The Detroit Pistons were expected to continue their restoration and look to compete in the Eastern Conference soon, but it’s becoming very clear that they still have a long way to go. Jerami Grant may not be capable of being the leader on a playoff team, and Cade Cunningham, while not a bust at all, is facing some growing pains in his first few games.
Sitting at the bottom of the league with no clear way back to relevance gives the Pistons the perfect opportunity to experiment and test the waters moving forward. There are three extreme moves the Detroit Pistons could make, and doing only one or two of them could make big changes to the direction of the franchise.
Detroit Pistons: Start Luka Garza and Isaiah Stewart
Throw two centers in the starting lineup. I know, one has been struggling with shooting and the other is a potential defensive liability, but in a smart offensive and defensive scheme, both could complement each other very well.
The Pistons as a team are shooting well under 30 percent from deep, which is far and away the worst number in the entire league. In terms of raw percentage, Garza is the third-best shooter on the roster so adding him to the daily lineup could immediately boost the Piston’s production from long range.
Garza has only played in a handful of games, but at Iowa, over four seasons he was an excellent long-range threat and showed willingness and confidence to shoot from deep. Pairing him with Stewart in the starting five would allow for both of them to take shots well within their comfort zone, and their difference in playstyle would ensure that they stay out of each other’s way.
Stewart’s ability to defend all over the floor would provide cover for any tough defensive matchups for Garza and Garza’s shooting will help open things up for Stewart on the interior.
The Detroit Pistons aren’t winning anyway, so now is a great time to experiment with different groups and roles for the bigs of the future.