Detroit Pistons: Forget free agency, develop from within
Neither of these teams will ever be a first choice for free agents looking for a new team, as most flock to the coasts where the weather is better and there are bigger television markets.
This hasn’t stoped Toronto from contending year after year. The reason? They develop players.
If you look at the core of their team, it is nearly all guys that the Raptors drafted and developed themselves.
Though Lowry came via trade most of the rest of the Raptor’s core was drafted or came out of the G-League, including both Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam.
Toronto has arguably been the best team in the NBA at developing talent and the Detroit Pistons need to follow this model.
That means not giving up early on guys like Sekou Doumbouya, who doesn’t look like much now but could be a player down the road.
Fans don’t like to be told to be patient but patience pays off, just ask Toronto, who could have easily given up on a guy like Siakam, who was sent to the G-League in his rookie season before evolving into a solid bench contributor and eventually a star.
Keep in mind that Siakam was 22-years-old when he came into the league, a full three years older than Doumbouya. The Raptors didn’t rush things and it paid off, which is exactly what the Pistons are hoping will happen with Doumbouya.
The Detroit Pistons can learn a lot from the recent success Toronto has had, mainly to be patient and build from within so the success can be sustained.