Detroit Pistons: 3 goals for Stanley Johnson in 2018-19

3. 3-point percentage above 35 percent

The main struggle with Johnson’s offensive game has been his lack of a 3-point shot. During his lone season at Arizona, in a limited sample size, he shot 37 percent from 3-point range. While the college and NBA game are completely different, the Pistons had hoped that Johnson would be able to maintain that shooting prowess. While he shoots a great percentage at the rim, it drops the further away from the basket he goes. It then craters at 3-point range.

Casey’s offense will generate more open looks for Johnson. While this doesn’t mean that he’ll shoot 45 percent as the team’s leading marksman, 35 percent is a reasonable mark. Per NBA.com, Johnson shot the majority of his 3s when he was “wide-open.” He also shot his highest percentage on those looks, which makes sense. He shot 33.3 percent on those looks, and that number should go up this season with more open looks to come.

This will be the season that sets up the rest of Johnson’s career. If he is able to increase his 3-point shooting to 35 percent, he can earn himself a ton of money. However, if his shooting levels hold, he will be locked in as a defensive ace for the rest of his career. While defense is great and necessary, 3-point shooting has never been more important. If Johnson wants to increase his role, he’ll have to increase his shooting ability.