Before the season started, hopes were high on a Detroit Pistons team who was coming off of a playoff appearance. What happened?
Heading into the 2019-20 season, optimism was spreading in the city of Detroit with hopes of a revitalized Detroit Pistons team.
Blake Griffin was supposedly healthy and in the eyes of Pistons faithful was a reincarnation of the infamous “Bad Boys” Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn in Griffin and Andre Drummond. To top it off, much like Chicago native Isiah Thomas led the way back in the day, another son of Chicago, Derrick Rose, was looking to show shades of MVP in the motor city.
However, that was all wishful thinking considering that Griffin wasn’t healthy with everything going downhill from there. You never want to see a player miss time due to injury, but Griffin’s absence is best seen now as a blessing in disguise.
The bruising style of two bigs is what Detroit is used to, but those days are long gone. Hence, the reason that Drummond’s trade value was so low. Nowadays, it’s about the “long gun” as Pistons play-by-play announcer George Blaha would say.
The plan now seems to be building around Griffin with shooters like Luke Kennard and Svi Mykhailuk, while developing young talent like Sekou Doumbouya and Christian Wood.
Wood’s production has shown through, averaging 13 points per game and 6 rebounds per contest off the bench. Doumbouya on the other hand, has elite athleticism and potential at just 19 years old, exemplified by this thunderous dunk.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtTxETHpOAI
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The Pistons also need to hit big in free agency if they are looking to compete in the 2020-21 season. In today’s duo tandems of stars, the Pistons need to pair an all-star with Griffin to be a playoff contender. If not in free agency, the Pistons could hit the lottery via trade.
Looking around the league, the Philadelphia 76ers may hear offers for Ben Simmons given the recent controversy in the city of Brotherly love.
The combination of Simmons and Griffin has potential to be lob city 2.0. Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and John Wall are potential fits for the Pistons that the Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards would be willing to hear offers for.
What players could be involved in any potential deal remains to be seen, but Detroit will have the necessary cap space to facilitate nearly any deal that they wanted.
Now that they’re entering a rebuild however, the possibility of a blockbuster trade has decreased.
Regardless, to bring back Detroit basketball, the Pistons need to bring another star to Motown surrounded by shooters and quality depth. Easier said than done, but the Pistons are on the right path with Wood and Doumbouya.