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

Forwards

Blake Griffin (21.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.8 assists)

Best case: Feeling rejuvenated for his first full season in Detroit, Griffin makes is sixth All-Star Game while putting up LeBron-like numbers of 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists per game as Casey’s designated point-forward. Griffin leads the Pistons back to the playoffs.

Worst case: For the fifth year in a row, injuries prevent Griffin from appearing in at least 70 games. Although he is only 29 years old, his game and his athleticism continue to decline.

As the losses mount, Griffin’s monster contract starts to look more like an albatross that the Pistons won’t be able to shake for four years.

Stanley Johnson (8.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.4 steals)

Best case: Johnson moves into the upper echelon of the league’s perimeter stoppers and challenges for a spot on the All-Defensive Team. Things finally click for him offensively and he averages double-digit scoring for the first time in his career.

The Pistons reward their 2015 lottery pick with a lucrative contract extension.

Worst case: Still can’t find a consistent jump shot, and for all of his defensive skill, cannot get too much playing time due to his offensive limitations. Loses the starting small forward spot to newcomer Glenn Robinson III.

The Pistons decide not to sign Johnson to an extension, he sulks, and is eventually traded.

Glenn Robinson III (4.1 points, 41.2 percent on 3-pointers)

Best case: Fully recovered from the ankle injury that cost him most of last season with the Indiana Pacers, GR3 plays his way into Detroit’s starting lineup.

Along with a 3-and-D skill set, Robinson routinely makes the highlight reel and gets invited to defend the Slam Dunk contest title he won in 2017.

Worst case: Playing for his fourth team in five pro seasons, Robinson cements his status as a journeyman. He has all the surface elements you want to be an effective player, but he just can’t put it all together into a productive package.

He makes some standout plays on occasion but is just another guy on the bench.

Henry Ellenson (4.0 points, 2.1 rebounds)

Best case: The 21-year-old starts to live up to the hype that followed him as a first-round pick in 2016. The Pistons gave Ellenson a lot of opportunities in Summer League to showcase his game, and it pays off when the games start to count.

He is a solid backup to Griffin as a playmaking power forward.

Worst case: In Year 3, Ellenson doesn’t get any better. He still can’t get on the court for more than 10 minutes per game and goes down as another failed acquisition from the Stan Van Gundy era.

Jon Leuer (5.4 points, 4.0 rebounds)

Best case: Bouncing back from offseason knee surgery and from the ankle injury that cost him almost all of last season, Leuer plays like the guy who averaged 10 points and five boards two seasons ago.

Running the floor and shooting as a stretch-4 makes him an important piece off the bench.

Worst case: Leuer can’t beat out Ellenson for the backup power forward spot, and isn’t quite right as the backup center to Drummond. He doesn’t play much.