The Detroit Pistons have continued to be impressive a little more than halfway through the season, as they are 23-19 and holding down the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference. Brandon Jennings' return from a ruptured Achilles has given Detroit all of their big pieces back, but it is still missing one rotational player who could help the team as we enter crunch time in the NBA season, and that is Jodie Meeks. Meeks is recovering well from a foot injury suffered back in October and may be able to return before the All-Star break, according to Keith Langlois of NBA.com.
Meeks has appeared in just two games this season because he suffered a fractured bone in his foot in Detroit's second game against the Utah Jazz. Meeks was required to undergo surgery on the foot and was given a three-to-four-month timetable for his return. It has now been almost four months since the surgery, and it seems as though Meeks is finally ready to get back to work.
Meeks reportedly might get back to doing some limited on-court work within the next week, but a return is not imminent. The hope for the Pistons is that they can have the 28-year-old shooting guard back before the All-Star break, and that seems possible because the break is a little less than a month away. Meeks has been out for a while and hasn't been able to do much of any conditioning, so while getting back on the floor for limited work is a good sign, he still has other steps to take before playing in games.
When Meeks is ready to play in games there is a chance he could start by playing in the D-League. Meeks would have to OK that idea, but Jennings did it earlier in the season, and it makes a lot of sense considering that practice time is limited at this point in the NBA season.
Before getting hurt, Meeks' role with the Pistons wasn't all that big as he played just 11 minutes in his first game and six minutes before getting hurt in his second game. It remains to be seen what kind of role he will have when he gets back, but Jennings' health likely won't help him earn minutes. What will earn Meeks some time is the fact that the Pistons shoot just 34 percent from three as a team, and Meeks is a career 37-percent three point shooter.
