Detroit Pistons: Player grades at the midseason point

Grading the bench of the Detroit Pistons

The Pistons bench has had some unexpected standouts who were barely more than afterthoughts at the one-month mark. Let’s take a look at this group.

Josh Jackson – B

Previous – B

Josh Jackson‘s renaissance season continues with the Detroit Pistons. He has battled illness before the All-Star break and missed the last two games before the hiatus, so much like Grant, that break came at just the right time for him. Jackson has continued to be a strong sixth man for the Pistons this season.

Isaiah Stewart – B

Previous – B

Isaiah Stewart remains a fan favorite now and probably forever in Detroit. He’s another player who (thus far) has justified the faith Troy Weaver placed in him when the Pistons selected him 16th overall in the NBA draft.

Saben Lee – B+

Previous – N/A

Saben Lee has been a revelation for the Pistons. Thanks to injury and attrition at the point guard position, Lee has taken advantage of the opportunity and shown that he can at least be a decent backup point guard if not more. His shot will likely prove to be a flaw in his game but he’s 4-of-6 in a tiny sample from 3-point range. Surprisingly enough, though, he seems to be able to do everything else pretty well. Not bad for the 38th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

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Delon Wright – B

Previous – D

Delon Wright cranked it up almost immediately after our one-month grades. He’s turned into a productive scorer and reasonable playmaker, both of which seemed almost impossible in the first month of the season. He’s missed the last couple of weeks with a groin injury and should be considered a heavy favorite to get traded at the deadline, likely to a contender.

Rodney McGruder – C+

Previous – N/A

Rodney McGruder hasn’t played much this season, but when he has, he’s actually been pretty decent. He’s a scrappy guard and he’s shooting 50.0 from 3-point  range in a small sample.

Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk – D+

Previous – D+

There were hopes that Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk might have a breakout season after Luke Kennard and Bruce Brown were traded, and that hasn’t happened. Maybe he’ll have a strong second half, but there’s no indication that we should suspect such a thing at this point.

Sekou Doumbouya – D

Previous – D+

It’s important to remember that Sekou Doumbouya was drafted 15th overall in 2019 as a raw project, and he’s shown why that’s the case in his NBA career so far. Sometimes he appears to be a difference-maker, and sometimes he disappears in his time on the floor for long stretches of games. He only turned 20 in December, so don’t give up on him yet.

Incomplete – Killian Hayes, Deividas Sirvydis, Jahlil Okafor, Frank Jackson.