The Detroit Pistons reportedly signed GM Troy Weaver to a contract extension last summer, something that was a secret for some reason until yesterday when the news leaked.
Sources: The Pistons have signed general manager Troy Weaver to a contract extension. Since Weaver’s arrival in 2020, Detroit has accumulated strong young talent in Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart and Saddiq Bey, along with the trade of Bojan Bogdanovic.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 21, 2022
The exact length and details of the extension were not released, which is a tad odd, as I am not sure what the big secret is.
Troy Weaver, who is the 20th GM the Detroit Pistons have had, is the first one since Joe Dumars to get an extension, but the question is whether he really deserved it. This is something I saw fans debating yesterday, which was surprising, as Weaver is generally regarded favorably by the fanbase.
Personally, I think it is a great thing, but I do think you could play Devil’s Advocate and ask if this extension was really necessary at this point.
Should the Detroit Pistons have extended Troy Weaver?
YES!
Weaver took over arguably the worst roster situation in the NBA in 2020 and promised to “restore” the Detroit Pistons to their former glory, but we knew it was going to take time.
In two years, he has completely gutted that awful roster, transforming the team from a bloated, middle of the road, non-contender to one with a lot of promising young talent.
He has acquired a franchise cornerstone in Cade Cunningham, and more high-end talent in Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren. Isaiah Stewart looks like a starter and both Killian Hayes and Saddiq Bey (pending) should at least be solid role players in the NBA for years to come.
He traded very little to get Bojan Bogdanovic, but still has roster and cap flexibility to add more talent this offseason. Sure, the team is not competing at the level we’d like, but without Cunningham, it’s hard to really judge the progress they are making.
Weaver has this team on track to add another top-5 draft pick this summer, and that, along with an impact free agent or trade, could have them in the playoff hunt next season if everything goes to plan.
Considering where this team was when he took over, it’s been quite a turnaround and there is plenty to be excited about for the future. Extending Weaver now gives the Detroit Pistons the stability they have lacked in the front office and a chance to actually build something sustainable and meaningful.
NO!
Ah yes, the future.
The thing about the future, is that some point it has to become the present and so far that hasn’t happened. Tearing down a team is the easy part. Selecting a consensus #1 pick is the easy part. Getting good young players in the draft when you are the worst team in the league is the easy part.
The hard part is building it back up and the Pistons are still the worst team it the league. Not only that, but the team is lifeless, fans seem to be tapping out, and the only thing we have to look forward to is the slight chance of adding a French teenager in the draft.
Dwane Casey is suddenly looking like the wrong choice to lead this group and the Pistons are still a LONG way from being competitive even after adding impact veterans in the offseason. Detroit can’t count on free agency to save them, and are staring down the barrel of another “rebuilding” year next season.
Weaver still had a year left on his deal, so the Detroit Pistons could have waited it out to see if this team really does turn the corner next season.
This may sound like a straight shot of negativity, but these are all fairly compelling arguments that I heard made yesterday.
In the end, I think Troy Weaver has done more than enough to earn the trust of fans and the franchise and that he deserves a chance to see it through. He’s gotten the Detroit Pistons to the cusp, but the next few seasons will really define his time as a GM.
Can he build this team back up after tearing it down or will we be going through this again in a few seasons with someone new? I trust that Troy Weaver can get the job done, but the clock is officially ticking.