The Detroit Pistons, the last few years, have been, how do you say it, dreadful.
In the 2023-24 season, the Pistons finished with a league-worst record of 14-68, also good for the worst in franchise history. After a 2-1 start to the season, Detroit lost 28 consecutive games, setting the NBA record for the longest single-season losing streak and tying the record for the longest losing streak overall.
Immediately following the season, head coach Monty Williams was fired after only one year at the helm. General manager Troy Weaver also stepped down in May after compiling a 54-192 record in three seasons.
Heading into the 2024-25 season, the franchise’s direction was a major focus. Trajan Langdon was brought on as president of basketball operations and hired head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. Bickerstaff led the Cavaliers to the playoffs in two consecutive seasons but was let go last season after failing to advance past the conference semifinals.
With the current core in place of point guard Cade Cunningham, off-guard Jaden Ivey and center Jalen Duren, the management knew they needed to prioritize shooting in the off-season. Last season, the Pistons ranked 26th in three-point shooting percentage at 34.8% while tying for dead last in the league at 11 makes a game.
To fix this, wings Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. were brought in. Both have a history of being high-volume, decent-percentage shooters and so far, the early returns have been promising. Beasley is cashing in on 39.2% of his threes, making 3.6 per game. Hardaway Jr. sits below at 38.4%, making 2.2 per game.
Cunningham is having the best season of his career so far, in large part due to the shooting that now surrounds him. He is averaging a career-best 8.9 assists with 23.5 points per game. Health has always been a concern with Cunningham, but he has played in 17 of 18 games.
Ivey’s growth as a scorer and playmaker is vital to the season’s success. After a splendid college career at Purdue, Ivey was drafted fifth overall in 2022. While a capable scorer and outstanding athlete, his pure-shooting capability leaves much to be desired.
He also leaves his feet nearly every time he drives, failing to play off two feet in the lane and throwing away the ball as he haphazardly jumps into defenders. Ivey is playing a career-high in minutes and scoring a career-best 18 points a game, but the jury is still out on him as a second option.
Tobias Harris was also brought in for reinforcements — the forward returns to Detroit after stints with the Clippers and the 76ers. Harris may not be the same robust, multi-level scorer that he used to be, but he brings a shot-making ability off the dribble that the Pistons sorely needed.
A big theme in the last couple of years has been the franchise’s ill fortune in the draft lottery. After finishing with the worst overall record this previous season, the Pistons fell to fifth overall again in the draft. They took Ron Holland II — a former five-star recruit out of high school who chose to play for the G-League Ignite instead of college ball. Holland has great size at 6’8″ and is a tremendous athlete but lacks a consistent three-point shot.
These players have contributed to a 7-11 start as of Nov. 24, which is much better than last year’s. Last season, the Pistons held an offensive rating of 109.7 (fourth worst in the league) and a defensive rating of 118.8 (sixth worst). Eighteen games into the season, the defense ranks 14th in the league at 112.6 and 23rd in offense at 110.8. The offense needs some work, but the early returns on defense are huge.
Numerous close losses have also occurred; the season’s opening game against the Indiana Pacers resulted in a 6-point loss. In total, 10 of the Pistons’ 11 losses have been by 12 points or less. Three losses were by one possession, and two others came in overtime.
Concerningly, there have also been many surrendered leads. Against the Bucks on Nov. 13, Detroit held an 18-point lead early in the second half but blew it. In a one-point win over the Hawks, the Pistons had a 23-point lead in the first half erased in the fourth quarter.
With all that being said, the NBA season is long, and a lot can happen. Teams can get plagued with the injury bug, cold spells in three-point shooting can mean losing streaks, or surprise players will earn more time on the court and become stars overnight. I am intrigued by this new iteration of the Pistons and will follow them closely as the season progresses.
