Detroit Pistons: What does the Kelly Olynyk signing mean for the season ahead?

During free agency last season, fans of the Detroit Pistons quickly learned that the new general manager was a fan of big men. Less than a year later the only ones remaining from his initial surge are second-year standouts Isaiah Stewart and Jahlil Okafor. So naturally, Weaver’s first move in his second free agency period is signing a new big man to a three-year contract. This year, however, there is no room for jokes. Kelly Olynyk fits the roster to a tee and will work out wonderfully for the Detroit Pistons.

After a season of development (and plenty of losing) the Detroit Pistons entered the offseason with a major hole in their gameplan: shooting. They finished 22nd in 3-point shooting percentage (35.1 percent), 21st in attempts (32.9 per game) and 22nd in makes (11.6 per game). Further complicating the issue, the top three shooters by percentage in the regular rotation a season ago are all no longer under contract.

Keep your jokes about Troy Weaver and centers to yourself. Kelly Olynyk and the Detroit Pistons should be a strong match going into the upcoming season.

Wayne Ellington has already left for the Los Angeles Lakers and if the Pistons are not able to bring back Hamidou Diallo or Frank Jackson the newest additions via the draft and free agency will need to step up.

Kelly Olynyk brings this from a veteran to add the draftees Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Livers. Olynyk was fantastic to end the season with the Houston Rockets. Over 27 games he averaged 19.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game and hit 39.2 percent of his 3-point shots. Before this season he had not shot less than 35.0 percent from distance since his second season in the league when he clocked in at 34.9 percent.

Olynyk spaces the floor for the Pistons and opens up flexibility for both Killian Hayes and Cade Cunningham as young playmakers. As a pick-and-pop threat, Olynyk will stretch the floor and allow open slashing lanes for the players around him. Ideally pairing off the bench with a returning Hamidou Diallo is in the future. Diallo was often stuck with Okafor, leaving the lane clogged and preventing the explosive athlete from putting on a show for eager fans. Olynyk would completely change that for Diallo and would also provide opportunities for plenty of the other young players on the roster to develop that skill as well.

For those fans who are worried about the length and price of Olynyk (three years, $37 million), there is nothing to overreact about here. Detroit has made it clear that they want to compete with the young core growing alongside the right kind of veterans. Bringing in a willing shooter who showed signs of expanding his game in Houston allows them to do just that. There is no reason to remain one of the worst teams in the league after securing the number one pick. The experience of trying to win while growing perfectly fits the exact culture Troy Weaver was adamant about restoring in Detroit.