Troy Weaver’s previous stop leaves clue how much winning Pistons will do
When Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver met with the media after the NBA Draft, he was extremely happy with their haul, but also cautionary about how successful the team will be this year.
Weaver referenced his experience in Oklahoma City, where he was an assistant GM, about correlating hitting on draft picks and instant success.
“We (drafted) well in OKC and won 23 games,” he said.
You can not do much better drafting than the Thunder from 2007-09.
First, they took Kevin Durant and followed that the next year with Russell Westbrook, two locks to be in the Hall of Fame. They also had a young Jeff Green, who was pretty good in his prime. So, with Durant, Green and Westbrook (not the older, yucky, Lakers version), how did the Thunder do?
Awful. They went 23-59 (coincidentally the exact same record the Pistons had this year). Coach P.J. Carlesimo was fired after a 1-12 start.
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They was no injury bug, all three started at least 74 games. They just were not a very good team.
Durant, in his second season, was prime Durant, averaging 25 points a game. Westbrook was not the triple-double machine he would become. He averaged a solid 15.3 points but just 5.3 assists and 4.9 rebounds, pretty good numbers, but nothing like he would post in the future.
Green was a standout that season, the forward averaging 16.5 points.
Yet, it did not work, at all.
Why? Probably because they were all so young. Green was 22-years-old while Durant and Westbrook each just 20.
Pistons fans can only hope Jaden Ivey turns into (a better shooting) Westbrook and Cade Cunningham into another Durant.
When can Detroit Pistons expect to turn things on around?
The Thunder’s losing did not last long.
The next season, 2009-10, Oklahoma City won an amazing 27 more games than the previous year, finishing with a 50-32 record. In the first round of the playoffs, they gave Kobe Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers a tremendous battle before losing in six games.
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Durant, Green and Westbrook were still the main cogs of the team, but they were now a year older and ready for the grind of the NBA.
Oh, they also had a rookie named James Harden. However, he averaged just 9.9 points, just a nice role player. Wonder if he ever developed into anything, he never started in Oklahoma City.
The following year, the Thunder made the Western finals, falling to the Dirk Nowitzki-led Dallas Mavericks. The Thunder then lost to LeBron James’ Miami Heat super team in the NBA finals in 2012.
Detroit would love that success with their young core. Heck the Pistons have not won a playoff game since 2008. Most fans would do back flips if they just made the Play-in tournament.
Do Cunningham, Ivey and Bey match up well as players with Durant, Green and Westbrook? Weaver would love it if they could play at that level.
If they do, Detroit’s fortune should turn around quickly. Maybe not this year, but soon, based on Weaver’s past experience.
The NBA rule that forces Detroit Pistons to spend money on players. dark. Next
Obviously, there are different circumstances to every team. Weaver has stated many times he wants veterans to help, maybe learning from the 2008-09 Thunder’s disastrous season. But what the Thunder went through with young stars in the past, could be a clue on how the Pistons will do in the future.