The Detroit Pistons finished the 1979–80 NBA season with a 16–66 record, the worst in franchise history. It’s the only time they’ve finished a season with less than 20 wins. With 11 games remaining on their schedule – and some tough opponents – it’s possible that will be the fate of the Pistons again.
With almost half the roster sidelined with injury – including Cade Cunningham who has played just 12 games this season – all the attention will be on developing players such as James Wiseman – whom they acquired at the trade deadline from Golden State, midseason signing RJ Hampton and Eugene Omoruyi – a recent bright spot that worked well on a pair of 10-day contracts.
This post will focus on a series of questions regarding the future of the Pistons, potential free agent targets and Dwane Casey’s status as head coach. Thank you to everyone who submitted a question.
With their youth, chemistry and potential, plus the possibility of signing (drafting) Victor (Wembanyama), how long do you think it will be before the Pistons become a legitimate contender again? –@B_Agnew
It depends on the type of candidate in question. If it’s an NBA championship, it’s far too early to have this type of discussion. And that’s whether the Pistons take over Wembanyama or not. Now, if we’re talking about being a playoff contender, they’re a few years away — at least three to four — from being a top-six seed.
However, with health on their side, it’s possible the Pistons could squeeze into the play-in tournament over the next two seasons.
Of the three things asked in the question, youth and potential are the only things working in favor of the Pistons. They have a lot. The chemistry, however, is the big question mark. Cunningham’s season-ending injury derailed a year of development. He couldn’t be frozen with his new backcourt mate Jaden Ivey – a tandem that could be the catalyst for the Pistons’ fortunes for years to come. Plus, there’s been constant review of the roster by general manager Troy Weaver — and rightly so.
Weaver has shown a propensity to trigger a player’s move (or acquisition) quickly to improve the roster. Until the Pistons have consistency in what their core will look like, true chemistry won’t come to fruition. Plus, if the Pistons were to draft Wembanyama, adding him creates a front-line lockout, which means more roster changes. It’s safe to assume Jalen Duren wouldn’t be moved, but that could spell the end for Isaiah Stewart, Marvin Bagley III, or even Wiseman.
This season has felt like an 82-game trial. I’m a gamer, and Pistons lineups are never available. Who do you think will stay on the roster next season if we lose the Wemby (Victor Wembanyama) draw? –@Realpathways
As mentioned, with Weaver is a wildcard. It’s hard to say who is safe on the Pistons roster. The Cunningham-Ivey-Duren trio should be permanently locked in to return next season. There’s no ideal trade that would make sense to prematurely break up this trio before seeing their potential on the pitch together.
If any moves are to be made, Pistons leading scorer Bojan Bogdanovic and Wiseman could be attractive options, especially Wiseman given his recent output. It still doesn’t seem ideal for either to be moved. It has been communicated to Bogdanovic that he will be part of the Pistons’ future plans. And in Wiseman’s case, pairing him in the frontcourt with Duren is something the team is exploring. As for the rest of the roster, imminent changes could be on the horizon.
Composition of the summer league? Who’s on it? FA prospects other than Jerami Grant? –@CHEN313
Generally speaking, rookies, second- and third-year players, undrafted players, and G-League players usually make up the Summer League rosters. With that in mind, whatever the Pistons draft in June, he will obviously be on this list. Along with that, if Cunningham is allowed to participate in basketball activities, it’s possible — not likely — that he could take the court for a game or two alongside Ivey and Duren in limited action. This would give the young trio a chance to get to know each other against some competition.
When it comes to free agency, there haven’t been many leaks regarding potential targets. For now, Grant is the only one reported that the Pistons could explore. The Pistons are expected to have more than $40 million in cap space this offseason, making them attractive to any player looking for a big payday.
Also on Grant, he is eligible for a five-year, $233 million maximum contract with the Trail Blazers, if offered, or a $174 million contract with other franchises. For that reason, it would be interesting to see Grant leave almost $60 million on the table to join another team, especially to join the Pistons for that matter.
My question is: Will Dwane Casey be fired and what are the names that could replace him? –@Jamar23732
He’s the elephant in the room with the Pistons fan base. And this is one of the most difficult questions to answer. The Pistons will end this season with their fourth consecutive losing season under Casey. In Casey’s first season with the Pistons (2019-20), they finished 41-41 and were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Milwaukee Bucks. While there have been internal discussions regarding a head coaching change, the Pistons have been tight-lipped about it, unlike the usual leaks with other organizations.
In a recent media availability, Casey discussed player development and preparation for next season. If one were to read between the lines of these quotes, there seems to be an indication – however, unconfirmed – that he could return for a sixth season as Pistons coach.
