The Detroit Pistons are not only coming off a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, 109-95, in their most recent game on Friday, but they also lost lost starting guard Delon Wright to injury for at least a couple of weeks. Wright reportedly suffered a Grade 2 groin strain and will be re-evaluated in two weeks, according to James Edwards III of The Athletic.
Detroit Pistons point guard Delon Wright suffered a Grade 2 right groin strain and will be reevaluated in two weeks.
— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) February 21, 2021
With rookie Killian Hayes still recovering from the hip injury he suffered earlier in January, recent addition Dennis Smith Jr. could receive more playing time in the Pistons’ upcoming games. Smith was acquired in the trade that sent guard Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks, and has played five games for the Pistons so far.
But with Wright and Hayes still sidelined by injuries, Smith could receive more action on the court in head coach Dwane Casey’s rotation and could be an interesting pickup for fantasy owners looking for players to add to their teams. The 23-year-old has averaged 4.6 points, two rebounds, and 2.6 assists on 30% shooting from the field so far in his short stint in Detroit.
While those numbers aren’t great, Smith has also played an average of just 16 minutes per contest, which doesn’t give him much of a chance to showcase his talents. But with their guard rotation thinning due to injuries, the ninth overall pick of the 2017 Draft could see his production increase. While Smith hasn’t shown yet that he can score as he did during his time with the Dallas Mavericks, he can fill up the box score and contribute in other departments, something that fantasy owners might find intriguing.
Against Memphis, Dennis Smith Jr. didn’t score and missed all seven of his shots, but pulled down four rebounds, dished out five assists, and had three steals and three blocks in 23 minutes. With his playing time likely to increase, fantasy owners may look to add a potential reclamation project like Smith to their lineups that can give their teams an unexpected boost.
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