Detroit Pistons: 4 keys to success this season
By Duncan Smith
Detroit Pistons goal No. 2: Don’t squander Sekou Doumbouya
The Pistons got one of the perceived steals in the 2019 NBA draft when Sekou Doumbouya fell to them at 15. He was the youngest player in the NBA when he was selected and is still younger than most of the Pistons roster going into his second year.
It’s unmistakable how raw he is after having played basketball for only six years, but he has the physical tools to become at least a solid rotational player. Unfortunately, even at his young age (he’ll turn 20 on Pistons’ opening night) he’s a relic from the previous administration, and Weaver has made it clear what he thinks of the players that Stan Van Gundy and Ed Stefanski brought to Detroit.
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The roster Weaver constructed doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for Doumbouya to break into the rotation in a meaningful way. He’s behind Blake Griffin and Jerami Grant in the frontcourt and he may be behind Josh Jackson as well, depending on how head coach Dwane Casey chooses to deploy the rotation.
He may be able to play some small-ball center, but that’s going to be matchup dependant and not a reliable source of playing time. It would be a shame if the Pistons can’t utilize Doumbouya in some way this season, and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the organization’s plans for their G League team, the Grand Rapids Drive doesn’t ease the mind at all.