Detroit Pistons: 2022-23 NBA title odds show a glimmer of hope

The Detroit Pistons were one of the worst teams in the NBA this season, winning just 23 games after winning just 20 in each of the two seasons prior.

Hopefully that is about to change, as the Pistons finally have a star to build around in Cade Cunningham, some solid young talent around him, and more on the way in the 2022 NBA Draft.

There were also signs of it in the season, as Detroit went on a streak of over 20 games where they covered the spread, secretly one of the best bets in basketball this season.

Losing close games is still losing, but the Pistons did play much better in the second half of the season and were looking like a young team on the rise.

The sports books noticed, but still don’t think the Pistons are anywhere near being competitive, which is reflected in the early title odds for the 2022-23 season:

The Pistons have climbed out of the cellar and into the Indiana, Sacramento tier (ugh), which is definitely not where they want to be. With the right moves, they can bypass those teams this season and climb a tier or two.

Detroit Pistons: A team on the rise

Ok, so 500-to-1 odds are hardly anything to get excited about, and the Detroit Pistons are far more likely to be in the top-5 of the draft again next season than they are to make the playoffs.

But there are some things to be excited about, especially compared to the other bad teams. Of the nine teams the the bottom, Detroit, Indiana, Sacramento, Houston, OKC, Orlando, Washington, San Antonio and NYK, the Pistons arguably have the best star to build around in Cade Cunningham.

The Knicks don’t have a young star, the Spurs have All-Star Dejounte Murray, who is 25, the Wizards have nada when it comes to high upside young talent, the Pacers have Haliburton, Kings have Fox, the Rockets have Jalen Green, OKC has SGA and Giddey and the Magic have Anthony, Suggs and Wagner, but I’d take Cade over any of those guys.

The Pistons also have more cap space than all of those teams, a big trade asset in Jerami Grant and could be the one most ready to compete if they make the right moves.

Adding Deandre Ayton and the 5th pick could be enough to propel the Detroit Pistons ahead of all of these teams, and while that is hardly a difficult bar to clear, it would show that Detroit is headed in the right direction and may even put them on the cusp of contending for a playoff spot.

The Detroit Pistons obviously aren’t going to win the title next year, but they have separated themselves a bit (NOT THE WORST, NOT THE WORST!) and are showing signs of climbing this list, hopefully becoming the Cleveland Cavaliers of next season, the team that comes from nowhere to compete.