Pistons News: Terran Petteway earns second workout; Van Gundy pleased with offseason so far and trade chatter

Terran Petteway an option at No. 38?

Nebraska guard Terran Petteway earned a second workout with the Pistons this week, suggesting Detroit could look to select the swingman in the second round of the upcoming draft. Petteway, who struggled shooting the ball during his time in Nebraska doesn't seem to fit Stan Van Gundy's floor spacing gameplan, but it is his attitude and defensive ability that may have earned him a second look. The guard told Keith Langlois at Pistons.com during his original workout that he plays with a chip on his shoulder and is extremely vocal on the court.

In that regard, Terran certainly could have an edge over other prospects, with his attitude and competitive fire potentially cancelling out his poor shooting performance in college. Draft Express' Jonathan Givony, who scouted Petteway in 2014, identified his main weakness as drawing fouls and overall shooting percentages as his main pitfalls, and predicted his lacklustre numbers could translate to low draft value.  Givony did put forward a defense for the guard's low percentages, pointing towards his high usage rate and Petteway's role as Nebraska's main source of offense possibly skewing his averages.

Could Terran play better in a reserve role that wouldn't see him the main focus of an offense? The Pistons seem to think so, evident in his second workout for them this week. The 6'6" guard was mainly a slasher in college, a skill that could translate to the NBA considering his size, but it seems more likely that he would serve as a 3 & D type player for Van Gundy if he and Jeff Bower decide to bring him to Detroit. With a stacked guard rotation that will see Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jodie Meeks assuming the lion's share of minutes at shooting guard, Petteway could see time in Grand Rapids with the Drive, or potentially compete with Cartier Martin for minutes at small forward.

Pistons could settle with current front court situation, looking to pursue starting-caliber small forward

Detroit's president of basketball operations and head coach was relieved to land Ersan Ilyasova for Caron Butler and Shawne Williams' non-guaranteed contracts last week, conveys The Detroit Free Press' Shawn Windsor:

"It was a little scary thinking about going into the summer and saying you might have to go get two starters," Van Gundy said. "Now we feel like we've got four starters that we are really happy with."

Ilyasova joins Andre Drummond, Anthony Tolliver and Quincy Miller in the front court, who might be bolstered by the potential re-signing of Joel Anthony. That group certainly isn't a pushover, and it is understandable why Van Gundy is pleased with himself, as it narrows down the team's list of needs to two areas: small forward and backup center. As far as the latter goes, there have been only two names in the conversation, the aforementioned Joel Anthony, who provided quality play and leadership, and Kentucky's Willie Cauley-Stein, whose upside and youth could outweigh what the 33-year-old Anthony can bring to the table.

In another interview with the Associated Press' Noah Trister, Van Gundy described the draft as a ‘crapshoot' in terms of the talent availability and what kind of impact the rookies will have on their teams. So while the Pistons will look to rebuild and add talent on the wing through the draft, don't expect to see a rookie in the starting lineup for a while, as it sounds like Van Gundy will pursue a starting caliber small forward capable of playing major minutes to plug the gap at the 3.

SVG has shown an affinity towards picking up an under-appreciated or unheralded player that proves to be a solid pickup on a very affordable deal, expect more of the same this year. Potential low risk/high reward candidates worth keeping an eye on include Dorell Wright and Omri Casspi.

With pre-draft workouts coming to a close, Motown could still be open to trade pick

With over 50 players having worked out for Stan Van Gundy and the Pistons prior to the draft, Detroit should have a good idea of what players they want to go after and how they'll fit with the team. The amount of knowledge at their disposal has also led to speculation they could trade their pick for one lower or even higher, to secure the services of a player who they believe could yield the best potential for success. Depending on who you ask, the Pistons are interested in different players, at different positions and draft tiers.

The Detroit News' Terry Foster believes Jeff Bower and SVG are likely to trade up for the New York Knicks' fourth pick in order to secure one of either Justise Winslow or Mario Hezonja, but is also sees the team's workout involving Wisonsin's Frank Kaminsky  and Texas' Myles Turner as a sign they could trade down. Meanwhile, MLive's David Mayo thinks the Pistons could exchange picks with the Boston Celtics, who own No. 16 and No. 28, with Detroit acquiring only the No. 16 pick, a second round pick and an unguaranteed contract in exchange for the eighth selection. Notable players at that range include Bobby Portis, and potentially Sam Dekker and Kelly Oubre.

Could the Pistons pull the trigger on a draft-day move? The Cavaliers are reportedly open to part with their first round pick (24) and Brendon Haywood for back-court depth, the Celtics have enough assets to be an interesting trade partner, Philadelphia and Sam Hinkie are usually very active on the phones as well, the possibilities are endless.

What is the most plausible scenario? Well, I believe the Pistons will draft Mario Hezonja at No. 8, but I do see the possibility for Detroit to move lower if they can secure a small forward capable of playing major minutes. What do you think is going to happen?

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