Detroit Pistons Would Be Crazy To Keep Jodie Meeks Over 2016 Offseason

The Detroit Pistons got swept by a superior team in the Cleveland Cavaliers, but that doesn’t mean it was an easy sweep. This season might not be seen as a success by Pistons fans, but it was a success considering where the team has been. The Pistons have missed the playoffs for the last several years and the city of Detroit has been longing for a good basketball product. Head coach Stan Van Gundy has been able to resurrect the team and make the team playoff caliber once again.

The Pistons have a very good starting lineup. Andre Drummond was an All-Star this season. Reggie Jackson is an All-Star caliber point guard. Tobias Harris and Marcus Morris are two small forwards that can score in the double digits every night, and also play the power forward position when the team goes small. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is a solid scorer and defender. The only problem the Pistons have is their bench, and getting rid of Jodie Meeks to get better talent is one move the team should make.

Once the starters go to the bench, the team struggles to score outside of rookie Stanley Johnson. This hurts the Pistons harder than almost any other team because Drummond can’t shoot free throws so he has to be substituted at odd points of the game. Meeks was supposed to be an important part of the bench squad, but he has been injured nearly the entire year. He also missed 22 games last season so he hasn’t been healthy for the last two years.

Meeks is an above-average 3-point shooter, but he is a slightly below-average defender. The Pistons need a scorer who can come off the bench and reliably give the team 10 to 15 points. The team doesn’t need a shooter who has been injured for much of the last two seasons.

As free agency approaches, Van Gundy will have the opportunity to get the type of scorer he wants. The Pistons are an attractive team because of their talent and youth. Additionally, it is the Eastern Conference so the competition will be easier. It would be crazy for Van Gundy to want to keep Meeks this offseason when he has so many better choices.