The Detroit Pistons won 20 games last season, but there were some positives and several players reached individual goals.
Jerami Grant had a breakout season that put him in the running for the Most Improved award and proved that he can be more than just a role player.
Both Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart made the All-Rookie team, outplaying their draft position and solidifying themselves as part of the core moving forward.
The Jacksons, Frank and Josh, both contributed and showed that they can be valuable role players off the bench and Saben Lee got plenty of run even though he was a second-round pick.
But the Detroit Pistons would like to win more than 20 games and get on the path towards the playoffs, with moderate improvement expected on their timeline for contention.
For the team to take the next step, individual players need to step up and reach their personal goals. Here is one for each guy.
Detroit Pistons: The fringe of the rotation has some exciting talent
Chris Smith
Isaiah Livers
Both of these players are coming off injuries or probably would have been first-round picks in last year’s draft if they weren’t. Instead, Livers went in the second round and Smith went undrafted altogether, so it’s possible they will outplay their draft position at some point.
But first they have to prove they are healthy, so the goal for both of them is to get 100 percent healthy and prove they have overcome their injuries.
Luka Garza: Hit long-range shots
I think Luka Garza has a real chance to be the third center now that the Pistons have traded Jahlil Okafor.
If he does make the rotation, it will be because of his shooting, so Garza’s goal should be consistency from behind the 3-point line. If he can hit a high percentage of his 3-point shots, it will be hard for the Pistons to keep him off the floor, as they do not have a ton of long-range shooters.