Rod Beard's final Pistons grades

G Reggie Jackson: 18.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists. Age: 26. Contract: Ends in 2019-20, averaging $16.5M. He was brilliant for parts of the season, but was wildly inconsistent. He became such a threat on the pick-and-roll that teams chose to overplay defensively and let the rest of the Pistons try to beat them. In his first full season as a starter, he was good, but will have to improve next year. GRADE: B

G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: 14.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists. Age: 23. Contract: Ends in 2016-17, averaging $3.28M. Although he had his struggles in the regular season, he raised his game in the playoffs, chasing Kyrie Irving defensively and hitting 44 percent on 3-pointers. He’s more than proven his worth on both ends of the floor and will command big dollars when his contract is up — from the Pistons or another team. GRADE: B

G Steve Blake: 4.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists. Age: 36. Contract: Free agent. Blake filled the backup point-guard role well until Brandon Jennings returned from injury and then after Jennings was traded at the deadline. He was the savvy veteran leader of the reserve group, but was overmatched on many nights by younger, more athletic point guards. This may be an area that the Pistons look to upgrade next season. GRADE: C

G Spencer Dinwiddie: 4.8 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists. Age: 23. Contract: Ends in 2017; $980,000. He had a limited impact in his 12 games, battling ankle injuries and playing behind Jackson and Blake. At 6-6, he has good size and was effective when he was in games, but didn’t have a big enough sample size of playing time to gauge his value accurately. GRADE: C

G Jodie Meeks: 7.3 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists. Age: 28. Contract: Ends in 2017, $6.54M. Meeks suffered a fractured toe in the second game of the season and didn’t play again until the regular-season finale. The Pistons missed his scoring punch throughout the season and the bench suffered without a true backcourt scoring option. He showed flashes in extended minutes against the Cavs in a game dominated by reserves, but his future is a question mark. GRADE: Incomplete

F Marcus Morris: 14.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists. Age: 26. Contract: Ends in 2019, $5M per season. With a hole in the starting lineup at small forward, the Pistons looked to Morris, who was their best acquisition of the year. He developed into a reliable and consistent scorer and was hot when the Pistons needed a go-to guy. He shot 36 percent on 3-pointers and was gave defenders headaches with his inside-outside game. His contract is a steal. GRADE: A-

F Tobias Harris: 16.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists. Age: 23. Contract: Ends in 2019, averaging $16M. He was playing a little out of position at power forward, but was a nice fit, switching off with Marcus Morris. He pushed his 3-point percentage to 38 percent and jelled with the rest of the offense almost seamlessly. Taking on his contract was a low-risk move, considering what the market will bear this offseason. GRADE: A-

F Stanley Johnson: 8.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists. Age: 19. Contract: Rookie contract, with team options in 2018 and 2019, averaging $3.34M. Unlike many high draft choices, Johnson has been able to learn the ropes without being thrown in the fire of the starting lineup. He’s had steady minutes as the sixth man, but his season spiraled after a shoulder injury slowed him in the second half. His toughness and swagger are assets for the Pistons, as his game will grow. GRADE: B-

C Joel Anthony: 0.9 points, 1.1 rebounds, 0.1 assists. Age: 33. Contract: Ends in 2017, $2.5M. The Pistons haven’t needed him to play much, but when he’s seen action, he’s been solid. His greater value is as a mentor to Drummond, who is only 22 and has much more growth ahead of him. He’s been a pro’s pro and his preparation will be a good example, in the locker room and on the court. GRADE: C

F Reggie Bullock: 3.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, 0.7 assists. Age: 25. Contract: Ends in 2017 at $2.3M. After Johnson’s injury, Bullock proved to be a valuable reserve, almost single-handedly winning a couple of games with his 3-point shooting and defense. He gained Stan Van Gundy’s trust with his “three and D” style, but finding more time for him next season shouldn’t be as tough. He wasn’t seen as a big piece in the trade with the Suns, but he has shown significant worth. GRADE: B-

F Darrun Hilliard: 4.0 points, 1.2 rebounds, 0.7 assists. Age: 23. Contract: Ends in 2016, with team option for 2018, averaging $944,000. The rookie showed some flash with spurts of good play, but could be a better perimeter option as he starts to get more seasoning. His outside shooting (38 percent on 3-pointers) was needed and he’ll see more minutes next season. GRADE: B-

C Andre Drummond: 16.2 points, 14.8 rebounds, 0.8 assists. Age: 23. Contract: Could sign a max contract in the offseason. His breakout season will be remembered more for his futility at the free-throw line and having to be on the bench in the final minutes of some crucial games than getting his first All-Star selection and leading the league in rebounding. He developed more consistent offensive post moves but becoming a target for intentional fouls hurt his season. GRADE: B

C Aron Baynes: 6.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 0.6 assists. Age: 29. Contract: Ends in 2017, with player option for $6.5M each season. Baynes has been one of the best backup centers in the league. He provided a steady free-throw shooter when Drummond had to go to the bench. He overcame some injuries early in the season and had some struggles in the second half, but he’ll be another valuable piece next season. GRADE: B

F Anthony Tolliver: 5.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 0.7 assists. Age: 30. Contract: Free agent. When his shot was falling, he was a valuable asset off the bench, but when he was cold, he found it difficult to contribute in other ways. He bounced back from a tough start to the season and shot 34 percent on 3-pointers, but will have to hit at a higher clip to be a bigger value to the Pistons. GRADE: C

COACH, Stan Van Gundy: The roster was an ever-changing landscape with some big moves midseason, and deciding to play Marcus Morris and Tobias Harris together at the forward spots was a risk, but it paid off. Whether it will work moving forward remains a question. He didn’t have schemes to defend stretch forwards well, which is an area for improvement. Keeping Stanley Johnson out of the starting lineup allowed him to grow, but managing some of Andre Drummond’s minutes needed some more work. GRADE: C+