Detroit Pistons: The positive and pathetic from the first 10 games

The Detroit Pistons are just 2-8 after the first 10 games, which isn’t completely surprising given their roster, age and schedule so far this season.

But it’s not going to get any easier, as Detroit is entering a 20-game stretch of the schedule that could bury them before the season is even half over.

We knew this season was going to be up and down, especially in the beginning, so we can’t fully judge it until the Detroit Pistons get back to full health and we see how their young players respond to this terrible start.

As bad as this start has been, there have been some positives, but there have also been some things that can only be described as pathetic at this point, and if these things aren’t fixed, the Pistons are your frontrunner in the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes.

Before we get to the pathetic, let’s look at the positives.

Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart

Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart are obviously crucial for the future of the Detroit Pistons, and all have shown things we wanted to see.

Cunningham has gotten more aggressive and is evolving into a superstar right before our eyes. His mid-range game is starting to look like Kobe or CP3 and he has really taken this team by the reins, which is something we wanted to see.

Through the first 10 games last season, Cade was averaging 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.6 assists on 41 percent shooting overall and 31 percent from long range. This season through 10 games he is averaging 21.4 points, six rebounds and 6.3 assists on 44 percent shooting overall and the same 31 percent from 3-point range, though on fewer attempts.

The efficiency has ticked up, which is one thing we really needed to see from Cade, as the rest is already there. He just needs to continue to refine his mid-range game, which will be unstoppable once he has more talent around him.

Saddiq Bey has also made a leap in efficiency, improving to 45 percent from the field and 36 percent from 3-point range even though his overall numbers are down. Bey is embracing his role as the 4th scoring option and is having the most efficient shooting run of his career, which is something we really needed to see.

There are still questions about whether the Pistons would be better off moving Bey to the bench, but his uptick in efficiency is promising for his future.

Even though Isaiah Stewart’s shooting numbers are down overall, I think this is going to balance over the course of the season as he gets more comfortable shooting the 3-pointer and has another big man to play with.

His shooting numbers may be down, but Stewart has been good at many other things, and has really become the heart and soul of the team on defense and on the boards. His overall numbers are up to 12.7 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, so once that shooting efficiency ticks up, Stewart could be putting up a solid double double every night. Fans should be excited by what they’ve seen from the 21-year-old, who is rounding into a versatile stretch big man who gives his all every night.

Three of the Detroit Pistons’ core players have made mini-leaps in the first 10 games, and there looks to be plenty more improvement to come.  Couple that with the play of the two rookies, and there is plenty to be excited about when it comes to the future of this team.

But as good as those five and Bojan Bogdanovic have been, it hasn’t been enough to overcome some of the problems that fall into the “pathetic” category.