Stan Van Gundy Maximizing Chance to Put Stamp on Detroit Pistons Roster
When the Detroit Pistons appointed Stan Van Gundy head coach and president of basketball operations in May of 2014, it was clear that the franchise would be in for a change of direction.
The results weren't impressive last season, but Van Gundy has leveraged his power into making some very bold moves.
When Van Gundy took over the Pistons, the roster clearly didn't fit his style. The cramped frontcourt featuring Andre Drummond, Greg Monroe and Josh Smith was a disaster, and it was clear that changes needed to be made.
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Van Gundy's Orlando Magic teams between 2007 and 2012 had a clear identity. Dwight Howard was the designated superstar, an ultra-athletic defensive anchor who could draw help defenders on his rolls to the rim and in the post. Around him, Orlando added a whole bunch of shooters the likes of Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, Jameer Nelson, J.J. Redick and so on.
Whenever the defense collapsed, the Magic were ready to kick the ball out to snipers spotting up all around the perimeter.
The Magic's personnel fit Van Gundy's coaching style. In his five seasons with the team, Orlando won 66 percent of its games and made the NBA Finals in 2009. It's understandable that he would attempt to replicate that roster type in Detroit.
The Moves So Far
It didn't take long to figure out that Van Gundy wasn't messing around. In December, the Pistons waived Smith with the NBA's stretch provision, opting to create some immediate cap relief. Things clearly weren't working, and Van Gundy provided a legitimate explanation as to why the bold move was necessary.
"We are shifting priorities to aggressively develop our younger players while also expanding the roles of other players in the current rotation to improve performance and build for our future," Van Gundy said in an NBA.com press release.
Detroit's next big move was partially forced. Brandon Jennings ruptured his Achilles tendon in January, which prompted the Pistons to package a couple of future second-round draft picks, D.J. Augustin and Kyle Singler into a trade for Reggie Jackson.
The Pistons then started their offseason early in June, moving Caron Butler and Shawne Williams to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for stretch 4 Ersan Ilyasova.
Ever since free agency commenced on July 1, the Pistons have stayed busy. They locked up Aron Baynes with a three-year, $20 million deal, absorbed the deals of power forward Marcus Morris, small forward Danny Granger and shooting guard Reggie Bullock in a trade with the Phoenix Suns and splashed on a five-year, $80 million contract for Jackson.
The Pistons also drafted a nice young wing with shooting range in Stanley Johnson with the eighth overall pick in this year's draft.
With all the roster movement that has taken place, Detroit should look like a completely different team next season.
How Does It All Fit?
Detroit's current roster looks a whole lot more like what Van Gundy prefers.
Andre Drummond fits the mold as an athletic rim protector in the middle. He is still raw and can improve on both ends, but anyone who puts up 13.8 points, 13.5 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game at the age of 21 is worth watching.
If Drummond could somehow polish his offensive game, he'd be an All-Star center. He is already one of the best rebounders in the entire league, but his lack of an effective back-to-the-basket game hurts him.
Drummond posted up on 27.5 percent of his total offensive plays but scored just 0.69 points per possession last season, according to NBA.com's Synergy stats. Only 30 players posted up on more than 200 plays, and Drummond ranked last among them. The numbers aren't pretty, but Drummond is still young and Howard went through similar growing pains when he entered the league.
The perimeter shooting looks better. Ilyasova will be able to create space as a stretch 4, as will Morris. Johnson is a good shooter, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope lifted his three-point percentage to a respectable 34.5 percent in his sophomore year and Jodie Meeks has always been a sniper from long range.
Jackson still has a shaky jumper but will presumably have the ball in his hands on almost every possession. As defenses collapse around the Jackson-Drummond pick-and-roll duo, Detroit will be better-equipped to punish opponents with kick-outs next year.
This team is still very young and will certainly grow. There is no pressure to contend now, but even the short-term future looks somewhat brighter.
While Van Gundy has managed to tailor the roster to his liking, it's not unfair to question some of his moves. Signing Baynes to a three-year, $20 million contract seems a bit pricey. He is somewhat underrated offensively but isn't quick enough defending the pick-and-roll. It's not a terrible deal considering how crazy free agency has been, but it feels like Detroit could've done better at backup center.
Even with the cap rising and the league going on a spending frenzy, it's a little surprising to see Jackson up there with some of the top free agents. For instance, Brandon Knight, who is probably an all-around better player than Jackson, returned to the Phoenix Suns on a five-year, $70 million deal.
Paying Jackson an average of $16 million per year is a bit much. It doesn't feel like he would've seen that kind of money from another team, so jumping the gun and giving him such a juicy deal is a bit weird. Then again, Jennings is still hurt, which definitely gave Jackson more leverage.
Still, this doesn't change the fact that the Pistons will be able to build with their young core and still have cap space next summer.
Final Thoughts
If nothing else, the Pistons should be a lot more fun to watch next year. Watching Detroit's guards constantly driving into congested lanes without a particular plan was painful, an issue that will hopefully be eliminated.
Jackson is good at finding teammates in transition, and this team should push the ball a ton. That, paired with a cleaner half-court offense, should make Van Gundy's life easier.
There is still a lingering question mark when it comes to Jennings. It's highly unlikely he'd be happy with backing up Jackson when he returns from injury. Jennings has an expiring deal worth $8.3 million, according to HoopsHype; that's certainly not a hard contract to move.
It's unlikely the Pistons will get much in return for Jennings, especially without showing him off first. But it's impossible to imagine Detroit paying Jennings' next big contract, especially with the cap rising.
If all the new additions adjust well to Van Gundy's system and things click, the Pistons could surprise people and make a run at the playoffs next season. This core is young and fun, but Detroit will need to continue expanding its internal talent pool with smart moves next summer.
You can follow me on Twitter: @VytisLasaitis
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