Detroit Pistons: 3 players who should be playing more
By Amaar Burton
The Detroit Pistons have a winning record and a fairly deep rotation, but just like every other NBA team, some players are being underutilized.
With significant roster turnover from last season and a new coaching staff this season, it’s going to take some time for the 2018-19 Detroit Pistons to settle on a regular rotation.
First-year head coach Dwane Casey didn’t have to think much before penciling in power forward Blake Griffin, center Andre Drummond and point guard Reggie Jackson as starters — they are clearly Detroit’s three best players — but the rest of the lineup and distribution of minutes were not so certain heading into the season.
Training camp began with the Pistons introducing a handful of new players into the mix. Then there was Griffin, a 2018 trade deadline addition who only played 25 games with the team last season and would be taking on the role of offensive focal point this season.
Through Tuesday’s schedule, eight Pistons are averaging over 17 minutes per game in the team’s first 14 contests. Outside of the Big 3 of Griffin, Drummond and Jackson, five other players have started at least one game.
So far, Casey has shown he’s flexible and open to experimenting.
#Pistons Reggie Jackson didn't play down the stretch and Lanston Galloway didn't play at all.
— Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) October 31, 2018
Casey isn't afraid to make some difficult rotation decisions, even on a night-to-night basis.
When you’re dealing with 12-15 of the world’s best basketball players, it’s impossible to keep everyone satisfied and allow everyone the court time required to maximize their potential.
As Casey continues to figure things out, there are a few players who stand out among those that could be getting more playing time.