Early Impressions of Stanley Johnson from 2015 NBA Summer League

It's time to forget all about the Detroit Pistons' 32-win season, time to get over a postseason absence that's lasted since 2009. Team president and head coach Stan Van Gundy is looking to usher in a new era during his second season, and he just might have the personnel to do it.

Rookie forward Stanley Johnson ranks chief among the organization's key summer acquisitions. Taken with the No. 8 overall selection in last month's draft, the still-developing 19-year-old has already opened eyes at the Orlando Summer League earlier this month. Beyond the numbers, those working most closely with Johnson have suggested he's also a quick learner—good news for a club that's long needed immediate help at the small forward spot.

"From a terminology standpoint, from a learning standpoint, he is so much farther along right now," assistant coach Bob Beyer recently said, per MLive.com's David Mayo. "He displayed some really good qualities as an NBA small forward throughout the play this past week, but it's going to take time. I think what summer league does is it gives you an idea, but it's far from being the final judgment."  

Summer league competition has indeed offered some early indications of what Johnson might contribute this season. The usual caveats apply. The Arizona product hasn't yet faced the NBA's very best competition, but Orlando was still a worthy proving ground in many respects. 

The First Impression

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The thing one immediately notices about Johnson is his 6'7", 245-pound NBA-ready body. Alone, that wouldn't count for a whole lot in a league that's seen its share of physical specimens come and go. But paired with a solid skill set and relentless motor, these tools matter immensely for a team that previously lacked quality depth on the wing. Johnson looks like he was built for this job.

As DraftExpress' Jonathan Givony noted in April, "Johnson came into college with an absolutely chiseled frame. ... This is especially impressive considering that he reportedly had never lifted weights until arriving at Arizona."

Add a 6'11.5" wingspan, and you begin to understand why observers are so high on his defensive ability. The effort is there, sure, but so too is the length and lateral quickness. It's a scary combination for would-be scorers looking to break down Johnson's perimeter defense. And at 19, Johnson's physical attributes could grow even more formidable.

Johnson's physique and approach could draw comparisons to sturdy swingmen including Kawhi Leonard or Jae Crowder, who—like Johnson—weren't considered quality shooters upon entering the league. There are certainly worse things than a defense-first persona, but the good news is that there's almost always hope for a young player's jumper. Improved mechanics and shot selection are learnable skills.

But you can't teach this kind of size, speed and power. That will yield dividends on both ends of the floor, particularly if the results in Orlando are any indication.

Signs from Summer League 

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Those who question Johnson's future generally cite his limitations as a shooter. Last season's 37.1 percent success rate from three-point range wasn't bad, though one might prefer a better in-between game from a guy who won't overpower everyone at the NBA level.

Johnson made 44.6 percent of his field-goal attempts as a freshman, but never demonstrated that reliable mid-range game. That, of course, could change.

And that change could be happening right now. Averaging 16.2 points and 6.8 rebounds at the Orlando Summer League, Johnson is making 57.7 percent of his field-goal attempts, including a 41.7 percent mark from three-point range. It's a limited sample, but it also corresponds to the continued evolution of Johnson's shot.

"People are always trying to make it higher, make it look prettier," Johnson said of his release, per the Detroit Free Press' Vince Ellis. "And maybe it can be better, I don't know. I'm open to see what it's about.

"At one point in time, I thought it was good, and my trainer now fixed it, and now it's different than what I thought it would be. So I don't know everything, that's for sure. That's people's job is to train me, so let them do their job."

Johnson won't be called upon to take games over for the Pistons, but the franchise is undoubtedly encouraged by the fact he tallied at least 20 points twice in Orlando, including a 24-point outing in a 77-69 win against the Los Angeles Clippers. Johnson wasn't just efficient, he was also aggressive, perhaps proving he can become a reliable complementary scorer early into his NBA career. 

Even Indiana Pacers president (and NBA legend) Larry Bird was impressed by Johnson's instincts.

"I think Stanley Johnson is a spectacular player," Bird said on NBA TV this month, via the Detroit Free Press' Shawn Windsor. "You know Stanley is a guy that takes it to the hole. He doesn't jump into people to get fouled. He's a man."

Unsurprisingly, Johnson looked pretty mature on the defensive end as well, tallying a total of nine steals and five blocks in just five games. That's been his calling card thus far and reasons to be his first order of business in Detroit. The Pistons ranked 21st in defensive efficiency a season ago, yielding 104.2 points per 100 possessions according to Hollinger Team Stats. Johnson should impact that situation right away.

The increasingly apparent two-way potential likely qualifies Johnson for the club's starting small forward job. He'll have to earn it, but he's certainly put in the work so far.

Season Outlook

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There's no substitute for effort. Much as Johnson has proven on the talent front, the best argument for inserting him into Detroit's starting lineup is that he will single-handedly change games with his activity and energy. Two plays against the Indiana Pacers in Orlando epitomized those virtues.

Johnson first disrupted a pick-and-roll early in the game, ultimately diving to the ground and forcing a jump-ball that he subsequently won. He later blocked Romero Osby's dunk attempt in a display of that well-chronicled athleticism.

"Two very impressive plays," Beyer said afterward, per Ellis. "And those are effort plays, those are winning plays. It would have been easy for anyone not to get on the floor and dive. He knows that if he's the first to the floor he's got a great chance to come up with the ball.

"And when he blocked that shot at the rim he never gave up on the play. He just kept coming and again I think that says a lot about him as a competitor."

John Raoux/Associated Press

That kind of grit should land Johnson serious playing time next season. On the other hand, there's a logic to being patient with his development. Though Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jodie Meeks are shooting guards, they'll likely share minutes with Johnson on the wing, sometimes even occupying the 3 spot when Detroit goes to a smaller backcourt combination of Brandon Jennings and Reggie Jackson. Marcus Morris—acquired this summer via trade from the Phoenix Suns—could also see time at small forward.

Van Gundy will have options in deploying his troops. Johnson may be the closest thing to a prototypical small forward on the roster, but there's no need to rush anything. Even if Johnson starts, he's unlikely to shoulder much of the scoring burden right away. He's still refining that jump shot, and it may take him time to adjust to an NBA system. 

Patience aside, Johnson does seem to be progressing more rapidly than anticipated. His summer league performances established as much, hinting at a near-term future that could intrigue and excite. Easy as it's become to sleep on these Pistons, one would be wise to stay wide awake for Johnson.