The Detroit Pistons only won 23 games last season, so it might seem odd to say that they are on the verge of owning the Eastern Conference.
It’s been a while since the Pistons had any type of sustained success and Troy Weaver just spent the last two years completely transforming the roster.
With Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey now in place, the Pistons have two potential stars to build around to go with Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren, who is currently the youngest player in the NBA.
It’s not going to happen right away, but the Pistons are 2-3 years away from potentially owning the East, a sentiment shared by Kevin Durant, who said the Pistons were going to soon be a “force to be reckoned with,” and JJ Redick who recently said that Detroit was going to be one of the “best teams in the East” soon.
The offseason is a time for bold predictions, but there are some very solid reasons why the Pistons will be a force in the East in the next two or three years.
The Detroit Pistons roster and payroll
Getting a star to build around is the key to roster building in the NBA, and the Pistons have two promising guys in Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey.
In the case of Cunningham, he’s the perfect player to build around, as he has the versatility to fit with just about any roster, can play on or off the ball and can defend several positions.
Bey, Stewart, Duren and Isaiah Livers all look like at least solid role players, and in the case of Bey, a potential future All-Star if he can shoot more consistently.
That is a very good start, and when you factor in that the Pistons have one of the best payroll situations in the NBA, they could have a powerful homegrown roster that is supplemented by free agency or a trade for another star.
They are in a great position roster-wise to have sustained success, as they have the right mix of young stars and role players all coming up at the same time with no bad contracts on the cap sheet and plenty of future money to spend.