The Detroit Pistons 2016-17 season has been one of the most disappointing in recent memory. While the team isn’t out of the playoff race, the best move thing for the Pistons is tanking.
The Detroit Pistons’ 2016-17 season was supposed to be a coming out party. After playing a tightly contested series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, many thought the Pistons would be a top four team in the Eastern Conference this season. A team that was going to win 50 plus games, a team that had the versatility to play with anyone, and a team with the perfect blend of veteran leadership and talented youngsters.
Instead, the Pistons are a complete joke. There’s no reason to sugar coat it. They are hands down the most disappointing team in the NBA this season and at this point, an unlikely candidate to make the playoffs despite being within reach.
At this point, the Pistons really one have one move left to salvage what they can for the future. It’s a move that will probably turn Stan Van Gundy beat red, but something that needs to be done regardless.
The Pistons should tank the last 10 games of the season. The Pistons need to tank the last 10 games of the season.
If the Pistons lost their next 10 games, they could conceivably land anywhere from the fourth worst record in the NBA (with only the Nets, Suns, and Lakers ahead of them) to tenth worst. Worst-case scenario they find themselves picking around 12 in a loaded draft class, but that’s assuming everyone else tanks just as hard.
Now let’s consider the alternative. The Pistons continue to fight and claw towards a playoff spot and they make the eighth seed or find themselves picking between 12 and 14. That would leave the Pistons with slim chances at a top pick, and even slimmer chances at a game-changing talent.
A chance at a top-five pick, or even top-10 could be game changing for the Pistons who are in desperate need of new talent, particularly talent with superstar upside–which isn’t outside of the realm of possibility at 10 in this draft.
Maybe the ping pong balls fall just right and they land a Markelle Fultz. Or, may the Pistons land a pick in the 6-10 range and draft a Malik Monk, Dennis Smith, Jayson Tatum, or Jonathan Isaac–all players with significant upside.
Or, maybe Stan Van Gundy decides to play competitive basketball versus giving his young guys some burn and coaxes the team into splitting the next five and landing a late lottery pick.
I know it’s tough Stan, but you need to tank. It’s the right thing to do.
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Will Van Gundy tank for the sake of the future? No. No a freaking chance.