The Detroit Pistons are without cap space, a contending roster, and have Stan Van Gundy returning. So how can they return to relevancy?
The Detroit Pistons have been ascending on a roller coaster of mediocrity.
With Stan Van Gundy returning for the final year of his contract, it feels like we’re at the crest of the roller coaster and we’re not sure what’s on the other side.
It’s not a particularly exciting roller coaster. It’s the one that kind of makes you sigh a lot and a little nauseous.
Not building for the future
The Pistons have had a recent history of sacrificing long-term success in order to reach arbitrary benchmarks like making the playoffs. The most recent example of this is the Blake Griffin trade.
As a guy who watches the Pistons night in and night out, I was excited about the shot of adrenaline that Griffin temporarily provided.
As a guy who writes about the Detroit Pistons, I was a little weary. The Pistons punted on the young and promising Tobias Harris a little too early (cue Kris Middleton, Spencer Dinwiddie highlights) for Griffin.
Don’t get me wrong, Griffin has been very good for the Pistons and is the best offensive player on the team.
I don’t think he was the missing piece that this team needed to compete with the Golden State Warriors of the world. At best he would’ve pushed them into the eighth seed.
Detroit not only gave up on young talent. They also traded our first round draft pick, doubling down on the now at the expense of the future.
What does a playoff birth accomplish besides stroking the front office and owner’s ego? On paper, this roster’s best case scenario was to get tossed in the first round by the Toronto Raptors or Boston Celtics.
This and many other short-sighted moves have left a franchise with a mediocre roster, an empty arena, and no path to relevancy.
If you’re reading this, you’re sadly a fan of the Detroit Pistons and you’re going to be watching them. So what are some things that could make the Pistons take a step towards relevancy in the 2018 season?
Lottery Gods Smile Upon the Pistons
The Pistons draft pick that was traded in exchange for Griffin is top-four protected. To quote the king of skinny jeans, Kevin Garnett, “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!”. I will clutch the Area 21 host’s words tightly as we approach the NBA draft.
The Pistons franchise has had remarkably mediocre luck in landing picks above their projected range. According to SI.com, the draft pick has a 2.5 percent chance of being top three, but I just saw Kanye West wearing a Make America Great Again hat on Twitter. ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!
Young Players Make Leaps
Player A: 7.6 PPG 1.7 APG 44 FG% 41 3P%
Player B: 7.6 PPG 2 APG 43 FG% 34 3P%
A is Luke Kennard and B is Manu Ginobili during his rookie season at age 25! Kennard may not be Donovan Mitchell but I think he projects to be better than most Pistons fans think.
Stanley Johnson and Henry Ellenson are only 21! While neither of them are likely to become all-stars next year, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them become integral rotational pieces.
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I loved the way Stanley was attacking the rim this season. Confidence begets confidence.
Stanley has finally realized how to accentuate his curves. He’s bigger than most of his defenders and not a consistent shooter. Drive to the rim!
Next thing we know Johnson will be dating Matt Stafford.
Andre Drummond is only 24! Historically speaking, he’s not even close to his prime. He’s more mature this year. His defensive effort has improved, as has his free throw shooting and play-making.
If Drummond can keep adding facets to his game he could become one of the best players in the Eastern Conference.
Reggie Jackson Stays Healthy
Remember the last time Jackson was healthy for an entire season? I do.
They were easier times. Stanley Johnson was in LeBron James‘ head. We had just finished building our f******* wall.
Jackson posted a line of 18.8 PPG, 6.2 APG, and a 53 true shooting percentage that season. That’s a borderline All-Star stat line without the current duo of Drummond and Griffin in the frontcourt.
At the end of the year, we saw how much better this team was with a point guard like Jackson. They went from a lottery team to a squad that could compete with just about anyone in the Eastern Conference on any given night.
If he can stay healthy and build chemistry with Blake, the Pistons will make the playoffs.
Is it enough? Making the playoffs might save SVG his job but I don’t think even the biggest optimists truly believe this team can compete for a title next year.
That is exactly why the Pistons should buck their recent history and start building for the long term. Sure, we may still be on the Stan Van Gundy roller coaster for another year. If the Detroit Pistons develop their young talent, catch a lucky break or two, this roller coaster might at least have rails.
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