The Detroit Pistons only won 23 games last season, but excitement around the team is high after adding Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren to the core of Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart.
The Pistons are getting some love from the national media, and many think they are on the verge of finally climbing out of the cellar and contending in the Eastern Conference again.
But it’s not going to be easy, as there are some strong teams at the top of the East, and most of the teams at the bottom got better this offseason too.
So how high can the Detroit Pistons climb in the Eastern Conference?
Detroit Pistons: The contenders of the Eastern Conference
There are four teams in the East that are almost certain to be in the mix for top seeds next season unless they suffer major injuries:
- Boston Celtics: Made it to the Finals last season and will be looking to get back behind superstar Jayson Tatum. The addition of Malcolm Brogdon will help.
- Philadelphia 76ers: As long as MVP-candidate Joel Embiid is healthy, the 76ers will be contenders, especially if James Harden actually tries.
- Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo would make any team a contender, but can they stay healthy enough around him? Either way, they’ll be near the top as long as Giannis is there and in his prime.
- Miami Heat: Could the Heat drop off next season? Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry aren’t going to last forever, but they might still have a big move up their sleeve.
The Wildcards of the East
There are two teams that could make a jump in the standings, but it’s hard to say how their offseasons will affect their place in the standings:
- Brooklyn Nets: Will they trade Kevin Durant? If not, they will be hunting a top seed, but if they do, the Nets could drop into the cellar and have to rebuild.
- Atlanta Hawks: Will the addition of Dejounte Murray be enough to push them up in the standings? I do question how well he will fit with Trae Young and there could be some growing pains, but the Hawks should be in the mix for a playoff spot.
Detroit Pistons: The next tier
I think the Detroit Pistons could make the leap into the next tier of teams. These teams range from the waning veteran squad trying to stay healthy to the next generation of young contenders in the NBA.
Any of these teams could be in the mix for a lower playoff spot and will be competing for the play-in with the Detroit Pistons:
- Chicago Bulls: The Bulls are a big question mark, as they were one of the best teams in the East before suffering a load of injuries. Can Lonzo Ball stay healthy? (No) Can DeMar DeRozan put together another All-NBA season? Is LaVine 100 percent? A lot of questions and they didn’t really add much (other than Andre Drummond) to make me think they’ll be better, it will all just come down to health.
- Toronto Raptors: The Raptors are another middling team that could go either way next season, as they haven’t made any big offseason moves so far and will be relying mostly on internal improvement.
- Cleveland Cavaliers: I see the Cavs as a potential regression team next season, as they haven’t really added much this offseason and got big years from a lot of their guys. Can Jarrett Allen stay healthy? Does Darius Garland have another level? Is Kevin Love washed?
- Charlotte Hornets: After the nightmare offseason they’ve had, it’s possible they are going to take a big step back next season. They added more draft picks but are losing Miles Bridges and weren’t really that good last season anyway.
- New York Knicks: It’s hard to see Jalen Brunson making that big a difference in New York, as the Knicks were really mediocre last season. They may have another big move up their sleeves for Donovan Mitchell and if that happens, they are playoff contenders, but if it doesn’t, I see them on the fringe again.
- Indiana Pacers: The Pacers tried to make the big move for Deandre Ayton, but the Suns eventually matched their offer. They should still be frisky though, as they have a nice young core and the backcourt of Haliburton and Mathurin should be dynamic.
Detroit Pistons: The bottom tier of the Eastern Conference
Hopefully the Detroit Pistons can finish ahead of these two teams and join the previous group as a contender for the play-in:
- Orlando Magic: The Magic have a great young core of guys but it will really come down to how much Paolo Banchero adds to their talented group of guards. Is he the next superstar of the league or the next Aaron Gordon? Time will tell, but it’s hard to see Orlando making a big leap this season even after adding the number one pick.
- Washington Wizards: Johnny Davis and Bradley Beal make for an interesting backcourt and the Wizards have some amount of talent around them, but if Beal goes down they could be the worst team in the league. If he doesn’t, who knows, they could contend fo the play-in, but the margins are razor thin in Washington.
I think the Detroit Pistons will be one of the teams in that bulky middle tier that is sniffing the play-in next season. They are very young, but their rookie additions, along with veterans Nerlens Noel and Alex Burks, could be enough to push them up in the standings, especially if Cade Cunningham makes a big leap, which I think is going to happen.
Depending on the rest of the offseason, I could see the Pistons leaping over the Wizards, Hornets and potentially even the Cavaliers and Bulls next season.
If they can at least linger around the 10-seed fans will be happy, as it will show a young team that is headed in the right direction, but it’s not going to be easy, as even the bad teams in the East are getting better, so Detroit has their work cut out for them if they want to final bust out of the cellar.