Detroit Pistons: Figuring out their new rotation as the dust settles
By Corey Rausch
The Starters
As long as he is healthy Blake Griffin is the face of the franchise. Showcasing what he can do while healthy will be essential for any sort of trade that may come down the line to help Detroit take the next step in the restoration process. The reports are pointing to a world where he is ready to start the season on the court but the team should still manage his minutes astutely. This season is not about wins. It is about the future.
In that vein, Killian Hayes should be the starter from the jump. He is the future of this franchise and he is the kind of playmaker that will help the entire roster flow. There will be growing pains (he is only 19 after all) but he is ready to step in and push through them. Derrick Rose may feel like the incumbent but Dwane Casey has been reticent to start him in the past. That is unlikely to change now.
Jerami Grant is the prize of free agency for the Detroit Pistons and will find himself in the starting lineup as well. He showed in the bubble that he is ready to take the next step and is still only 26. Just a year old than the recently-departed Christian Wood, Grant will thrive in this system. He can play both wing positions and is a knockdown shooter from outside. He put up impressive numbers on a 17.7 percent usage rate. As that goes up markedly this year his numbers will look even better.
The shallowest position on the roster goes to shooting guard but luckily Svi Mykhailiuk is ready to step in. He can play either wing position and is one of the best kept shooting secrets in the league. Last season on 5.1 attempts per game he shot a blistering 40.4 percent. That is good for 13th in the league for anyone who attempted at least five such shots per game.
Finally, the most mocked signing of the free agency period, Mason Plumlee slides into the starting center role. He was never a starter in Denver but prior to that he filled the role adequately. He is not here to be a star. He is here to be a stabilizing veteran force. Despite his momentary lapse at the end of a playoff game he is a solid team defender and knows how to pick his spots. He is a perfect partner for Hayes as he learns the pick-and-roll at NBA speed.