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NBA: Top 10 Candidates For Sixth Man Of The Year Award In 2016-17

By Gerald Bourguet

Mar 6, 2016; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter (11) keeps a ball in bound against Milwaukee Bucks center Greg Monroe (15) in the third quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. The Thunder beat the Bucks 104-96. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 6, 2016; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter (11) keeps a ball in bound against Milwaukee Bucks center Greg Monroe (15) in the third quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. The Thunder beat the Bucks 104-96. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 24, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Stanley Johnson (3) gets a rebound over Cleveland Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert (4) during the fourth quarter in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Cavs win 100-98. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /

9. Stanley Johnson

In the best-case scenario for the Detroit Pistons, Stanley Johnson‘s ceiling as the team’s starting small forward of the future begins to materialize in 2016-17. He won’t surpass Marcus Morris in the rotation just yet, but the best way to lay claim to the starting spot for the long-term is to put together a breakthrough campaign off the bench this year.

Though he only averaged 8.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game on 37.5 percent shooting as a rookie, the 20-year-old Johnson flashed signs of his ceiling as an intimidating defender on one end and a dynamic slasher and scorer on the other.

His perimeter touch still needs work, especially for a player in a Stan Van Gundy offense, but in just his second season, Johnson will be in charge of leading what was the league’s worst second unit last year. The key difference from last season? He may actually have some decent talent around him off the bench so he doesn’t have to carry the workload by himself.

Perhaps this is a bit too premature for a player whose game is still developing, but Detroit seems ready to make its case for a top-four playoff seed in 2016-17. The Pistons’ improved bench will look to the competitive fire of Stanley Johnson for leadership to help get them there, and if he can deliver, don’t rule him out for Sixth Man of the Year.