Detroit Pistons: Best and worst draft picks of the Stan Van Gundy era

Worst pick: Henry Ellenson

To his credit, Dwane Casey has said all the right things regarding the nearly irrelevant figure that is Henry Ellenson.

The coach has been careful not to label Ellenson’s stints in the G League as demotions. He’s made sure to explain his lack of playing time on the main roster as simply a byproduct of being behind lottery pick Stanley Johnson and All-Star Blake Griffin on the depth chart. He’s quick to praise Ellenson’s work ethic and positive attitude.

Casey even went so far as to draw similarities between Ellenson and Dirk Nowitzki.

"“He needs to watch a lot of film of Dirk Nowitzki,” Casey said. “He’s long, he can get his shot off against anyone. He just needs to continue to work on that craft.” While his numbers are far below Nowitzki’s production in his early years, Ellenson is not giving up any time soon. “I just have to keep fighting,” Ellenson said. “I have a lot of friends and family in my court and teammates who give me a lot of support.”"

But no one will be surprised if (more like when) the Pistons sever ties with Ellenson this offseason. The 18th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft has simply not produced anything at the NBA level to prove he’s worth a notable investment.

When Van Gundy drafted Ellenson, it wasn’t hard to see the potential. The 6’11” power forward was Big East Freshman of the Year at Marquette and appeared to have the versatile new-age big man’s skill-set that every team coveted.

Fast-forward to Year 3 as a pro, and Ellenson is a fringe player in the league. Injuries have been a factor, but even when he’s healthy, he doesn’t play a lot. He’s appeared in only two games this season, bringing his three-year NBA total to 59. Playing 8.5 minutes per game, he averages 3.8 points and 2.2 rebounds.

It looks like things most likely aren’t going to work out for Henry Ellenson with the Pistons, but he’s still just 21 years old. If another team sees in him what Van Gundy saw back in 2016, he could have a chance at a fresh start somewhere else.

As far as his legacy in Detroit goes, however, Ellenson will probably wind up being labeled a bust.