2018-19 Season Review: Langston Galloway is a Roller Coaster

Graphic Image: @gabriella.s_photography

The 2018-19 campaign was one filled with ups and downs for Detroit Pistons guard Langston Galloway. The 6’2”, fifth-year guard out of St. Joseph’s played in 80 games for the Pistons last season, averaging 21.8 minutes per game.

After going undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft, Galloway bounced between the NBA D-League's Westchester Knicks and the associations New York Knicks. Galloway went on to average 11.8 points per game on 40 percent shooting and 35 percent from three-point range, leading him to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

Galloway went on to sign a two-year, $10.6 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans in the summer of 2016. After appearing in 55 games for the Pelicans, Galloway was shipped to Sacramento as a part of the Demarcus Cousins trade. In 19 games with New Orleans, Galloway shot 47.5 percent from three-point range, resulting in signing a three-year, $21 million deal with the Pistons in 2017.

Galloway was in and out of the rotation in his first year in Detroit under head coach Stan Van Gundy. However, Galloway found more consistent playing time in the 2018-19 season under head coach Dwane Casey.

Appearing in 80 games during the 2018-19 campaign, Galloway saw the floor on average 21.8 minutes per game. In these nearly 22 minutes of action, the three and d guard obtained average’s of 8.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game on 38.8 percent shooting from the field, including 35.5 percent from distance.

The highlight of Galloway’s season came during a stretch of three games between March 6-10. During these three game’s Galloway caught fire from three-point land, converting on 12 consecutive three-point field goals made, one short of tying the NBA record set by former Piston Terry Mills and Brent Price in 1996.

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However, the streak was not to be as Galloway airballed his first attempt from three on March 11 versus Brooklyn. Galloway would end up finishing his night 3-7 from three, however.

Not only did Galloway find a spark on the offensive end, but he did on the defensive end as well.

“He’s been doing a good job, not only offensively, but defensively too. He did a good job on (Zach) LaVine the other night. That and his shooting has given us a spark these last few games,” Casey said to the Detroit News’ Rod Beard.

https://twitter.com/detnewsRodBeard/status/1109989214492319746

“Detroit fans understand the Microwave, Vinnie Johnson, and he’s sort of that. He’s been that way for us all year. I remember the Lakers game in the first half and he didn’t play at all in the first half and came out in the second half and lost his mind. That’s his role on the team.”

The hot shooting of Galloway late in the season got Pistons fans excited, as they knew clutch shooting would be huge in the playoffs. However, as the season wound down, Galloway’s shooting numbers began to dip again.

In his final five games of the season, Galloway hoisted 28 three-point attempts and converted on only five of them, a 17.8 percent clip. As Detroit entered the playoffs, shooting needed to be at a premium against Detroit’s first round opponent, the Eastern Conference’s best Milwaukee Bucks.

In the four-game series, Galloway put up 25 three-point attempts, converting on nine of them, for a 36 percent mark from distance, respectively.

However, the Pistons have four wings who could potentially kick Galloway out of Casey’s rotation during the 2019-20 season: Luke Kennard, Bruce Brown, Khyri Thomas, and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk. If Galloway does not become a more consistent shooter next season, Detroit could opt to trade him or not re-sign him after the season. Galloway is set to make $7.3 million next year.

*All stats are from basketball-reference.com and stats.nba.com.

Featured Image: Raj Mehta/USA Today Sports