After a promising rookie season in 2015/16, Stanley Johnson has taken a step back this season, having been sent to the D-League on Saturday for the first time this year. With Johnson’s place in Detroit’s long-term plan no longer certain, Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com expects rival executives to become more aggressive in trying to pry him away in a trade. However, sources tell Goodwill that the Pistons have “resisted overtures” for Johnson so far.
As Goodwill notes, even before assigning him to the Grand Rapids Drive for a game over the weekend, Stan Van Gundy had called Johnson out publicly and has suspended him for violating a team rule. It’s certainly possible – likely, in fact – that the Pistons will be patient with 2015’s eighth overall pick, but he does seem to have fallen out of favor a little this season in Detroit.
After averaging 8.1 PPG and 4.2 RPG in 73 games last season, the 20-year-old has averaged only 3.5 PPG and 2.2 RPG so far this season, with his minutes per game dipping from 23.1 to just 13.4. With Reggie Bullock having been sidelined due to injuries for most of the season, there was a rotation role available on the wing, but 2015 second-rounder Darrun Hilliard – rather than Johnson – has been getting most of those minutes lately.
Still, Johnson did get a chance to play 26 minutes against the Sixers on Sunday, albeit in a that game was a blowout early — Philadelphia jumping out to a 32-12 lead in the first quarter. Johnson picked up an impressive five steals in that contest after having looked good for Grand Rapids on Saturday, so perhaps the former Arizona Wildcat is starting to turn a corner. In any case, it doesn’t look like he’s on the trade block in Detroit for now.
He’s only 20 what do you want
Consistent overall improvement, not regression.
I don’t know what Johnson’s numbers were in the beginning part of the season, but its hard to expect improvement when your minutes are going down by about 9 minutes.
Why do you think his minutes are going down in the first place. He has regressed