The Detroit Pistons head into training camp with a lot of decision to make. The Pistons currently have 18 players under contract and only 13 of them are locks to make the team, which leaves five guys fighting for two spots. One of those players is Adonis Thomas, who has been in the D-League for the past two seasons, and he seems to have a very good shot of making the team this year. Thomas reportedly signed a two-year deal with partial guarantees, according to Jason Smith of the Detroit Free Press.
Besides Thomas, Danny Granger, Reggie Bullock, Cartier Martin and Darrun Hilliard will also be competing for one of those roster spots. On Monday it was reported that Danny Granger is not a lock to be cut like previously thought.
Thomas went undrafted in the 2013 NBA Draft out of Memphis and has spent the past two years dominating the D-League. He made the D-League all-rookie team in his first year and was a D-League all-star last season, averaging 18.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.
Thomas was known as a stretch four in college and was someone that could take advantage of a mismatch on a slower defender. In the NBA though, Thomas will likely be playing either shooting guard or small forward. The Pistons want him to prove he can shoot the ball consistently before he makes the team. In college Thomas only shot 33 percent from the three point line but last season in the D-League he raised that to 37 percent.
At this point both Thomas and his agent, Travis King, believe he warrants a spot on the Pistons after dominating the D-League for two straight years.
"I just think Adonis has put in enough work to make the team. I've spoken with Stan (Van Gundy) and Jeff Bower a lot about him. They really like him; they really like his work ethic," King said, "He's got every opportunity to make the team. If there are five guys for two spots, I think this is Adonis' year. He's done the D-League thing for two years. He's done all he can do there. Overseas is not an option. This is his year to make the league."
Thomas has a good shot to make the team as long as he shows up in training camp and shoots the ball as well as he did last season. Thomas' agent said that overseas is not an option so if he isn't one of the final two players on the Pistons roster he would likely spend a third year in the D-League.
