Offseason evaluations aren't always the most fun conversations to have — either a player has overachieved and wants more compensation, a bigger role, or more minutes; or a coach will demand more effort, better fitness, or a more rigorous workout plan to better that player's skills.

Stanley Johnson was caught in the middle of one of those awkward talks, ironing out this upcoming season's goals after two somewhat underwhelming years coming off the Detroit Pistons' bench for head coach Stan Van Gundy.

“We didn't hold anything back,” Johnson told Bleacher Report this week over the phone. “That was the first time we had a talk like that. It was really uncomfortable, but real men have conversations.”

“He's just trying to make me better. He doesn't get anything by my struggling again next year.”

The Arizona standout was touted as a potent scorer, but only fared 8.1 points per game in his rookie season, dropping that to a mere 4.4 points per outing during last season. Stanley Johnson has shot a combined 36.7 percent from the floor for his career, a far cry from what is needed of him to carve a future in the league.

While he has managed to remain healthy, a lot more will be asked of him — to improve his shooting, his aggressiveness, but most of all his defense, as the Pistons look to come back to its roots and find a way to the playoffs through the defensive end of the floor.