Will the Detroit Pistons really be in the running for Victor Wembanyama?
The Detroit Pistons are currently 7-20, which is the 3rd-worst record in the NBA.
If the season were to end now, they would have maximum 14 percent odds for the number one pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and the chance to draft generational prospect Victor Wembanyama.
It’s what all bad teams dream about, as the only real payoff to being at the bottom of the league is the chance to potentially draft a guy who will help turn the franchise around. The Pistons already lucked out once with Cade Cunningham, and if they aren’t going to being competing for a playoff spot, even the minuscule chance to get Wembanyama may be their best hope for a quick turnaround.
A horrible start coupled with the injury to Cunningham increased the chances of the Detroit Pistons ending up in the bottom three, and it seemed like the tank might be on once again, much to the chagrin of those of us who were hoping they were going to be competitive.
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But some things have been coming around of late, and it now looks possible, if not likely, that the Pistons may not be in the running for Wembanyama after all.
Detroit Pistons schedule: The worst is behind us
The Pistons schedule so far this season has been ridiculous and is one of the main reasons they are where they are in the standings. The Pistons have played the most games of any team in the NBA. They are currently tied for the most road games in the league and have played seven back-to-backs in 27 games.
Even without all of the injury problems this was going to be tough, as this is a young team that had a lot of new parts that we knew were going to take some time to gel. The league didn’t afford Detroit that time and instead piled a tough, front loaded schedule onto them.
But most of that is behind us now, and the Detroit Pistons currently have the 29th most-difficult remaining schedule in the league. That can change obviously, as some of these teams will improve and some will regress, but it’s safe to say that the brutal part of the schedule is over and that the Pistons will have a chance to pile up some wins.
Detroit still has three games left against Orlando, two against San Antonio, four against Charlotte and two against Houston, who figure to be teams at or near the bottom of their respective conferences.
And most these teams, unlike Detroit, have fully committed to tanking, as the Magic are 1-9 over their last 10 games, the Spurs have lost 11 in a row, the Hornets have lost three in a row. Only Detroit (4-6) and Houston (5-5) seem to be trying to win games at this point among the league’s worst teams.
Barring more injuries, this schedule could allow the Detroit Pistons to climb out of the cellar and finish the season outside of the bottom three or four. I don’t think anyone believes Detroit is going to make the playoffs, but climbing up a few spots in the standings would significantly reduce their already-small odds for the number one pick.