2017 NBA free agency: Brandon Jennings signs one-year deal to play in China

Brandon Jennings has signed a one year, $1.5 million deal to play with the China Shanxi next season, as reported by Marc Spears of ESPN.

With Jennings’ departure from the NBA, both of the Pistons’ marquee free agents of 2013 are now out of the league - with both also headed to the country.

At just 27 years old, there’s still a hope for Jennings to reignite his NBA career after getting another season away from his devastating Achilles injury in 2015.

It’s easy to put Jennings’ fall from grace at the feet of that injury. But let’s be honest. The bigger culprit is Jennings’ brand of basketball. In this league, an inefficient style can only get you so far and you can only survive on the hope of upside for so long.

Last season Jennings posted a true shooting percentage of 48 percent, an assist percentage of 30 percent, and .046 win shares per 48 minutes. In his two seasons before his injury, his true shooting percentage was 50 percent, his assist percentage was 36 percent, and his win shares per 48 minutes was .089.

In all honesty he’s always been a backup quality player who had a starting job out of the hope of upside. He was fun, enthusiastic, full of SWAG...but ultimately ineffective. A game based out of getting hot on a plethora of jumpers where if you have the right day, the moon is at the right spot, and you fall back at just the right angle and - SWISH - will only get you so far in a NBA environment where jobs are competitive and scarce.

Still it’s rather remarkable that just four years ago the Pistons managed to invest $80 million (which was a lot back in those days, kids) in two players who were just entering their prime and now neither has a place in the NBA. That’s quite the accomplishment. It took Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva each six years after signing their Pistons contracts before they parted with the league.

Hopefully Jennings can reinvent his game in China and get his career on track.