Windsor: Stanley Johnson creating buzz for Pistons

Stanley Johnson played well last week. In fact, the Detroit Pistons' rookie small forward generated some buzz.

Imagine that, if you can — a Piston who tantalizes.

It's true that Johnson's performance came in the summer league — home to fellow rookies and an assortment of NBA fringe players. But if we say he hasn't faced true NBA talent yet, then we also should say Johnson is 19.

While we're at it, let's say this: Johnson has the skill and temperament to be the Pistons' best small forward since Dennis Rodman. (Sorry, but Grant Hill was a point guard.) Look, I'm not saying Johnson is Rodman. Or that after five summer league games he is on his way to the Hall of Fame.

What I am saying is that some teams will regret passing on him. But don't take my word for it. Take Larry Bird's.

"I think Stanley Johnson is a spectacular player," Bird said last week on NBA TV. "You know Stanley is a guy that takes it to the hole. He doesn't jump into people to get fouled. He's a man."

Reggie Jackson a fan of Marcus Morris' toughness

That last sentence ought to give Pistons' fans hope. Few players were tougher than Bird. Obviously, he admires the trait. And if you think that quality doesn't matter in today's space-and-shoot NBA, you weren't watching the Finals.

Or at least you weren't watching Golden State's players not named Stephen Curry. The league MVP plays with unique flair and hyper skill, and most teams can't win titles without such a singular offensive force.

Yet Curry doesn't win without a couple of 6-foot-6 to 6-7 do-everything wing/forwards who considered their toughness to be their most valuable asset. Now, Johnson isn't the next Andre Iguodala or Draymond Green; he doesn't quite have the springy athleticism of the former or the vision of the latter.

But he is of that mold. He can defend multiple positions. He can get to the rim. He can rebound. And yes, he can make open shots. At this stage, he's a better shooter than either of the Warriors.

Johnson's best quality, though, might be his ability to change, to adapt. We got a glimpse of this last week.

If we go back and listen to what Bird said, it sounds like the opposite of what we heard from draft analysts before Johnson (Arizona) was selected — mainly that he wasn't a great finisher in traffic.

Yes, Johnson wasn't dunking on in-his-prime Tim Duncan last week. But with the way he converted in the lane and at the rim, you can bet he was looking to make a point. Bird noticed.

"He goes to the basket, and he tries to finish through people," he said. "I love that."

Steve Blake provides insurance at point guard

Here's guessing that you will, too. Because he competes, which is a cliché, of course, but it's true.

That was on display in the Orlando Summer League — in the way Johnson played on the court and in the way he spoke about the experience to the media.

"I have a lot of learning to do … (to get) at a lot of different things," he told the Free Press in Orlando. "But I can be very versatile on the court. Like I was preaching before the draft started, I can play one through four positions."

If that sounds familiar, well, it should. Rodman was versatile, too.

Whether Johnson reaches the places the Hall of Famer did is beside the point. What matters is that, like Rodman, Johnson has the ability to become a crucial piece as the Pistons continue to rebuild.

A franchise with a plan, and a small forward who got some notice. It has been awhile.

Contact Shawn Windsor: 313-222-6487 or swindsor@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @shawnwindsor.