Detroit Pistons: 3 players who should be playing more

1. Glenn Robinson III

When incumbent starting small forward and popular Pistons scapegoat Stanley Johnson began this season struggling, a lot of the Motor City fanbase was clamoring for Glenn Robinson III — an offseason free agent signing — to take Johnson’s spot in the lineup.

Robinson’s playing time was wildly inconsistent at first. He played 20 minutes in the season opener, then recorded a DNP-CD two games later.

Finally, on Nov. 5, Robinson was inserted into the starting lineup, and he responded by putting up 16 points, two blocks and hitting two 3-pointers in a close loss to the Miami Heat.

Robinson has been a starter ever since. In those six games, he’s played 22.6 minutes per game. It could easily be argued that he deserves even more time.

Robinson fits the mold of the modern “3-and-D” wing. He’s explosively athletic, solid defensively, and he’s hitting 36.4 percent of his 3-pointers since becoming a starter.

Johnson has been playing well off the bench in 19.0 minutes per game, but giving Robinson an even bigger share of this apparent platoon on the wing could be a positive for the Pistons.