It's been another disappointing season already for the Pistons in terms of the standings, but the team is now starting to turn the corner thanks in large part to its second unit.

 

The holidays have been great for Pistons' head coach Lawrence Frank, who appears to have been given the gift of a finalized rotation.  Frank has stood pat with his starting lineup of Greg Monroe, Jason Maxiell, Tayshaun Prince, Kyle Singler and Brandon Knight. However, after weeks of struggling with which reserves to play, Frank has settled on a second unit of Andre Drummond, Charlie Villanueva, Austin Daye, Rodney Stuckey and Will Bynum.  Veteran forwards Corey Maggette and Jonas Jerebko - as well as rookies Khris Middleton, Kim English and Slava Kravtsov - are currently the odd ones out.

 

While Drummond has been the one constant to get off the bench every game, Frank has had to compensate for injuries and inconsistency. Stuckey and Maggette had been the other backups to receive consistent minutes but missed games with various injuries. Meanwhile, Villanueva, Daye and Bynum had been glued to their seats while Frank opted for looks at Jerebko and the rookies.

 

Now, the Pistons are getting tremendous play from their current rotation. Everybody is healthy, and the team has told Maggette and Jerebko to stay ready for if their number gets called. For the time being, though, Frank is sticking with his hot hands right now. Bynum has arguably outplayed Knight at the point guard spot, and the forward combination of Daye and Villanueva have provided a valuable spark with their perimeter shooting.

 

Many believe the Pistons are now in a prime position to orchestrate a deal before the Feb. 21 NBA Trade Deadline. Maggette is playing on an expiring contract, meaning Detroit could package him in a swap for perhaps a younger, more-talented player with a longer-term contract. Jerebko, though still considered a valuable piece to the Pistons' future, could also be moved depending on which other players become available on the NBA's trade market.

 

Ultimately, most expect the Pistons to wind up starting Drummond at center, moving Monroe to power forward. Knight will continue to develop as the team's starter at point guard, but the other perimeter spots are wide open in the long run. Singler has been inconsistent as the starting shooting guard, but Stuckey has played well as the backup at that spot alongside Bynum on the second unit. Small forward is completely open with the aging Prince still manning the starting spot. Daye is currently the primary backup, but the team still isn't sure it's ready to commit to him moving forward.

 

It'll be intriguing to see what happens between now and the deadline next month. Make no mistake about it; the Pistons are still rebuilding and aren't likely to contend for a playoff spot this season, meaning the primary focus must still be on the future. Once the deadline passes, emphasis will likely be placed on this summer's 2013 NBA Draft.

 

Pistons fans, at least for now, can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that their young nucleus is beginning to come together, play an exciting brand of basketball and even win some games here and there.