The mark for success won’t be completely judged by wins and losses this season for the Detroit Pistons.
They are a very young team, and young teams usually struggle in the NBA, so I don’t think anyone reasonably expects them to win 50 games this season or to make the playoffs.
What we want to see is growth from the young players and competitive basketball, with the Pistons taking the next logical step towards being a regular contender.
I think we can expect this from guys like Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren this season, as all have flashed their future selves at times and the future looks bright.
I also think we can expect similar contributions from Bojan Bogdanovic, Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel, as all three have been reliable veterans, particularly Bogdanovic, whose addition could help unlock the Pistons’ offense.
So the difference between being a 20-win doormat again this season or being a competitive team that sniffs the play-in at some point may come down to three wildcards.
Detroit Pistons: 3 wildcards that could determine the season’s success
Isaiah Livers
For the Pistons to really start clicking, they will need a lot more shooting and perimeter defense than they had last season and Livers should be able to provide both.
The question is whether he can be that sixth man “glue guy” who plays big minutes and is a part of the team’s most effective lineups.
We know Livers can shoot and is a good team defender, but he has to be able to stay healthy all season and play a lot for Detroit, as they lack a true wing stopper and are desperate for more shooting.
If Livers evolves into that guy, it will be a big boost to the Detroit Pistons on both ends and could be worth a few extra wins and much-more competitive losses.
Marvin Bagley III
There has never been any doubt that MBIII had talent, as he has the athleticism and skill on the offensive end to be a force as we saw a few times last season.
But can he do it consistently? MBIII has struggled with injuries throughout his career and will miss the start of the 2022-23 season. For the Pistons to reach their potential this season and really make a leap as a team, they need someone who can score from the inside, as they really don’t have a big who is much of a scoring threat.
They need him to be that threat off the bench and to do it night after night. Will MBIII finally start to reach his immense potential or will this be another up and down season where he dominates, then disappears or gets hurt?
Killian Hayes
Killian Hayes is showing signs of improvement on offense, and if that happens, he could be a force off the Detroit Pistons’ bench and a difference maker in the season.
He’ll likely be playing a lot of minutes with the other two guys above, so can he help unlock MBIII as a lob threat and play an effective two-man game? Can he run some pick-and-pop on the perimeter with Livers and find him in rhythm for 3-point shots?
Hayes will be the key to the bench, as we already know he can pass, but improvement as a scorer would help open that up even more and get his teammates more good looks.
Most fans would be happy with an entertaining, fun and competitive season even if it doesn’t end in the playoffs for the Detroit Pistons, but for them to get there, they need more than just the starters to step up.