Detroit Pistons: 5 predictions for the 2018-19 NBA season
By Amaar Burton
4. Stanley Johnson and Luke Kennard will be starters
Three of the five opening day starting positions for the Pistons are pretty much set in stone: Reggie Jackson will start at point guard, Blake Griffin at power forward and Andre Drummond at center.
The other two spots — shooting guard and small forward — present some interesting and potentially intense battles that could play out in training camp and the preseason.
At shooting guard, Reggie Bullock and 2017 lottery pick Luke Kennard appear to be the top contenders. They are the team’s most accurate outside shooters; Bullock finished second in the league in 3-point percentage last season at 44.5 percent, while Kennard made 41.5 percent of his looks from beyond the arc.
The #Pistons depth on the wing this year will be so refreshing. Kennard/Bullock/GR3/Stanley is a great group of four. Bruce Brown can play too, if he ever gets the opportunity. Langston Galloway still has some value. Deepest Detroit has been on that front in a while.
— Aaron Johnson (@AJohnsonNBA) September 17, 2018
At small forward, it will likely come down to 2015 lottery pick Stanley Johnson vs. free agent newcomer Glenn Robinson III. Johnson is an adept defender who has struggled to score consistently as a pro. Robinson is a good shooter who needs to prove his explosive athleticism hasn’t been taken away by a serious ankle injury that cost him most of last season with the Indiana Pacers.
Given the investment the franchise has made in Kennard, I expect him to be the frontrunner to earn a starting job. Bullock might even be better utilized in a sixth-man role as the second unit’s top scorer.
Johnson has already drawn high praise from Casey for his defensive ability, but Robinson was a top target of the Pistons in free agency. Needing defenders on the floor in a conference featuring the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, Victor Oladipo and Bradley Beal on the wings, I think Johnson will win the starting job.