Detroit Pistons head coach Dwane Casey isn't bothered by the lack of a true center besides starter Andre Drummond, fully knowing he might just have to resort to a few acrobatics to close out games as teams opt for faster lineups. Among his options are power forward Blake Griffin and hybrid 7-footer Thon Maker, both of which could close at the center position, depending on the circumstance.

“I see it being very situational,” Casey told Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. “The other guy we haven’t mentioned, we have played Blake at the five. Not good numbers off of that, so I don’t anticipate that but there are scenarios in the game, last two minutes of the game, where Blake could play the five. Looking for really a bump out of Thon, playing him at four/five, whatever it is, but a lot of nights if you look at the league, the rosters have gotten smaller and the traditional five has kind of gone the way of the dinosaur. The flexibility we have with Thon, with Markieff having the possibility of playing there, is really important.”

The Pistons simply don't have a proven rim defender anymore, as Drummond has slowed down his shot-blocking prowess after focusing on his offense and free-throw shooting the last few summers — he is simply not the shot-blocker he used to be early in his career anymore.

Griffin has never been a quality defender and Maker has only shown glimpses of his potential to block shots and meet opponents at the rim. The opportunity to close out games at the center spot could fetch some improvement for the 22-year-old Sudanese-Australian, who is still developing his body, weighing only 222 pounds.

The Pistons might benefit from the versatility of Maker down the stretch, who could give them shooting on the offensive end while allowing Casey to keep Griffin at his preferred power forward spot.