The Detroit Pistons are exactly where they want to be at the midpoint of the season.
They are tanking but doing it with purpose, losing competitive games while getting their young players plenty of reps, which were two of the goals of the season.
However, they are only at the halfway point, so a lot of things can change before the 2021 campaign is finished and can be declared a success.
There are four major stories that will dominate the second half, not including the fate of the Pistons’ veterans who could be moved at the deadline.
Here are the narratives to watch as the 2nd half of the season unfolds.
Detroit Pistons: Can the Pistons stay in the bottom-3 of the NBA?
One of the Pistons’ goals for this season was to finish in the bottom-3 so that they have maximum odds a top pick.
At the midway point, the Pistons are right where they need to be, but things could change. The Pistons have one of the easiest schedules in the NBA in the 2nd half, so even though they have only won 10 games so far, they could be at risk of falling out of the bottom three if they are not careful.
The Detroit Pistons are not going to lose games on purpose, but they may need some “creative” roster management down the stretch to ensure that they don’t win too many games. This team plays too hard to tank like the Timberwolves, so Troy Weaver may need to get involved.
This could mean trading several of their veteran contributors and maybe sitting Jerami Grant on back-to-backs and other nights when the Pistons need a loss.
Look, no one likes losing, but if you are going to lose, don’t spoil it by winning a bunch of meaningless games that will just hurt the possible draft position.
Detroit Pistons: The progression of young players is key
The first step in developing talent is to get some and it appears Troy Weaver has with Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart and Saben Lee.
The next step is to help hone and develop that talent into players who can contribute on a good team, which is where the Pistons are now.
All of the Pistons’ rookies have shown that they can play, now they just need to keep refining, developing and adding nuance to their games.
For Saddiq Bey, that means adding more offensive weapons and continuing to improve on the defensive end. For Stewart, it means staying out of foul trouble and maybe starting to develop a mid-range jump shot. For Saben Lee, it means continuing to take care of the ball and adding range to his shot.
It would also be great to see second-year man Sekou Doumbouya make some strides in the second half, as he has been the one Pistons’ young guy who has not shown much if any improvement this season.
These players should all get plenty of minutes in the second half so that they can work on their games and make something positive out of season that won’t have many wins.
Detroit Pistons: Dennis Smith Jr. could be worth re-signing
The Detroit Pistons would also like to use the rest of this season to get more of handle on what they have with Dennis Smith Jr.
He has played decently so far, though hasn’t been as spectacular as some on Pistons’ Twitter would have you believe.
He is still very inconsistent offensively but has shown he can contribute in myriad ways with his passing and defense, especially considering his athleticism and size for the point guard position.
I’d say that Dennis Smith Jr. has definitely earned himself a tryout next season and if he can continue to improve, he might be worth a roster spot, especially if he his willing to sign a team-friendly deal for near the league minimum.
Smith Jr. is getting a chance to revitalize his career in Detroit and needs to make the most of it, as he will definitely get looks from the Pistons and other teams in the offseason if he plays well.
His time with Detroit has shown promise to be sure and Dennis Smith Jr. could end up being one of the value signings of next offseason.
Detroit Pistons: What is Svi Mykhailiuk’s future with the team?
Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk probably has more to gain or lose than just about any member of the Detroit Pistons in the second half of the season.
He has been disappointing so far, shooting just 33 percent from long range after shooting over 40 percent last season on a higher number of attempts.
Mykhailiuk definitely has the tools to be a high-volume 3-point shooter but he hasn’t been able to do it consistently enough to carve out a defined role this season.
He will get every chance, as he has been starting and playing big minutes over the last few games as the Pistons try to see what they have before he becomes a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
If he continues playing like this, the Pistons may just let him walk, but if he shows flashes of the guy they thought they had coming into the season, then Svi might get himself an extension.
This will be one of the stories to follow, as he could end up being a player, so Detroit has to be careful how they handle Mykhailiuk.
The Detroit Pistons are one of the best “bad” teams in the NBA and have given fans all they could ask for so far, which is competitive losses, hope and the promise of more to come.