Detroit Pistons: 3 goals for Bruce Brown in the 2020-21 season

3. Weaponize something

There are a handful of defense-first guards who have managed to develop into something more, but they had to weaponize certain skills. The primary one that comes to mind is Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart.

He’s a fantastic defender both on ball and off it, but he’s a mediocre scorer. Smart counters his overall lack of offensive game by being a well-above-average scorer in the pick-and-roll, and by never hesitating to take shots that present themselves, especially off the dribble. Marcus Smart may be a below-average scorer, but you still can’t leave him unchecked beyond the perimeter because he can drill five 3-pointers in a playoff quarter against you.

Bruce Brown may never reach the heights of Marcus Smart’s frustratingly impactful play, but he can still find a THING that he has proficiency in. Whether it’s a relentless shooting attack when he gets open shots, becomes an elite finisher off of cuts, or takes a leap in ball-handling and decision-making that open things up for him as a scorer, he’ll need to find one of these things to weaponize.

As the Detroit Pistons move into the 2020-21 offseason, it’ll be on Bruce Brown and head coach Dwane Casey to figure out just what that thing is.