Jonas Jerebko opting into final year of his contract

Jonas Jerebko averaged 28 minutes per game as a rookie.

In the last two years, he’s played that much in a game just six times, including zero times last season.

It’s been a frustrating few years for the Pistons who forward, who missed the entire 2010-11 season due to an Achilles injury, lost Lawrence Frank’s trust and then never received Maurice Cheeks’.

Yet, Jerebko will opt into the final year of his contract – which will pay him $4.5 million next season – to stay in Detroit.

Jerebko, via Borås Tidning:

I’ve already made my decision. I have a year left in Detroit, and I drive on. It’s a very important summer season and waiting now.

I feel I can be much better than what I got the chance to show this past season

Jerebko on his previous experiences with new Pistons coach/president Stan Van Gundy:

It got very positive reactions. I remember him from when he coached Orlando and it is an experienced coach who has been in the league a long time.I always talked to him when we met, and I know he likes my playing time.

We will sit down and go through some things. What does he look at me? What does he want? What kind of player he thinks that I should be? What should I do extra work much on? It will be fun to have a little talk.

Jerebko will make $4.5 million – more than he could have gotten anywhere else. Everything else is just window dressing.

At his best, he’s an excellent offensive rebounder, energetic defender and good enough spot-up 3-point shooter. At his worst, he over-dribbles, shoots too much and plays a step slow defensively after using all his energy to create his own shot.

Jerebko showed glimpses late last season of returning to the player he was his first couple years in the league, but not enough to get a bigger contract this summer. If he sustains that production over longer stretches next season, there’s an outside chance his salary could rise in 2015.