The tank is finally over. After spending all of last season losing for the number one pick, the Detroit Pistons are finally ready to win some games.
Of course, they are still a very young rebuilding team, so making the playoffs would be a huge surprise, as the Eastern Conference has improved and will be competitive.
Yesterday, we looked at individual goals for each player, but the Detroit Pistons should also have some team goals.
It’s easy to say things like “Win the title!” or even “Make the playoffs!” but those probably aren’t realistic at this stage in the rebuild.
So let’s look at some team goals that are actually possible for next season.
Detroit Pistons: Beat the over/under
Predicting how many games the Detroit Pistons will win isn’t easy, so I’ll rely on the sports books for guidance.
Using the average of several sites, the over/under for Pistons’ wins next season is 25.5 games which seems reasonable.
The Pistons only won 20 games last season, and I don’t think it is unrealistic to think that they can win five more. With the additions of Cade Cunningham and Kelly Olynyk, plus internal development from their second-year players, the Pistons should definitely improve.
In fact, I am hoping that they are closer to 30 wins next season, which would at least put them within shouting distance of the play-in tournament.
When you are looking at the Pistons timeline for contention, the next step is incremental improvement. No one expects a young team to suddenly win 50 games but if they can develop individually and take the next step, I will be happy.
Detroit Pistons: Play meaningful games late in the season
Last season, the Pistons played meaningful games late in the season but they were meaningful for all the wrong reasons, as Detroit was trying to ensure that they stayed at the bottom of the East and maximized their chances at a number one pick.
I don’t expect the Pistons to make the playoffs next season, but it would be nice if they played some meaningful games down the stretch.
This means being within shouting distance of the play-in tournament so that their young guys are getting reps in pressure-filled situations that will serve them well in the future when they are ready to compete for a playoff spot.
You never know what can happen, and if a few teams unexpectedly fall off, the Pistons could get close to the play-in tournament and maybe even make it, who knows.
Even if they don’t, it would be nice for them to be in the conversation late in the season so that their young players stay engaged and help their development with some meaningful minutes.
Detroit Pistons: Figure out the Cade Cunningham/Killian Hayes dynamic
Two of the Pistons youngest and most promising players happen to play the same position, so Detroit is going to have to figure out how it works.
I don’t think having two big point guards who can both make plays and defend is a bad thing, but playmaking and defense aren’t going to be the issues.
The issue is whether Killian Hayes is going to be able to shoot and score enough to be on the floor with Cunningham, as Cade needs space to operate and Hayes doesn’t always create it.
I think the two will start the season in the starting lineup together, but Dwane Casey is going to have to pivot if that doesn’t work out and bring Hayes off the bench if necessary.
This isn’t a bad thing, as there are arguments for bringing Hayes off the bench and the match isn’t a failure just because they aren’t in the starting lineup together.
Either way, the Pistons need to figure it out over the course of next season so that they don’t go into year two with the same question marks at point guard.
Detroit Pistons: Play the kids
I know that Dwane Casey is going to be tempted to lean on his veterans, especially early, as he is trying to win, which is his job.
I thought Casey did a pretty good job of allocating minutes last season, and I think it’s fair to say that just about every young player got better under his tutelage.
I like that he made his young guys earn minutes, and when they did, he rewarded them, like when he moved Saddiq Bey into the starting lineup after a strong start to the season.
But he also fell in love with guys like Mason Plumlee, Wayne Ellington (and to a lesser degree Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose) at times, especially late in the season when the games didn’t really matter.
I hope coach Casey gives the young guys every chance to earn those minutes and does not rely too heavily on players like Cory Joseph and Trey Lyles at the expense of Saben Lee and Isaiah Livers.
If the Detroit Pistons are winning and Casey is trying to make a playoff run, by all means, play the guys who are playing well consistently, but if they aren’t, get the kids in there and let them take their lumps.
Detroit Pistons: Sell the culture to the fans and free agents
Pistons fans have been waiting for a long time to get behind a team that was headed in the right direction, and this season will hopefully be the one where the fans come roaring back.
The team needs to sell the fans on the changes in culture by playing great defense, hustling at all times and providing some highlight-reel plays.
But it’s not just the fans who will be watching, as NBA free agents will also see what is going on in Detroit and if the Pistons are playing fun, competitive games behind their young star, free agents are going to notice.
There are several free agents next offseason who would fit perfectly into what the Pistons are building and Detroit will have the advantage of being one of the only teams with significant cap space.
Detroit has never been a huge free-agent destination, so they need to sell the league on what they are building so that they can hopefully bring in a star free agent who is just entering his prime.
It’s going to be a fun season and I think these are realistic goals that will get the Detroit Pistons one step closer to where they ultimately want to be, which is competing for titles.