Detroit Pistons: 3 goals for Langston Galloway in 2020-21

Langston Galloway had a career year for the Detroit Pistons in 2019-20. He’s a free agent in the offseason, but assuming he returns, we have goals for him.

It’s hard not to like Langston Galloway. The guard for the Detroit Pistons is one of the friendliest players in the NBA, he’s great with the media and his teammates, and he’s a hard worker. He’s also about to be a free agent in the coming offseason, and he could be heading to his fifth team in his seven-year career.

He’s well-liked in Detroit and while the Pistons would love to bring him back, it’s unlikely they’re going to spend up to make it happen. On the plus side for the organization, not many teams have cap space and those that do aren’t going to break the bank for a 6’1″, 200 lbs guard unless it’s Fred VanVleet.

For the purposes of our “Three Goals” series focusing on the players of the Detroit Pistons, we’ll assume that Galloway and the team will be able to come to an equitable deal and that he’ll return next season.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at three goals we’ve set for Langston Galloway going into the 2020-21 season.

Langston Galloway’s first goal: Be the vet, redux

Much like Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose, Galloway is a respected voice in the Pistons locker room, and it’s a room rapidly filling with young faces. Aside from his on-court impact, Galloway has another way to create a lasting legacy in Detroit: He can help shape the minds and careers of his young teammates.

It’s surely a mandate that he takes seriously, and the Pistons are in great shape from a leadership and mentorship standpoint between this trio of veterans. It’s a far cry from just a few years ago when the team was largely rudderless.

Langston Galloway’s second goal: Consistency

Galloway had the best year of his career last season, scoring 10.3 points per game while shooting 43.5 percent from the floor and 39.9 percent from 3-point range. These are good numbers, to be sure, but he is a notably streaky shooter and always has been.

It’s hard to control consistency, but it seemed as though as Galloway’s role became more clear last season, it was easier for him to settle in and just play his game. Between Galloway and head coach Dwane Casey, that consistent role could go a long way towards making him more effective on the floor.

Langston Galloway’s third goal: Get those shots up

Consistent role and consistent shot volume could pay dividends for Galloway, and he’s a potent shooter when the shots are falling. Obviously, that could be said about anybody who is making shots, but particularly in Galloway’s case, there seems to be a cascading effect when things are going well.

It’s something the Pistons could benefit from by getting him more involved in the offense, and he could definitely stand to take a bigger piece of the pie when he’s on the floor. Last season he scored 1.125 points per possession on all jump shots, placing him in the 87th percentile, and he scored 1.191 points per possession on catch and shoot jumpers. That rate was good for the 76th percentile.

For a team that struggled to score last season, they needn’t squander an offensive weapon like Galloway. To be sure, he has his limitations, but feeding him when he’s hot while he’s on the floor with bench lineups should be a priority.