The high on expectations Detroit Pistons find themselves in something of an early season problem due to the Reggie Jackson injury, putting them in a difficult situation when it comes to filling in their point guard position, left a little bit bare at the moment.
According to head coach Stan Van Gundy, Jackson will be out for six to eight weeks, and won’t undergo surgery. For now, the Pistons aren’t signing anyone, and simply going with Ish Smith, who put up some nice numbers for the Philadelphia 76ers last season, starting in 50 games. However, this leaves their bench extremely weak, especially in the backcourt, and the Pistons might not have a choice but to see what the free agency market has to offer.
Not a lot, as you might imagine, when we’re already in October. After Norris Cole signed in China, the pickings are slim and mostly old: Kirk Hinrich, Andre Miller, Steve Blake, Kendall Marshall and Mario Chalmers. The Pistons might be waiting for teams to start slimming down their rosters as the regular season approaches, with rosters being cut down from 20 players to 15, but that might mean adding player who doesn’t go through a full preseason with the team, and needs more time to familiarize himself with the system.
Chalmers might be the most relevant option for Detroit, averaging 10.8 points per game while playing for Memphis last season, cut short due to an injury. He’s not in love with being a backup point guard, but Chalmers is a decent defender and a decent shooter from long range, although he’s not much of a playmaker or someone who can create too much for himself and others, often looking better when someone else in the main ball handler in the lineup.
If Miller does get signed up by someone, he’ll be the oldest player in the league, celebrating his 40th birthday six months ago. He played in just 39 games last season, and as a main backup to the point guard position, he might no longer be a viable option. Blake isn’t that much younger (36) and played for the Pistons last season, but he shot just 38.8% from the field, and the Pistons were hoping for more from their backup point guard position.
Slightly younger than Blake but just as ineffective is Hinrich, who bottomed out with just 3 points per game last season, once again finding himself traded by the Chicago Bulls, landing with the Atlanta Hawks. Marshall is only 25, but he didn’t really do well in Philadelphia last season, so he might not be what the Pistons are looking for, considering the player they sign will get at least 15-to-20 minutes per game in the first month of the season.