The Detroit Pistons are clicking, have won four straight games, and are only half a game away from the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. With the top of the East looking weak, the Pistons have as good a chance as anybody to be a top-four seed in the playoffs. Playing at this level without Jaden Ivey and with Tobias Harris missing two games should instill a ton of hope and confidence in Pistons fans.
Yet, there are a few rotation tweaks head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has to make. The Pistons have been playing a nine-man rotation, with Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland, Javonte Green, and Caris LeVert coming off the bench. With Stewart moving to the starting lineup in Harris's absence, Paul Reed becomes the ninth player in the rotation.
While this has worked well for the Pistons, an adjustment in minutes distribution would benefit the team.
Pistons Would Be Wise to Limit Javonte Green's Minutes Going Forward
One player who has been consistently playing more minutes than expected is Javonte Green. The veteran wing was an offseason signing who was considered to be a deep bench option as a competent veteran. Yet, he has been averaging 17.4 minutes per game.
To be fair to Green, he hasn't been bad at all, given his limitations. The 32-year-old player is a strong and versatile defender and has been making a positive impact on that end. But he is a limited offensive player. He is in line with his career three-point percentage this season, making seven of his 20 attempts (35.0%). At the same time, he does little else on offense, making only 30% of his two-point attempts, and is one of the least efficient players in the league, with a miserable 44.1 True Shooting %.
Because of this, Green is barely guarded by opposing defenses. He causes defenses to pack the paint, making it harder for Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson to operate.
Ron Holland has been more effective off the bench to start the season. Even though he gets in foul trouble rather often, he should see an uptick in playing time, as he only averages 21.8 minutes per game. LeVert could also benefit from playing more than only 19 minutes per game, as he is a much better offensive player than Green. One of Daniss Jenkins and Chaz Lanier, who have been in and out of the rotation so far, could also absorb some of Green's minutes, as they can boost the offense with their shooting.
The Pistons are playing at a high level, and it may be tempting to keep things as they are. Rewarding Green's hustle and veteran competence is understandable, but the Pistons could benefit from giving some of his minutes to better offensive players.