| Detroit Free Press
Wayne Ellington: I should have never left Detroit Pistons
Pistons’ Wayne Ellington on how he stays prepared to suddenly play big minutes, why he came back to Detroit, what he sees from youngsters, Jan. 7, 2021
Detroit Pistons
If Dwane Casey had things his way, Wayne Ellington never would’ve left the Detroit Pistons.
Ellington signed with the Pistons late in the 2018-19 season and immediately became a key rotation player, starting 26 of his 28 games with the organization and averaging a career-high 12 points and 27.3 minutes per game. That offseason, he signed with the New York Knicks in free agency.
Being waived by the Knicks in November allowed him to return to a much-different Pistons team than the one he first signed with, one now led by general manager Troy Weaver. Two players remain from the 2018-19 season — Blake Griffin and Svi Mykhailiuk.
[ Killian Hayes’ hip injury: Surgeon explains paths to recovery, future outlook ]
But Casey is still the head coach, and his trust in Ellington was part of the reason the veteran guard wanted to come back to Detroit. The Pistons also offered Ellington an intriguing role. The roster is more youth-oriented and less playoff-focused than in 2019, with five rookies and nine players — including two-way players — 23 years old or younger.
Ellington has fulfilled a key role on this team, both as a contributor on the floor and a mentor during practices and in the locker room. It’s a job he’s embracing, as he sees the potential in the young players and wants to be a positive example as someone they can emulate.
“We joke all the time, (Casey) said ‘You shouldn’t have left the first time,’ and I agree with him,” Ellington said Thursday. “I wish that would’ve worked out and I would’ve stuck with him the first time. I also knew that I could come here and there were some great young guys that I could take under my wing, showing some different work ethic, introduce them to this NBA life. It was a combination of all of those things. I enjoy Detroit a lot. I’m from the Philadelphia area, so it’s very similar in a lot of senses.”
On the first day of training camp, Ellington said he saw a roster with potential. In the month since, we’ve seen several young players on the roster seize larger roles. Killian Hayes, now out with a labral tear in his right hip, started all seven games he was active for. Saddiq Bey has two starts and is shooting 46.3% from 3, and Isaiah Stewart is the backup center.
[ How Pistons got ‘inside scoop’ on Isaiah Stewart, a perfect fit for Weaver’s rebuild ]
Casey and the rest of the organization have talked often about the importance of veteran players on the roster who can set the tone every day and show the young players what it takes to last in the NBA. Ellington, a 12-year veteran who has played for nine different teams, is as qualified as any player in the league to guide young players.
Griffin, Ellington and Derrick Rose are the three eldest players on the roster, each with at least 10 years of NBA experience, and understand that after wins and losses, good and bad days, they have to be mindful of what they say and do.
“We’re making sure that we’re saying the right things to instill in these guys,” Ellington said. “A lot of guys aren’t around the right type of veterans and they pick up on bad habits, and it’s something we’re very mindful of that we got to make sure we’re leading them by example all the time. These young guys are all ears, all the time, so we’re making sure we’re feeding positive all the time, all the time guys are being positive.”
Unlike Rose and Griffin, Ellington hasn’t had a consistent presence in the rotation. He didn’t play in five of Detroit’s first six games. But Josh Jackson missed two games against the Milwaukee Bucks this week with a right ankle sprain. Casey rolled with Ellington in the starting lineup for both games, illustrating the faith he has in Ellington to stay ready and deliver on a moment’s notice.
He was effective in both games, scoring 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting on Monday, and 12 points on 5-for-9 shooting on Wednesday, making five of his 10 3-point attempts in the two losses.
“I’m going to do what’s needed of me and I’m going to go out there and make some shots, try to play the best defense I can,” Ellington said. “He trusts me. For me, I know I’m ready physically so it’s just a mental switch that I have to turn on. When I hear ‘Wayne, you’re starting tonight’ but I haven’t played in five games, or whatever it made me, I can just flip that switch mentally and be ready to go.”
For Casey, starting Ellington was a reward for the work he has put in behind the scenes d. Casey wants to show the young players what having the right approach every day can accomplish. Ellington’s solid performance in both games, despite not playing in five of the previous six games, proved Casey’s point.
“He’s a glue guy,” Casey said after Monday’s game. “Love his spirit, loves what he brings to the table each and every day. We’re 1-6 and he’s still out there talking to players and excited about being in the NBA and not dropping his head, dropping his shoulder because he hasn’t had playing time. A guy like that, you want to keep rewarding him and what he brings to the table.”
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @omarisankofa. Read more on the Detroit Pistons and sign up for our Pistons newsletter.