Wayne Ellington would be both the easiest and the hardest of all Pistons veterans to move as Thursday afternoon’s trade deadline looms.
Easiest because he’s got a rare and coveted talent – an elite 3-point stroke, not to mention a veteran’s minimum contract – and hardest because of what he means to the Pistons on multiple levels.
Ellington put the 3-point shot on display for all to see in Wednesday’s 116-111 loss at Indiana, not missing a beat after returning from a four-game injury absence. He scored 16 points in 23 minutes off the bench while missing a single shot, going 6 of 7 overall and 4 of 5 from his comfort zone beyond the 3-point line.
You know how tough it is to miss 11 days and get dropped back into an NBA game and shoot it like that?
“It’s actually really tough, especially with the reason I was out,” Ellington said afterward. “I couldn’t do much on the court to stay ready. So I was just doing little stuff, all the little stuff I could – form shooting, making sure I’m staying in tune with what the team is doing, making sure I’m getting lifts in. More than anything, keeping my mind prepared.”
Try quantifying the value of that to a young team when you’re poring over the advanced stats.
Dwane Casey values Ellington’s contributions in those areas every bit as much as he values what his presence means to the offense, which is profound.
“You can’t get too many Wayne Ellingtons on your team. He is the NBA,” Casey said, ticking off the contributions of Caris LeVert (28 points, 4 of 7 from three) and Edmond Sumner (18 points, 4 of 6 from three) for Indiana. “Those guys made the difference in the game. What it also does is create spacing and Wayne does that for our team.”
Without a transitional pause, Casey zigged to Ellington’s value outside the lines.
“Not only that, his leadership, his approach to the game, his professionalism. He’s a great example for all our young guys to see, each and every day. He doesn’t have an off day. He’s the same each and every day with his approach and that’s what you’ve got to have when you’re building a team.”
Under “each and every day,” you can file Ellington’s impact on one of the players who’ll be central to that future the Pistons are focused on bettering, Saddiq Bey. Bey is on pace to smash the franchise’s rookie record for 3-pointers made held by Brandon Knight and he hit 4 of 10 in a 16-point outing on Wednesday. Ellington works with Bey not so much on his 3-point shot but on everything that goes into putting yourself in position to create the opportunity to shoot advantageous ones.
“There’s little things, little details that really help you,” Ellington said. “Every day, Saddiq and I have been shooting all season. I’ve watched him continue to get better and better with his footwork, understanding how he can get open – little gaps or seams where guys can see him.”
He’s working with Frank Jackson, too, and said Jackson has advanced footwork already and learned through conversation with him that it was Jackson’s time in New Orleans working with J.J. Redick that helped spur his development.
“He’s a knock-down shooter,” Bey said of Ellington “He’s been doing it for years. Just being able to space the floor out and give us more spacing, he does a great job of it.”
Casey knew Bey would be an eager learner based on his experience with past Villanova players he’s coached, including Kyle Lowry in Toronto. Bey has proven a quick study under Ellington’s tutelage. As impressive as Bey’s 3-point accuracy has been for a rookie, hovering around 40 percent all season, the fact he’s able to get up so many attempts is perhaps more striking – and a testament to his time at Ellington’s side.
“Just how he sets it up,” Bey said. “It doesn’t matter who’s guarding him. It could be somebody more athletic or less or bigger, he finds ways to come off screens and use ball screens to get open.”
The Pistons are committed to developing their young players and they’ve got an abundance of players at Ellington’s position, including Frank Jackson, Josh Jackson and recently acquired Hamidou Diallo. Ellington has played for nine franchises in his 12 NBA seasons and he knows the premium on 3-point shooting means he could be on the move.
“I would be lying to you if I said it wasn’t in the back of my mind. It’s on a lot of guys’ minds, but it’s my 12th year in this league. I’ve been traded before,” he said. “It’s part of the business. Guys get traded, go to different teams, and once you can cope with that and accept it, you’re able to just go out and play the game. You control what you can control. There’s things you can’t control and that’s one of them.”
Pistons general manager Troy Weaver has made clear he’s not out looking to move the veterans he and Casey so carefully chose for their value as bellwethers in the choppy waters a rebuilding necessitates. So don’t be surprised if the Pistons pass on opportunities to move Ellington or their few other remaining veterans unless the return is meaningful. Because the Pistons understand fully Ellington’s value to them and it goes beyond his box score contributions.
“I just try to do the little things – move without the ball, create situations where the defense has to make a decision,” Ellington said. “Little things a lot of our young shooters still have to learn. I try to communicate that with them all the time.”