Tank or push for playoffs? Backed into corner, Pistons should seek postseason
By Dan Feldman
"The Pistons probably won’t make the playoffs.They probably won’t secure a top-five draft pick, either.As Detroit’s season reaches another crossroads — 12-3 directly after waiving Josh Smith, 0-4 since Brandon Jennings’ season-ending injury — it’s easy to say why one direction won’t work. But that doesn’t make the other any better.The Pistons are caught between a high draft pick and playoff contention, a place they should have better avoided in the first place. But here they are, and they can’t exchange the hand they’ve dealt themselves for new cards now.With that understood, they should keep pushing — within reason — toward a postseason berth.Detroit is closer to eighth place in the Eastern Conference (2.5 games back) than the NBA’s fifth-worst record (3.0 games up). And finishing eighth in the East guarantees a playoff berth. Finishing with the league’s fifth-worst record offers only a 55% chance at a top-five pick.The Pistons already have 17 wins — more than the Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers are on pace to get all season. Detroit probably is too talented to slip below even the Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic and Utah Jazz. Short of telling the players not to give full effort — a bridge not even Philadelphia has crossed — tanking would have only limited benefits.Making the playoffs after a five-year drought would be much more satisfying.Chasing that goal starts with adding a point guard, someone who probably would steal all of Spencer Dinwiddie’s playing time and eat a little into the 36 minutes per game D.J. Augustin has gotten while starting since Jennings’ injury.That could mean signing a veteran such as Jordan Farmar or a D-Leaguer such as Seth Curry. Trading for someone such as Norris Cole or Pablo Prigioni shouldn’t be out of the question, either. Don’t give up a first-round pick unless a steal of a deal somehow emerges. With three point guards already under contract next season and the playoffs unlikely regardless, that’s far too high of a price to pay for short-term help.But a future second-rounder? Under the circumstances, I’m not opposed to making that minimal sacrifice for a player who could boost Detroit’s postseason chances, even if he guarantees nothing.Greg Monroe is the linchpin, though.If the Pistons can get a decent haul for Monroe in trade, I wouldn’t be opposed to it. I just don’t think they can."
"Short of trading Monroe, how would the Pistons tank?"
"Andre Drummond and others with potential futures in Detroit are just doing too much of the heavy lifting to dismantle the roster.I’m not philosophically opposed to tanking in the right circumstances, but it’s hard seeing it paying off here.If the Pistons try to make the playoffs, they’re probably headed toward about the No. 10 pick. If they try to tank, they’re probably headed toward about the No. 7 pick.Of course, if the Pistons are going to miss the playoffs, they’d be better off with as a of high a draft pick as possible. But moving up three or so spots is not worth throwing away the rest of a season that has a reasonable chance of ending in the playoffs, even if a postseason berth is less than likely."