Pistons snubbed in Simmons’ Eastern Conference projections

Apr 24, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; (right to left) Detroit Pistons forward Stanley Johnson (3) forward Tobias Harris (34) and guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (5) discuss a play during the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Cavs win 100-98. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 24, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; (right to left) Detroit Pistons forward Stanley Johnson (3) forward Tobias Harris (34) and guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (5) discuss a play during the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Cavs win 100-98. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

The Detroit Pistons’ got snubbed in Bill Simmons Eastern Conference projections.

HBO’s Bill Simmons launched his new website The Ringer on Wednesday, and on Friday he wrote his first column in more than a year, a deep dive into the impending free agency of Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant.

It was a somewhat underwhelming return, at least to those of us who have already listened to Simmons espouse his many Kevin Durant theories on the Bill Simmons Podcast, which launched in September 2015. In his column, the former ESPN personality speculates that Durant’s injury history might lead him to look for a long-term contract in 2016 rather than the shorter deal he’s expected to take to align himself with teammate Russell Westbrook’s contract cycle  (and a bigger payday when the salary cap continues to rise in 2017). In addition to hinting at the possibility of Nike swaying Durant’s decision, Simmons not so subtly urges the Slim Reaper to consider taking his talents to the NBA’s weaker conference:

"For the rest of this decade, any superstar has a better chance of making the Finals in the East. The West has Golden State, San Antonio, OKC (for now), the star-crossed Clippers, the savvy Blazers and the precocious T-Wolves lurking like Arya Stark. That’s a murderers’ row. The East has Cleveland (FYI: Year 14 for LeBron next season), Boston’s Collection of Awesome Assets That Can’t Translate to an Actual Contender Yet, Whatever Toronto Is, Whatever Atlanta Was, Whatever Orlando and Milwaukee Might End Up Being, Whatever Pat Riley Might Have up His Sleeve and that’s about it. (Sorry, Knicks fans.) You want an easier road to the title, go East. Or sign with the Warriors."

It’s strange for Simmons to snub the Pistons in a discussion of the East’s rising powers, especially after he had one foot on the Detroit Upset Train before the Pistons’ first-round playoff matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Even weirder is his inclusion of Milwaukee, which looked mostly directionless last season when Giannis Antetokounmpo wasn’t racking up triple-doubles, and Orlando, a team that was sliding well before Stan Van Gundy and Jeff Bower fleeced it for Tobias Harris in February.

Regardless, it’s good to have Simmons back. Yes, he can be abrasive, crude and repetitive, but he’s still wildly entertaining, fun to disagree with and the best in the business at putting today’s NBA in a historical and narrative context. Detroit fans may just have to get used to the Pistons being left out of that context for another year or so.