Is ESPN right in predicting the Detroit Pistons as a 38 win team?

Why ESPN is Wrong

The Pistons didn’t have a headline grabbing off season. They didn’t land Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis or Durant, but they did make subtle changes that should improve both their quality and depth. Tony Snell, Derrick Rose and Tim Frazier replaced Stanley Johnson, Ish Smith and Jose Calderon respectively and all three are big upgrades.

Snell is a much better shooter than Johnson, Rose is a much better version of the change-of-pace Smith and Frazier has a pulse so he’s a monumental upgrade over Calderon. All three should be able to offer the Pistons productive minutes out of spots that were real points of weakness in 2018-19.

The Pistons also improved their depth with the additions of big men Markieff Morris and preseason legend Christian Wood. Morris can spell Blake Griffin at power forward and maybe even some backup center when the Pistons want to go small. The Pistons’ back ups last season were Jon Leuer and Henry Ellenson, two players who gave the Pistons absolutely nothing. Morris is not an All-Star but he’s a big upgrade over nothing.

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Same for Christian Wood, who is essentially replacing Zaza Pachulia, who was terrible last season. Wood is unproven but is super athletic and brings energy and dunks if nothing else. On a side note, it was nice to see the Pistons not make the same Calderon/Pachulia/Steve Blake mistake with Joe Johnson when they opted for youth and kept Khyri Thomas. The Pistons gave up two draft picks for Thomas and it would have shaken fans’ faith in the front office had they made the same mistake again.

These improvements didn’t make national headlines but should be enough to help the Pistons build on last season’s 41-41 record. Detroit is undoubtedly better, deeper and should be closer to the 45-win ceiling than the 38-win floor.