Detroit Pistons: Best-case, worst-case scenarios for every player

Guards

Reggie Jackson (14.6 points, 5.3 assists per game last season)

Best case: Detroit’s starting point guard recaptures the form that had him looking like a star in the making two years ago, when he averaged 18.8 points and 6.6 assists while helping the Pistons make the 2016 playoffs.

Jackson stays relatively healthy this season, appearing in 70-plus games and giving the league’s best point guards fits with his relentless attacking style and improved decision-making in his eighth pro season.

Worst case: The injury bug strings Jackson again, just like it did over the past two seasons in which he appeared in 52 and 45 games, respectively. With Jackson in and (mostly) out of the lineup, the Pistons can’t establish a rhythm and chemistry.

They also suffer from lack of a legit perimeter scorer in a league where that is now a requirement for success.

Reggie Bullock (11.3 points, 44.5 percent on 3-pointers)

Best case: After finishing second in the NBA in 3-point accuracy last season, Bullock maintains his place among the league’s best shooters.

Defenders can’t just play him for the long shot, however, as Bullock’s underrated ability to move without the ball and find openings makes him a true threat to score from anywhere.

Whether he starts or comes off the bench, Bullock makes a serious run at either the NBA’s Most Improved award or the Sixth Man of the Year trophy.

Worst case: First-year coach Casey can’t find the right role for Bullock, and his minutes are inconsistent.

Due to injuries to Jackson and Blake Griffin, the Pistons don’t have a legit interior scoring threat or an effective drive-and-kick point guard, so Bullock isn’t getting a lot of good looks from long range. It seems Bullock’s career year in 2017-18, in which he more than doubled his previous career-high in scoring, was a fluke.

Luke Kennard (7.6 points, 41.5 percent on 3-pointers)

Best case: Kennard was drafted one spot ahead of rookie sensation Donovan Mitchell.

In Year 2, Kennard starts to show why that happened. He earns the starting shooting guard job and is the primary beneficiary of open jump shots created by Detroit’s “Big Three” of Griffin, Jackson and Andre Drummond.

Kennard’s defense improves enough that he’s not a liability on that end, earning him more minutes and more touches.

Worst case: The sophomore slump is real. Playing for his second head coach and second system in two years, Kennard has trouble adjusting and his defensive struggles from his rookie year continue.

Kennard eventually finds himself buried on the bench by a coaching staff that didn’t acquire him in the first place.

Ish Smith (10.9 points, 4.4 assists)

Best case: Provides quality minutes as the backup point guard who is able to step in and start without the team missing a beat if Jackson can’t play. Smith shows enough this season to land himself a nice contract with another team as a free agent next summer.

Worst case: Smith gets vaulted on the depth chart, either by veteran Jose Calderon or by rookie Bruce Brown Jr., and finds himself out of the regular rotation.

Jose Calderon (4.5 points, 2.1 assists, 46.0 percent on 3-pointers)

Best case: Casey promotes Calderon, who played for him in Toronto, to the No. 2 point guard on the depth chart. His leadership, outside shooting and decision-making makes him a valuable piece for a team that is learning how to win.

Worst case: Age finally catches up to the seemingly ageless Calderon, who looks every bit his 37 years old.

Langston Galloway (6.2 points, 34.4 percent on 3-pointers)

Best case: Galloway provides shooting and depth in the Pistons backcourt, playing like the man who first raised eyebrows around the league as an out-of-nowhere, double-digit scoring rookie with the New York Knicks.

Worst case: Galloway puts on a show in pre-game warm-ups, but he rarely sees the court during the game. Which isn’t too bad except for the fact that he is Detroit’s second-highest paid guard.

Khryi Thomas (rookie)

Best case: The two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year, who shot 41.1 percent from 3-point range at Creighton last season, contributes in the pros in the 3-and-D capacity when called upon.

During stints in the G League, Thomas fine-tunes his skills in order to be a regular rotation player next season.

Worst case: Doesn’t play when he’s on the main roster, and doesn’t get better in the G League.

Bruce Brown Jr. (rookie)

Best case: The Miami (Fla.) product finds some minutes thanks to his versatility and ability to play both backcourt spots. Brown grasps the nuances of playing point guard in the NBA sooner than later, maximizing his time with the G League’s Grand Rapids Drive.

Worst case: Brown still doesn’t look quite right, thanks to the foot injury that cost him most of his sophomore season in college. His streaky outside shot is more off than on, limiting the amount of time he’s able to get on-court experience.