’t be scared to do what he sees fit, and we will find out soon.