Stan Van Gundy says San Antonio is “light years ahead of us in terms of offensive execution,” which … (a) it’s the Spurs, who’ve been together since days after James Naismith cut the bottom out of the peach basket and (b) it’s the second preseason game. So, yeah.
He was happy with a significant step forward defensively over last week’s preseason-opening loss at Brooklyn after Monday’s 86-61 loss to San Antonio. And he could at least see the possibilities on offense. You’ve just got to squint a little as the Pistons adjust to the loss of Reggie Jackson – the timetable has been set at six to eight weeks for his left knee – and work a handful of new players and concepts into the mix.
But one of those players is Jon Leuer and one of those concepts is the wealth of versatility the Pistons now possess at power forward. That position has evolved markedly over the past decade, spurred greatly by Van Gundy’s Orlando teams when folks saw the impact Rashard Lewis had on a team centered around Dwight Howard.
Teams now want more than just 3-point shooting from the position, which the Pistons had in Ersan Ilyasova and Anthony Tolliver. They figure to have it again this season, too, whether Tobias Harris or Leuer or rookie Henry Ellenson or primarily small forwards Marcus Morris or Stanley Johnson are playing there. But all of those players also have the ability to play off the dribble – and that’s an element that can really open up the playbook.
“We have a lot,” Ish Smith said. “Coach has the pick of the litter, what he wants to do. We’re still trying to get a feel for each other, but it’s a good problem Coach has.”
Leuer and Harris were the two players Van Gundy cited as standing out in Monday’s loss. They combined for 25 points, Leuer scoring 14 to go with five rebounds and five assists, tying Smith for the team lead in the latter category.
“Jon’s been really good, both games,” Van Gundy said. “And he’s been really good throughout camp.”
Leuer was hoping the Pistons would pursue him in free agency, in large part because he felt Van Gundy’s system suited him to a T. After two weeks, he’s even more certain of the fit.
“I thought it was going to be a good fit, just the way that fours are able to use their versatility, which is something I feel I have,” Leuer said. “I definitely feel it will be a good fit for me, for Tobias, for Henry, for Marcus – anybody that can be versatile on both ends of the floor, it’s a great system for you.”
Morris didn’t get much of a chance to put his versatility on display in the 13 minutes he played before fouling out, a feat he found mind-boggling. It was the only time he’s fouled out of game, he claimed, except the four-overtime win at Chicago last December.
It at least gave him plenty of time to observe an offense that, as Van Gundy noted, didn’t do much after San Antonio denied the first option.
“I wouldn’t say it’s concerning. It’s stuff we can fix,” Morris said. “It’s getting the ball to the second side, making the defense shift a little bit. Plugging in Ish, we get to learn him a little more. I’ve played with him in Phoenix, so I got the gist of his game and what he likes to do. Just the other guys getting to know him a little bit more and getting to move better without the ball.”
Morris also is familiar with Leuer, a part of the same 2011 draft class, and feels his versatility at power forward will help the Pistons become a more diverse offense while Jackson rehabs.
“Jon’s playing really well,” he said. “He plays the right way, can make the open shot. He’s going to be a great piece for us this year.”
They’ve got the pieces. Now it’s a matter of making them fit. That’s what the preseason is for, after all.