Detroit Pistons’ Troy Weaver better in NBA draft than in the stands
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Troy Weaver got into it with a fan Saturday night at Little Caesars Arena. A video posted on social media over the weekend captured the Detroit Pistons general manager telling a fan he’d beat his … well, you know what.
To be as fair here as possible, video didn’t capture what happened before Weaver angrily pointed his finger at the fan and threatened him. The Associated Press quoted a nearby uninvolved fan as noting the exchange was the second of the game between the two. Following Weaver’s response the second time, the upset fan told Weaver he wasn’t good at his job. Security then removed him.
Losing frustrates everyone, of course, and while I’ll never understand an adult who feels compelled to insult a stranger who has done nothing to them, Weaver has to know what he’s in for when he sits in the stands among a passionate and dispirited fan base.
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He also has to know better than to threaten anyone, even if his words may have been justified. And so, one of the worst seasons in franchise history keeps getting more embarrassing for everyone.
Whether Weaver is back for another season is a decision for the summer; based on the record on the court — 53 losses in 63 games this season, following 65 in 82 last season — he shouldn’t be back, obviously.
Though all that matters is how obvious this is to Tom Gores.
No matter who is running the team next year, Weaver has gotten a few things right. His best decision was on display Saturday night against the Dallas Mavericks: Taking Cade Cunningham No. 1 in 2021. And no, it wasn’t a no-brainer pick.
Some folks thought Evan Mobley had the highest upside in that draft. Jalen Green had his fans, too. This isn’t to argue Cunningham was a reach, either. The Oklahoma State star was almost universally considered the “safest” pick. Still, Cunningham wasn’t seen as a guaranteed star, a la LeBron James in 2003 or Victor Wembanyama last summer.
Weaver deserves credit. Teams blow No. 1 picks all the time.
On Saturday night, Cunningham showed why he was worth that pick, why he still has a way to go and why it’s worth waiting before we all decide what he is … and what he can become.
Though it wasn’t just Saturday night — it’s his play the last month that is a reason for a smidge of hope.
After taking a few games to find his rhythm after hurting his knee in early January, the Pistons guard has played the best basketball of his career — and played some of the best basketball in the league.
He’s not quite an All-NBA player yet — he’s still prone to late-game slides and needs more consistency on defense — but he’s at an All-Star level to be sure. That has included shooting 47.6% from 3-point range since the All-Star break.
Too small a sample size?
How about this: 38.2% on 3s since the start of December — more than 30 games — and 47.7% from the floor. That overall…
Read More: Detroit Pistons’ Troy Weaver better in NBA draft than in the stands 2024-03-11 10:13:01