The Detroit Pistons’ biggest concerns entering the 2017 off-season

Greatest Concern: Heart

Of course when a team under performs, blame falls on the coach. With the Pistons, Stan Van Gundy has been held accountable.

Van Gundy has taken responsibility for his team’s lack of success multiple times (most recently, during his post-game interview after a 97-96 defeat to the Miami Heat). Though, ultimately, it’s the players playing the game and not Stan Van Gundy. And with the players, it appears there’s no heart.

Andre Drummond is a prime example. Some games, the 2016 All-Star center appears to be ready to go: all over the boards, defensively active and scoring like a machine. Then, during other games, Drummond just isn’t there: foul trouble, stagnant scoring, and lacking hustle.

But it’s not just Drummond, it’s EVERYONE. Numerous times have the players collected together and discussed issues pertaining to the game, though nothing ever changed.

Too many times has Detroit lost by a wide margin this season. Rarely did they ever come out and stomp a team into the ground. Some of it has to do with improving competition league-wide and other factors, but another portion of it has to do due to lacking heart to play at best.

For Stan Van Gundy, he needs to identify players that want to play Detroit basketball and those who don’t. For those who want to stay should stay while those who want to go should go no matter who.