The wave of injuries has been too much for the Detroit Pistons. Plenty of guys in their rotation has missed time, while others are currently playing hurt. Forward Jon Leuer is in that unfortunate list, as he still sidelined with a sprained left ankle.
With that, Rob Beard of The Detroit News is now reporting that the Pistons are requesting a disabled player exception for Leuer, with the hope of clearing some space in the salary cap.
“They will seek a disabled-player exception for forward Jon Leuer, who has played just nine games this season after suffering an ankle injury on Oct. 31. The DPE is a provision that allows teams to get a break in their salary-cap numbers in the event of a catastrophic injury.”
Beard added that head coach Stan Van Gundy and general manager Jeff Bower are actively shopping Leuer, but no one is yet to express interest.
Now a seven-year NBA veteran, Leuer was expected to continue providing instant offense off the bench for the Pistons. The 6-foot-10, sweet-shooting stretch four has showcased efficiency whenever he's on the floor, as evidenced by averaging 15.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per 36 minutes over the last two seasons.
In the 2016-17 campaign, despite playing inconsistent minutes, and sharing scoring and rebounding opportunities with Andre Drummond, Reggie Jackson, Tobias Harris, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Leuer had 18 games with 15 or more points and 25 games with seven or more boards.
The depleted lineup has left the Pistons hanging on for dear life with the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They are only 8-15 since December 1st, with four of those eight wins coming against teams with losing records.
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