Pistons Pick Up Stanley Johnson’s 2017/18 Option
The Pistons have become the latest team to exercise a team option for 2017/18, having picked up the third-year option on Stanley Johnson‘s rookie contract, the club announced today in a press release. The move, which was due before October 31, guarantees Johnson’s $3.098MM salary for ’17/18.
Johnson, the eighth overall pick in last year’s draft, averaged 23.1 minutes per contest in 73 games for the Pistons during his rookie season, contributing 8.1 PPG, 4.2 RPG, and 1.6 APG. While those numbers aren’t exactly eye-popping, they came in Johnson’s age-19 season, making it a no-brainer decision for Detroit to pick up his option for 2017/18.
The Pistons will have one more option decision due on Johnson next October, and assuming they exercise his 2018/19 option as well, the young forward will be extension-eligible in 2018. He’d be on track for restricted free agency in the summer of 2019.
Check out our rookie-scale team option tracker for a full breakdown of the decisions announced or reported so far.
Pistons' D-League Affiliate Acquires Jordan Crawford
- The Grand Rapids Drive, the D-League affiliate of the Pistons, has acquired the rights to Jordan Crawford from the Mad Ants in exchange for the No. 6 overall pick in the D-League draft, Chris Reichert of Upside Motor reports (Twitter links). Reichert adds that Crawford will actually play for the Drive to begin the season.
Baynes Breaks Nose
- Aron Baynes suffered a broken nose during Tuesday’s practice and he underwent surgery on it shortly after, according to a Pistons‘ press release. Baynes will not play in tonight’s preseason game.
Pistons' Point Guard Battle Going Down To Wire
- Aaron McMann of MLive.com examines the fight for the Pistons‘ third point guard spot, which seems to be going down to the wire. As McMann notes, the battle between Lorenzo Brown and Ray McCallum is crucial, since the winner figures to open the season as the backup at the point, with Reggie Jackson sidelined.
2016/17 NBA Over/Unders: Central Division
The 2016/17 NBA regular season will get underway next week, which means it’s time to start getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign. With the help of the lines from offshore betting site Bovada.lv, we’re going to run through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division, and have you weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic. Having looked at the Atlantic and Northwest division so far, we’re moving on to the Central today…
Cleveland Cavaliers
- 2015/16 record: 57-25
- Over/under for 2016/17: 56.5 wins
- Offseason in review: Added Chris Andersen, Mike Dunleavy, Kay Felder. Lost Matthew Dellavedova, Timofey Mozgov, Mo Williams.
How many games will the Cavaliers win?
-
Over 56.5 67% (403)
-
Under 56.5 33% (203)
Total votes: 606
(App users, click here for Cavaliers poll)
Detroit Pistons
- 2015/16 record: 44-38
- Over/under for 2016/17: 44.5 wins
- Offseason in review: Added Jon Leuer, Boban Marjanovic, Ish Smith, Henry Ellenson. Lost Jodie Meeks, Anthony Tolliver, Steve Blake.
How many games will the Pistons win?
-
Over 44.5 54% (302)
-
Under 44.5 46% (257)
Total votes: 559
(App users, click here for Pistons poll)
Indiana Pacers
- 2015/16 record: 45-37
- Over/under for 2016/17: 44.5 wins
- Offseason in review: Added Al Jefferson, Jeff Teague, Thaddeus Young, Kevin Seraphin, Aaron Brooks. Lost George Hill, Solomon Hill, Jordan Hill, Ian Mahinmi, Ty Lawson.
How many games will the Pacers win?
-
Over 44.5 73% (404)
-
Under 44.5 27% (149)
Total votes: 553
(App users, click here for Pacers poll)
Chicago Bulls
- 2015/16 record: 42-40
- Over/under for 2016/17: 38.5 wins
- Offseason in review: Added Dwyane Wade, Rajon Rondo, Robin Lopez, Michael Carter-Williams, Isaiah Canaan, Denzel Valentine, Jerian Grant. Lost Derrick Rose, Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah, Mike Dunleavy, Aaron Brooks, E’Twaun Moore, Justin Holiday, Tony Snell.
How many games will the Bulls win?
-
Over 38.5 62% (372)
-
Under 38.5 38% (229)
Total votes: 601
(App users, click here for Bulls poll)
Milwaukee Bucks
- 2015/16 record: 33-49
- Over/under for 2016/17: 34.5 wins
- Offseason in review: Added Matthew Dellavedova, Mirza Teletovic, Jason Terry, Thon Maker, Michael Beasley. Lost Jerryd Bayless, Greivis Vasquez, Tyler Ennis, O.J. Mayo, Johnny O’Bryant.
How many games will the Bucks win?
-
Over 34.5 67% (415)
-
Under 34.5 33% (200)
Total votes: 615
(App users, click here for Bucks poll)
Previous voting results:
- Boston Celtics (52.5 wins): Under (54.59%)
- Toronto Raptors (50.5 wins): Over (54.63%)
- New York Knicks (38.5 wins): Over (71.41%)
- Philadelphia 76ers (23.5 wins): Under (54.62%)
- Brooklyn Nets (20.5 wins): Under (60.74%)
- Utah Jazz (49 wins): Under (68.72%)
- Portland Trail Blazers (45.5 wins): Over (69.92%)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (43.5 wins): Over (65.71%)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (40.5 wins): Over (50.11%)
- Denver Nuggets (37 wins): Under (68.81%)
Pistons Waive Nikola Jovanovic
The Pistons have waived forward Nikola Jovanovic, the team announced via press release. Jovanovic’s minimum salary deal included a partial guarantee of $30K, which Detroit will be on the hook for, provided the player isn’t claimed off waivers by another team. The Pistons’ roster count now stands at 17 players, which is still two above the regular season maximum.
Jovanovic wasn’t selected in June’s NBA Draft after forgoing his senior year at USC in order to become draft-eligible. In his final season with the Trojans, the 22-year-old averaged 12.1 PPG and 7.0 RPG, shooting 52.4% from the field.
The forward saw action saw action in one preseason game for the Pistons, going scoreless in just over three minutes of playing time. He’ll likely join Detroit’s D-League affiliate in Grand Rapids to start the season.
Pistons Not Interested in MCW
The Pistons are in need of point guard help, but the team never called the Bucks about acquiring Michael Carter-Williams, Jake Fischer of SI.com reports (Twitter link). Milwaukee reportedly will send MCW to the Bulls.
- Ish Smith has no hard feelings toward the Sixers, as Jessica Camerato of Comcast Sportsnet relays. “No, no, no, no, no,” Smith said of the possibility of ill feelings. “Everything was perfect. [My new deal] was done quick. I’m excited and I’m very, very happy about the decision. … Believe me, the city, I love the city here. I love the fans, they’ve been great. But you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.” Smith signed a three year, $18MM deal with the Pistons during the offseason.
High Hopes For Harris; No Ill Feelings For Ish Smith
- The Pistons are optimistic that Tobias Harris will be even better with the benefit of a full training camp, according to Lang Green of Basketball Insiders. Detroit roared into the playoffs last season with a 17-11 record after the All-Star break, and a big reason was the acquisition of Harris from Orlando at the trade deadline. “Tobias has been great,” said coach/executive Stan Van Gundy. “He came [into training camp] in unbelievable shape, worked really hard all summer and is just moving along playing two positions. Again, a guy that’s really tried to take to heart everything we’ve been talking about. He’s really been trying to work harder defensively, I mean, [he’s] exactly the kind of guy you want.”
- New Pistons point guard Ish Smith says he wasn’t upset that the Sixers didn’t keep him, tweets Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly. Smith, who started 50 games for Philadelphia last year after a midseason deal, texted Sixers coach Brett Brown frequently during the offseason. “We were losing,” Brown said of Smith. “He gave us an injection when we needed it the most and he gave us hope.” (Twitter link)
Stanley Johnson Could Be Used At Point Guard
- In the event that the Pistons don’t shed one of their guaranteed contracts when paring down their roster to 15 players, there’s a chance that Stanley Johnson could be called upon to act as playmaker from the shooting guard spot in a pinch, Aaron McMann of MLive.com opines in response to a reader question.
- Don’t forget to check out our Offseason in Review posts for the Bucks, Bulls, Pistons and Pacers.
Pistons Assistant Tim Hardaway Suspended Three Games
Pistons assistant coach Tim Hardaway has been suspended by the NBA for the first three games of the regular season, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (via Twitter). As Wojnarowski notes, the discipline stems from Hardaway’s DWI arrest earlier this year.
Hardaway was stopped by authorities in Michigan back in April and a blood sample showed he had a blood alcohol level of 0.17%, according to court records. That blood alcohol level is more than twice the state’s legal limit of .0.08%.
Hardaway pleaded no contest last month to violating Michigan’s so-called “super-drunk” driving law, as John Wisely of The Detroit Free Press wrote at the time. Hardaway’s exceptionally high blood alcohol level triggered the special provision of the state’s law on drunk driving, which includes more punitive penalties. The Pistons assistant was sentenced to 18 months probation and 10 days of community service.
A former five-time All-Star as an NBA player, Hardaway is in his third season as an assistant coach in Detroit.