The 2018 NBA Manifesto
Henry Ellenson
PF/C - 6’11, 245lbs - 21 years old – 2 years of experience
To begin the season, Henry Ellenson was the main centre option off the bench for the Pistons. And so he should have been. He is, after all, the first-round pick of some stature and some talent. You wouldn’t have known it from his rookie season, but it’s true. And with two double-digit games in his first three outings, Ellenson showed something. Not much, but something.
However, just like that rookie season, for the most part Ellenson did nothing with that talent. He took shots, missed shots, fouled a bit, and essentially looked like the same limited player that he had done as a rookie.
Thereafter, he took to the bench and stayed there. Ellenson played 98 NBA minutes total from the start of November through the end of February, and wasn’t even playing in the G-League either (only appearing twice for Grand Rapids all season). He just sat there, hopefully learning from the bench.
There came a brief reprieve at the end. Over the final two weeks of the season, Ellenson played in the rotation again, and ended on a run of four consecutive double-digit performances that give hope to the future. Ellenson, it is thought, will be a highly skilled, finesse-based, stretch four man (the five spot will be tough considering that he never blocks anyone ever), who may struggle with defensive physicality and speed but who should score and rebound enough to be a net positive overall.
This year, though, Anthony Tolliver thoroughly outplayed him.
Player Plan: Two years of rookie scale salary remaining. Exercise year four’s option and keep evaluating/developing, with concern at the progress thus far. Still got time, though.
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PF/C - 6’11, 245lbs - 21 years old – 2 years of experience
To begin the season, Henry Ellenson was the main centre option off the bench for the Pistons. And so he should have been. He is, after all, the first-round pick of some stature and some talent. You wouldn’t have known it from his rookie season, but it’s true. And with two double-digit games in his first three outings, Ellenson showed something. Not much, but something.
However, just like that rookie season, for the most part Ellenson did nothing with that talent. He took shots, missed shots, fouled a bit, and essentially looked like the same limited player that he had done as a rookie.
Thereafter, he took to the bench and stayed there. Ellenson played 98 NBA minutes total from the start of November through the end of February, and wasn’t even playing in the G-League either (only appearing twice for Grand Rapids all season). He just sat there, hopefully learning from the bench.
There came a brief reprieve at the end. Over the final two weeks of the season, Ellenson played in the rotation again, and ended on a run of four consecutive double-digit performances that give hope to the future. Ellenson, it is thought, will be a highly skilled, finesse-based, stretch four man (the five spot will be tough considering that he never blocks anyone ever), who may struggle with defensive physicality and speed but who should score and rebound enough to be a net positive overall.
This year, though, Anthony Tolliver thoroughly outplayed him.
Player Plan: Two years of rookie scale salary remaining. Exercise year four’s option and keep evaluating/developing, with concern at the progress thus far. Still got time, though.
