Detroit Pistons: Should Jimmer Fredette Be Considered?

The Detroit Pistons are lacking at the backup guard positions, and Jimmer Fredette should be considered to help fill that void.

The Detroit Pistons have one of the worst benches in the NBA. They should be exploring all options to add to their limited bench right now. With Jimmer Fredette playing at the top of his game in the NBA’s Developmental League, the Pistons should consider giving Fredette a look.

Head coach Stan Van Gundy keeps a relatively short bench. Typically, the same four players are coming off the bench–Steve Blake, Anthony Tolliver, Stanley Johnson and Aron Baynes. What do those four players all have in common? None of them are a natural fit at shooting guard.

The problem with the Pistons’ bench hasn’t been a lack of a shooting guard, however. It is occasionally forcing player to play out of position. When starting shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope needs to take a breather, it is typically Johnson or Blake that moves to the shooting guard position.

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Blake is undersized to defend at that position and Johnson is too slow defensively, depending on who he’s guarding.

Defense isn’t the problem when KCP is off the floor, however. If Blake is at the shooting guard position, he’s typically taken out of the game by his opponent. Due to Blake’s lack of size and inability to drive, he is ineffective as a shooting guard.

Johnson, however, gives the Pistons the best opportunity at shooting guard right now. He is still learning defensively, but his offensive game is strong due to his ability to drive and hit spot-up three-pointers.

What Fredette would add is depth to the bench. If nothing else, he could provide around eight minutes per game and be used in late-game situations as an free-throw shooter. It would also add a scorer to the bench, something that isn’t there.

He has excelled in the D-League with the Westchester Knicks this season. He is currently fourth in the D-League in scoring, averaging 24 points per game. He is shooting 48.9 percent from the field and 44.7 percent from three-point range. He is also distrbuting the ball with 4.6 assists per game.

Defensively, Fredette is improved with 4.7 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game.

Fredette, 26, was drafted 10th overall in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings. In his first couple seasons, he averaged 15 minutes per game and was productive off the bench. He shot 41.6 percent from the field and 40.2 percent from three-point range. He was also effective distributing the ball with a 16.9 assist percentage.

Fredette played 62 games since his stint with the Kings, including a short stop with the Chicago Bulls and a season with the New Orleans Pelicans. From there, he faded out because his shooting had basically stopped. He was only shooting 37.6 percent from the field and 18.4 percent from three-point range with the Pelicans.

Fredette has shown great improvement with the D-League’s best team this season. He has his shooting stroke back and appears to be ready to join a NBA team, once again.

Brandon Jennings will be ready to re-join the Pistons in the next couple of weeks. Jennings is recovering from a left Achilles injury that he suffered in January. Barring any setback, the Pistons are hoping to have him back around Christmas time, according to the Detroit Free Press’ Vince Ellis.

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Fredette would provide a good option off the bench, a part of the Pistons that has undoubtedly struggled. Providing scoring and a strong free-throw shooter would allow the rest of the bench to focus on their defensive efforts, which is where they have excelled this season.