The Detroit Pistons will be looking to add at least one significant piece in this week’s NBA Draft, but then comes free agency. The team’s free agent plans have largely centered on hunting for some of the big game available with rumored interest in players such as restricted free agent Deandre Ayton and unrestricted free agent Jalen Brunson.
But a new report from Marc Stein indicates that if the team is unsuccessful or unwilling in an attempt to add Brunson to the team’s back court, the franchise could turn to journeyman guard Dennis Schröder as a “more cost-effective option.”
Well, he’d certainly be a heck of a lot cheaper than Brunson. But that’s because he’s also … not good. Schröder flamed out with the Lakers and Celtics and was eventually sent to NBA Siberia known as the Houston Rockets. He also didn’t really shine there either.
He’s a poor jump shooter whose ability to attack the rim has declined for years. He also barely cracks at 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio, and makes adequate reads as a lead ball handler at best. He’s supposed to be an athletic “game changer” but when he’s out there you’re more likely to want to reset or blow on the Nintendo cartridge. Fans have also reported wanting to throw controllers at their screens after watching him run an offense.
I will say, however, that the reported interest in a player LIKE Schröder, (please not actually Schröder), does nothing but bolster the recent rumors that the Pistons are highly interested in adding Jaden Ivey via the draft if he is available at No. 5.
Ivey is the most athletically gifted guard in this year’s draft class, and while he has plenty of doubters, there are also those who view him as potentially the best player in the entire draft.
Back to Stein, he reports other Pistons tidbits including previously reported interest between Atlanta and Detroit on a Jerami Grant for Bojan Bogdonovich and the 16th pick in the draft was much more of a Detroit-led pursuit and Atlanta was cool on the idea.
Other names he reports connected to Detroit are Marvin Bagley III, whom the team would like to re-sign, and New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson.