The Detroit Pistons rebuild appears to be ahead of schedule.
When the Detroit Pistons hired Troy Weaver he was given the tall task of rebuilding one of the worst rosters in the NBA.
The Pistons were low on young talent, with only Sekou Doumbouya as a high ranking prospect, and they were saddled with a big contract that looks unmovable.
Everyone expected this team to be terrible for a few more years, for Weaver to acquire draft picks and assets for a slow rebuild.
But in case you haven’t watched the Detroit Pistons this year, this rebuild may not have to be as slow as we thought.
Yes, the Pistons have won only two games but they have gone down fighting in all of the losses, flashing some hopeful signs for the future in the process.
Close losses are still losses but there appears to be a culture change happening in Detroit and there are a few reasons behind it.
Detroit Pistons: Jerami Grant and Saddiq Bey are giving fans hope
Jerami Grant may be a superstar
The Pistons took a risk when they signed Jerami Grant to a contract that pays him $20 million a year, especially since they are rebuilding and didn’t expect to be good in the near future..
That has all changed because of the play of Grant, whose meteoric rise this season is making Weaver look like a genius.
Grant is averaging 25.1 points, 6.2 rebounds while shooting 37 percent from 3-point range, 86 percent from the free-throw line and playing lockdown defense all over the court.
He has to be the frontrunner for Most Improved Player at this point.
The Detroit Pistons may have a superstar in Grant, who went from looking like a solid role player to a guy who can be a top-3 player on a contender.
Grant’s ascension will speed up the rebuild, as the Pistons seemingly have one piece in place.
Saddiq Bey is the steal of the draft
Hitting a home run with a free agent and draft pick in the same offseason? Who are these Detroit Pistons?
Bey has already emerged as a candidate for Rookie of the Year and it appears the Pistons may have the steal of the draft.
There are a whole lot of NBA teams wishing they had taken Bey now, as he looks like a top-5 player from the 2020 NBA Draft.
His defense is already very good and will get better. He is shooting more than 45 percent from 3-point range and most importantly looks completely confident doing it.
This rookie was ready to play and has the potential to be one of the best 3-and-D wings in the league at some point.
Fans of the Detroit Pistons have suffered for a long time, but hope is on the horizon and the Pistons may be good sooner rather than later.