Detroit Pistons: “Jump on the bandwagon now.”

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Detroit Pistons are just a day away from preseason basketball and according to coach Dwane Casey, the time to get on board is now.

Casey spoke to the crowd before the Pistons’ open practice, laying out some expectations for the season and some of the things the team hopes to achieve.

I don’t think anyone expects the Pistons to win a title this season, and many people doubt that they can even make the play-in, but don’t tell that to coach Casey, who has much higher expectations for his young team heading into the 2022-23 season than he did last year.

Detroit Pistons: Expectations are higher this season

Troy Weaver has completely transformed the Pistons’ roster over the last two years, getting rid of all of the dead weight and starting a rebuild around Cade Cunningham.

But the rebuild honeymoon won’t last forever, which is why Dwane Casey knows this team needs to show some results on the court this season and not just say wait until next year in perpetuity.

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Casey mentioned that the Pistons improved last year, and want to do it again, saying that he expects them to be a “top defensive team in the league” in 2022-23, which would be a big leap.

The Pistons were just 22nd in defensive efficiency and opponents’ points per game last season, but there are some signs of an elite defense lurking.

Detroit was 14th in blocks per game and 9th in steals, so they have a foundation to work with, especially with the additions of Jalen Duren, Nerlens Noel and Jaden Ivey, who should help those blocks and steals’ totals.

Casey urged the crowd to “jump on the bandwagon now,” something I doubt he had to say to a bunch of fans that just showed up to watch a practice, as they are already on board.

Coach Casey is not the only one who thinks the Detroit Pistons are on the verge of being one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, as they have the young stars to build around and are starting to generate some national buzz.

When you see how much cap space they have for 2023, the Pistons could be the next bad team that makes the leap, so get on board now, as the days of being at the bottom of the standings are nearly over.

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