‘Do nothing’ for Detroit Pistons is not a bad strategy

When you have the worst record in the NBA, one would think the Detroit Pistons would be scrambling for a way to reverse the tide, and start winning games. Certainly not sit around and twiddle their thumbs. But the best strategy might be to just sit on their hands and do nothing.

When last year’s 20-52 record looks an unachievable dream, you know the Pistons have some work to do. But, the smart move for long-term success might be, to do nothing .

Simply, have general manager Troy Weaver twiddle his thumbs in his office, and look at tape of potential draftees.

On the surface, that seems crazy. Detroit needs help everywhere, except where Cade Cunningham plays. They are short, slow, can not shoot, are turnover prone and have no idea where to rotate on defense. Outside of that, they’re pretty good.

The first reaction would to hold a fire sale. Anyone who does not have the initials CC should be traded for whatever Detroit can get, Bring in a whole new batch of players, can’t do any worse.

Do nothing to roster

However, once you think about, letting this roster basically ride out the season might be the best move (or non-move) the team can make.

The roster was selected by Weaver to include veterans who would helpful to the young players. Good locker rooms guys who will show them the proper way to conduct themselves on how to be an NBA player (except for the playing well part).

The Pistons are not a team with cliques or divisions or any kind of infighting. When they fall apart and blow a big lead, they do it together.

With two of its top players in Jerami Grant and Kelly Olynyk out with injuries, Detroit is struggling even more than expected. When they return, the Pistons should be competitive enough to win some games.

When the season is over, Detroit can pretty much get rid of a lot of them.

According to Spotrac, the only players with a guaranteed deal for 2022-23 are: Grant, Olynyk, Cunningham, Killian Hayes, Isaiah Stewart, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Livers and Saben Lee (Cory Joseph has a player option). Those players the Pistons probably want to keep anyhow.

So roll out who you have, start working the G-League and benchwarmers in near the end of the season, and see what happens in the NBA Draft Lottery.

Do nothing with Jerami Grant

Weaver knew more than the rest of the NBA when in came to Jerami Grant’s potential. Known as a defensive speclialist, Grant inked a three-year, $60 million deal last year that now looks like an absolute steal.

Grant is averaging 20 points a game and still gives the team great on-ball defense. Out until at least late January with torn ligaments in his thumb, the Pistons feel his loss, particularly on the defensive end.

Grant is the Alpha Dog on the team. He has an Olympic gold medal and the one player all on the team look up to.  Many of the young players remember his time with the Denver Nuggets, when he did a great job shutting down LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the 2020 Western Conference finals.

For his part, Grant has never publicly expressed any desire to leave Detroit. Before he officially signed, Denver offered to match the Pistons contract offer but grant went with Detroit, knowing it would not have as good a team as the one he left.

Loyalty should count for something. The Pistons, one would hope, will become a contender for the playoffs next year and shoot for even more in the coming years.

The Pistons will need players like Grant when they start making a move up the standings. So why not just keep him, unless the Pistons get some crazy offer that knocks their socks off.

So the Detroit Pistons really should do absolutely nothing?

Well, we don’t mean Weaver should go on a three-month cruise and come back for the lottery.

With everyone except Hamidou Diallo now eligible to be traded. If someone wants to give up an asset for a player whose not guaranteed to be back anyhow, Detroit can pull the trigger.

Unlike their tanking brethren Oklahoma City, Houston and Orlando, the Pistons do not have a lot of extra draft choices. They actually owe OKC a first-rounder sometime in the near future, as part of the trade that resulted in Saddiq Bey.

And with another top five (at least) draft pick coming, the Detroit scouts need to be looking at all the best players in college and the young players eligible in Europe multiple times, with Weaver and the personnel department pouring over the reports. Lots of Gonzaga watching for center Chet Holmgren.

The Detroit Pistons have a lot of things they need to deal with, and showing patience might be the best solution.