Pistons probably don’t have statistical analysis department, front-office member downplays importance of having one

Keith Langlois of Pistons.com in a mailbag:

"Matthew (Sarasota, Fla.): In an article about the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, it was mentioned that roughly 20 NBA teams have statistical analysis departments. Are the Pistons one of the 10 or so that do not employ a team of stat geeks?Langlois: I talked with Pistons VP Scott Perry last summer about that, Matthew. At least as of that time, the Pistons did not have a dedicated numbers cruncher. That doesn’t mean the people on Joe Dumars’ staff don’t follow stats, even advanced stats. But Perry also said something that’s stuck with me. He spent a year in Seattle as Sam Presti’s assistant GM. OKC has been hailed as one of the pioneers in statistical analysis. Perry acknowledged they used it but said the degree to which they leaned on it has been overstated. He said it wasn’t anything to do with the numbers that led them to take Kevin Durant and Jeff Green in the 2007 draft."