Rod Beard's final Pistons grades

GUARDS

G Reggie Jackson: 14.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists. Age: 27. Contract: $51.1 million remaining, through 2019-20. He missed the first 21 and final nine games of the season and wasn’t playing at 100 percent at any point this season. As the engine for the offense, many of the woes this season can be traced back to his tendinitis. The best hopes for next season depend on him coming back at full strength. Grade: C

G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: 13.8 points, 3.3 rebounds. 2.6 assists. Age: 24. Contract: Restricted free agent. In many ways, he was the Pistons’ best all-around player, especially in the first half. He made strides, improving to 35 percent on 3-pointers, but his overall field-goal percentage dipped to 40 percent. Potentially having to match a max-contract offer sheet could be tough for the Pistons. situation. Grade: B-minus

G Ish Smith: 9.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists. Age: 28. Contract: $12 million remaining, through 2018-19. Smith was one of the Pistons’ biggest surprises, filling in well as Reggie Jackson’s backup. He stepped up his scoring in a starting role and became a respected veteran. He benefited from a consistent role, and although his field-goal shooting (44 percent) was the highest of his career, he’ll need further improvement to keep defenses honest. Grade: B

G Darrun Hilliard: 3.3 points, 0.8 rebounds, 0.8 assists. Age: 24. Contract: Team option for $1 million. He didn’t play much, but when he did, he didn’t take full advantage to move into the playing rotation. He has interesting versatility but his role moving forward is uncertain. Grade: C-minus

G Michael Gbinije: 0.4 points, 0.3 rebounds, 0.2 assists. Age: 24. Contract: $2 million remaining ($500,000 guaranteed), through 2018-19. The rookie wing played in just nine games and the timing of his injuries coincided with when Stan Van Gundy looked to him for playing opportunities. He has plenty of potential but never was healthy enough to show it. Grade: Incomplete

G Beno Udrih: 5.8 points, 1.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists. Age 34. Contract: Unrestricted free agent. The last pickup in training camp, Udrih turned out to be a steadying influence as the team’s most veteran player. He suffered a knee injury with two games left, but in the previous seven games, he posted 8.1 points and 5.4 assists. Stan Van Gundy would like to keep him, but he may be a victim of roster numbers. Grade: B

FORWARDS

F Marcus Morris: 14 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2 assists. Age: 27. Contract: $10.4 million remaining, through 2018-19. Morris made strides as one of the vocal leaders on and off the court, but his production didn’t improve much from last season. He dropped from 36 to 33 percent on 3-pointers and at many times lost his shooting touch when the Pistons really needed a scorer. He’s still a rugged defender and important member of the core. Grade: C-plus

F Jon Leuer: 10.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists. Age: 27. Contract: $30 million remaining, through 2019-20. He had a good first half, with 11.2 points and 5.7 rebounds and hitting 33 percent on 3-pointers before the All-Star break, but those numbers dropped to 8.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 21 percent after. He played the most minutes of his career and he seemed to wear down. He said he’ll work on strength and endurance in the offseason. Grade: C-minus

F Tobias Harris: 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists. Age: 24. Contract: $30.8 million remaining, through 2018-19. After bouncing between the starting lineup and sixth-man role, Harris still was the team’s leading scorer. He seemed to find a groove with the reserves, but his offense may dictate that he move back to the starting role. Harris’ defense will need to improve if he continues to guard both forward spots and there’s plenty of reason for optimism with his game. Grade: B

F Stanley Johnson: 4.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists. Age: 20. Contract: $7.1 million remaining, through 2018-19. After a promising rookie season, he took a big step back with some questionable decision making, poor turnovers and drops in field-goal percentage (35 percent), 3-point shooting (29 percent) and rebounds (2.5). It’ll be an important offseason to sharpen his game, and Stan Van Gundy wants him to focus on becoming a defensive stopper. Grade: C-minus

F Reggie Bullock: 4.5 points, 2.1 rebounds, 0.9 assists. Age: 26. Contract: Restricted free agent. He didn’t get many opportunities to play until later in the season, but was one of the best players in the final four games, posting 12 points and 67 percent on 3-pointers. He’s a smart player on offense who just finds ways to score, but the Pistons likely won’t be able to afford to keep him. Grade: B-minus

F Henry Ellenson: 3.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, 0.4 assists. Age: 20. Contract: $6.5 million remaining (team options in 2018-20). The rookie first-round pick got plenty of experience in the D-League but played only 19 games with the Pistons. In the final four games, when he got extended playing time, he showed flashes with 9.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 30 percent on 3-pointers. With added strength and defensive focus, he could be in line for increased minutes. Grade: C

CENTERS

C Andre Drummond: 13.6 points, 13.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists. Age 23. Contract: $105.1 million remaining, through 2020-21 (player option in final year). To whom much is given, much is expected. Drummond got a max contract but hasn’t delivered thus far. He was second in the league in rebounding yet was involved in trade rumors at the deadline. Stan Van Gundy says Drummond “needs urgency to elevate his game,” a shot at his lack of effort from game to game. Grade: C-minus

C Aron Baynes: 4.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 0.4 assists. Age: 30. Contract: $6.5 million (player option). Barring a huge surprise, Baynes likely will be gone, earning a much bigger payday with another team. He was a defensive stalwart on the reserve group and often finished games ahead of Drummond because of his free-throw ability (84 percent) and communication on defense. His departure could lead to more playing time for Boban Marjanovic. Grade: B-minus

C Boban Marjanovic: 5.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 0.3 assists. Age 28. Contract: $14 million remaining, through 2018-19. The 7-foot-4 big man was buried on the end of the bench for most of the season and played in just 35 games. The highlight was a 27-point, 12-rebound effort against the Rockets, and he averaged 15.8 points and 10.3 rebounds in the final four games, with extended minutes. Stan Van Gundy has committed to finding more time for Marjanovic. Grade: B

COACH and PRESIDENT

Stan Van Gundy (coach): It was a tumultuous season, with Reggie Jackson’s injury presenting an early challenge and managing personalities along the way. Van Gundy admitted to several tactical and strategy gaffes, and he was stubborn in not going to his bench earlier when the starting group was ineffective. The offense was limited and couldn’t get out of ruts that just crippled the team down the stretch. Grade: D