Detroit Pistons: It’s time for Boban Marjanovic to step up

After losing Aron Baynes to free agency, it’s time for Boban Marjanovic to be unleashed as the primary backup for the Detroit Pistons.

Last season in the closing minutes of a Detroit Pistons blowout something amazing would occur. A giant would rise from the bench ready to take over. Boban Marjanovic didn’t play many meaningful minutes last season, but after the departure of backup Aron Baynes, that should be changing.

Baynes declined his player option, and since then has signed with the Boston Celtics. This left me to think Detroit may try and grab a mid-level player to slot in as the backup center. However, they instead signed fringe NBA player Eric Moreland, who was on the summer league roster.

Moreland played well in the summer and seems to be a high energy guy off the bench. I don’t see him being a day one backup, but instead a change of pace player that can get the crowd going.

But that Moreland signing also showed how confident Stan Van Gundy is in Boban. As I stated before, Boban mainly played in meaningless minutes. However, at the end of the season, he began to play much more. He logged at least 20 minutes in each of the last four contests, including a 27 point game against the Houston Rockets.

That small sample size to close the year must have been enough to believe in him. And honestly, just watching him play was enough for me to believe. Boban stands at 7’3″ but looks like he’s 10 feet tall. Seeing him play live was insane. Nobody seemed to come close to his height, and nowhere near his insane reach. The guy barely leaves the ground to dunk. It’s one of the best things I have ever seen in an NBA game.

That doesn’t mean Boban doesn’t have faults though. Like most huge players, he’s slow. And that grouped with his limited time as an NBA player enhances his defensive struggles. His length is great as a rim protector, but with the three-second rule in the NBA, he can’t just camp at the basket all day.

Luckily this is something he can fix with repetition. If he can just familiarize himself with opposing players’ offensive tendencies he should thrive. And even with almost no speed, Boban has the reach to block a shot from anywhere in the paint.

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The move to Boban the backup is going to be very interesting. And if some of the Andre Drummond rumors swirling around end up being true, the end of the season with Boban the starter will be wild. Either way, I hope nothing but the best for Boban and really think he’s going to be a fun player to watch on a nightly basis.