Detroit Pistons: Complete 2017 offseason grades

Signed Anthony Tolliver

Another reason the Morris trade was a major win: Chemistry. Duncan Smith spoke to me on why this was a serious issue for Detroit last season:

"“Morris was supposedly this team’s biggest leader last year. But if we look at the things that gave him that reputation, we’ve got the ‘players only’ meeting in December, where the team’s quote-unquote leadership essentially ripped on Reggie Jackson for an hour after a game for not moving the ball. In that game, Reggie had 10 assists and took 15 shots.”"

This, more than anything, was the impetus for giving Tolliver a one-year, $3.3 million deal. Smith also pointed out that his return was also a mea culpa of sorts from Van Gundy:

"“When things were rough, especially towards the end of the year, there was really nobody who had been through the trenches…Tolliver was that guy two years ago for the Pistons, and I’d say that Stan was aware that letting him go (in 2016) was a mistake.”"

As different as they are as players, Tolliver is essentially replacing Morris both on and off the court. He should provide similar floor-spacing and two-way play at the 3 and the 4, but can do so in fewer minutes without raising a stink. Given Detroit’s depth at forward (Tobias Harris and Stanley Johnson are combo guys like Tolliver, while Jon Leuer and Henry Ellenson should play some 4), there may not be more than 15 minutes to go around.

In the locker room, Tolliver can be the steadying presence that Morris seemingly was not. For a young team that stagnated in its development last season, this is crucial. It is also a shrewd marginal signing, a far cry from the Galloway deal.

Grade: A