The Detroit Pistons will have one of the youngest teams in the NBA next season, so it would be a surprise if they had anyone make the All-Star team.
But last season saw five first-time All-Stars in Ja Morant, Jarrett Allen, Darius Garland, Dejounte Murray and Fred VanVleet, who all made a big leap as players and were on teams that all at least made the play-in tournament.
It’s not out of the realm of possibility that one of the young Detroit Pistons could make a similar leap and that the team could have enough success to get them into the conversation.
Some are long shots, some are guys who could make it if everything goes perfectly and some have a real chance.
Detroit Pistons: Possible All-Stars next season
The extreme long-shots
These three guys would make you a load of money if you were to bet on them to make the All-Star team next season.
Marvin Bagley III
MBIII found new life with the Pistons last season, averaging 14.6 points and 6.8 rebounds mostly as a reserve. For him to have any chance of being an All-Star, he would have to be the starter at power forward right away and average closer to 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. I think He’d also have to pick up his defense and average over a block per game. He won’t be on anyone’s radar, so the Pistons would have to actually be good for him to get any attention. I’d say all of these things are extreme long shots.
Isaiah Stewart
Stewart didn’t average double digits in either points or rebounds last season, so he’d have to make a gigantic leap, double his scoring average, bump his rebounds up to 10-12 per game, and be noticeably great on defense. He’d probably have to start shooting more 3-point shots, making them at a high rate, and getting attention for it on a Pistons team that was at least sniffing the playoffs. I could see Beef Stew potentially getting there defensively, but hard to see him scoring enough points to really get noticed for an All-Star team.
Alec Burks
So you’re saying a 31-year-old journeyman is a long shot to make the All-Star team? I do think Burks could surprise some people next season, as he is in a good situation to thrive and has played the best basketball of his career over the last three seasons. He’d probably have to lead the Pistons in scoring off the bench and be a legit 6th Man candidate to have any chance at all of making the All-Star team and even then it would be a long shot.