With Greg Monroe's pending free agency putting his future in question, it wouldn't be a stretch to contend that nobody this side of Andre Drummond is more central to Stan Van Gundy's reconstruction of the Pistons than Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
There's also this: At 21 entering his second NBA season, no Piston is better positioned for a breakout year than Caldwell-Pope. And if there were any questions how his tour de force Summer League performance would translate to the NBA, he took a forceful first step in Tuesday's preseason opener dispelling them.
Until Greg Monroe overpowered the Bulls for 14 points in the fourth quarter and overtime of their 111-109 win, Caldwell-Pope was their scoring headliner. He finished with 18 points in 25 minutes, hitting half of his eight 3-point attempts gorgeous, high-arching bombs shot with confidence. He also knocked down a mid-range jump shot and used his wheels to score a transition layup.
Maybe his most impressive basket, though, and the one that spoke loudest of his potential, was a blow-by of elite perimeter defender Jimmy Butler for a streaking left-handed finish.
And Van Gundy watched all of that and was duly impressed, with an asterisk.
"He's playing with great confidence and hes doing great things, Van Gundy said. "You can count on the guy bringing tremendous energy. He made shots."
But...
"My only disappointment was his defense and he's been having it in practices, too. He's struggling to guard people off the dribble without fouling. We're going to have to get that figured out because he certainly can move his feet and he certainly plays hard enough. But we had a scrimmage the other day and Jodie (Meeks) shot 10 free throws against him. Like most players, he doesn't think any of them are fouls but they clearly are."
Caldwell-Pope's fifth foul of the game came against fellow second-year shooting guard Tony Snell with 1.2 seconds left in regulation, putting him at the line to force overtime. He smothered Snell's perimeter shot attempt, forced him to put it on the floor and was connected to him as Snell attempted a difficult driving runner.
"There's no reason (to foul)," Van Gundy said. "He's got him taking a difficult shot. Make him make that."
Caldwell-Pope was pleased with his sophomore debut but admitted to a few mess-ups.
"He makes (defending well without fouling) an emphasis in practice. We've just got to defend without fouling. I know we're capable of doing it. We've just got to get better."
The Pistons got 31 points out of their shooting guards in the opener, Meeks hitting three triples of his own. Van Gundy likes the way both run the floor and says he'll look for opportunities to play them simultaneously. Caldwell-Pope is encouraged by the offensive scheme Van Gundy has put in place and the number of shooters who'll join him in various lineup combinations. With his growing confidence not only in his shot but in his ability to put the ball on the floor, he sees himself thriving in this offense.
"I'm looking for the open shot, looking for my teammates and just trying to create plays."
Monroe sees a stark difference in Caldwell-Pope's carriage over a year ago.
"You can tell the game has slowed down for him," he said. "You can tell he's more comfortable out there. He's moving well. He's comfortable making shots, comfortable getting to the rim. He's definitely settled in."