Detroit Pistons: 3 reasons Zaza Pachulia was a good pickup
By KC Whitten
2. Solid backup for Andre Drummond
Former Oregon State standout Eric Moreland was the backup for Drummond last season. Other than a few productive games throughout the year, he was ultimately a non-factor. With averages of 2.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, he couldn’t be relied upon to play the 15-20 minutes you like to see from a backup contributor.
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Pachulia is a definite improvement across the board from Moreland. Not only are his career averages of 6.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game a step up from his predecessor, he also brings with him 15 years of NBA experience.
Although he was a starter in Milwaukee, Golden State and Dallas, Zaza has also been a contributor from the bench throughout his career. He was the backup to Al Horford for much of his time with the Atlanta Hawks, and provided valuable minutes through their four-year playoff run from 2008-11.
More importantly, Pachulia is the ultimate team player. Some NBA players have an issue going from the starting lineup to the bench (Carmelo Anthony for example), but this has never been a problem for Zaza. Even though he started his first 118 games in Golden State, he was supportive of Steve Kerr‘s decision to move him to the bench in order to start JaVale McGee.
"“It’s all about the team,” Pachulia said following Monday’s game. “JaVale is playing great. There are no worries. If we win, I’ll be the happiest person in this world. That’s all that’s on my mind.”"
Zaza’s unselfish mindset and physicality can boost the Pistons’ second unit, which ranked 20th in the NBA last season. However, the following attribute could be his most important contribution to the roster.