Pistons' Draftees Add Depth But Won't Play Much

Saturday, June 27, 2009
Pistons' draftees add depth but won't play much
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

Auburn Hills -- What draft night was about for the Pistons, if we can take a step back from made-for-television hysteria, was bolstering the back end of their bench.

None of the three players taken -- Austin Daye (15), DaJuan Summers (35) or Jonas Jerebko (39) -- is likely to play a pivotal role next season. In fact, a player the Pistons drafted 59th last season -- 6-foot-7 wing player Deron Washington, who played in Israel last year -- might have a better chance of cracking the rotation.

That doesn't mean, however, draft night was a bust for the Pistons. Far from it.

"This is about adding to our talent base," president Joe Dumars said. "In this game today you have to have incredible depth. When you see Cleveland going out and adding a Shaquille O'Neal and Orlando trading for Vince Carter, that tells you just having one superstar on your team isn't enough. You have to have depth, and that's what we've tried to do here."

This draft gave perhaps the first peek at Dumars' plans for remodeling the next era. Gone, apparently, are the days of the traditional center, power forward, small forward frontcourt.

It's about length, athleticism and skill now. It's about interchangeable parts. It's about 6-11 players being able to handle the ball and shoot like guards, as well as being able to guard people at and away from the basket.

Daye is 6-11, and he reminds Dumars of a raw Rashard Lewis. Daye can create plays off the dribble and he has deep range on his jumper. His length and quickness, the Pistons hope, will allow him to be a capable weak-side post defender as well as effectively defend pick-and-roll plays. He might toggle between the forward spots.

Summers, at 6-8 and 240, has a more NBA-ready body. He is considered a better perimeter shooting threat, but less of a playmaker off the dribble. Though he is more of a traditionally sized small forward, the Pistons think he could eventually play both spots.

Jerebko, 22, is older, bigger and stronger than Daye or Summers. He measured just over 6-10 and 235 pounds. He also has more experience, playing on the Swedish junior national team, Swedish pro league and the Italian pro league the last two seasons.

Washington, at 6-7, can toggle comfortably between shooting guard and small forward.

So you add those four to Tayshaun Prince, who has played every position except center, and Richard Hamilton and Arron Afflalo, who both played all three backcourt spots, and you can see what Dumars is trying to do. Instead of playing the methodical half-court style that worked so well with Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace and Chauncey Billups, the Pistons want to have no fewer than four players on the floor who can handle the ball, shoot with range, run and play pick-and-roll.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Daye is 20 and, at 192 pounds, might be at least a season away from making a vital impact. Summers and Jerebko, though more physically ready, will have their own adjustment issues.

The draft was just the first step in what could be a lengthy process. The free-agent season is next and that, much more than the draft, will bring the future of the Pistons into clearer focus.