Detroit Pistons: 3 biggest surprises from the first month of the season

The Detroit Pistons have played one month of the 2020-21 NBA season and they are pretty much where we expected them to be.

The Pistons are a rebuilding team that would like to develop their young guys, lose plenty of games, get a top draft pick and go on from there.

They’ve been more competitive than most expected, hanging in just about every game, playing hard and generally being fun to watch.

I think most Pistons’ fans understand that losing is part of a rebuild, but if you can do that while still playing competitive basketball, even better.

So far that is what the Detroit Pistons have done, and they have won over the fans in the process, which will hopefully lead to some more of them in the stands once that is possible.

Things are going as planned but there have been some surprises through the first month of the season, both pleasant and otherwise.

Let’s start with one of the best surprises of the first month.

Detroit Pistons: Jerami Grant is the Most Improved Player and a rising star

The Play of Jerami Grant

When the Detroit Pistons signed Jerami Grant there were skeptics who thought it was a huge overpay, while others thought the Pistons did what they had to do to get a solid player to come to Detroit.

Not even the most optimistic fan could have predicted what has happened through the first month of the season, as Grant now looks like one of the best wings in the NBA.

Take a look at where he ranks among small forwards:

Points per game: 2nd

Rebounds per game: 9th

Minutes per game: 1st

3-Point makes per game: 5th

Blocks: 2nd

By any measure, Jerami Grant is playing at an All-NBA level and is easily the league’s most improved player.

I liked the signing at the time, as I thought Grant would get better in an expanded role, but I never would have guessed he would be this good.

Troy Weaver looks like a genius at this point and the Detroit Pistons have a piece to build around.

Now for a surprise that has not been pleasant.