The Detroit Pistons will head into the offseason with a lot of work to do.
They are currently the NBA’s worst team and have a mismatched roster that is heavy on centers and light on wings.
Troy Weaver has talked a lot this season about the plan to pivot towards winning (easier said than done) and we’ve seen with teams like Cleveland and OKC that quick turnarounds can happen in the NBA, which is as wide open as it has been in some time.
But Weaver also has to be careful not to overreach this offseason, which is why the dream summer can’t really happen without some luck. But if a few things bounce their way, the Detroit Pistons could be in the mix as soon as next season.
It’s a long shot, but here’s how it can happen.
The dream offseason for the Detroit Pistons
Land the #1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft
It all starts with the 2023 NBA Draft, which should dictate how the Pistons approach the rest of the offseason. Land Victor Wembanyama, and your time to get better is now, as he is a franchise-changing talent that would put Detroit in the position to be good with the addition of the right complementary players.
If the Pistons don’t get the #1 pick, then they should probably choose a different offseason strategy, as there are better players potentially available in 2024. Spending all of their cap space on impact free agents would be smart if they already have Wembanyama, but otherwise, it might be a year too early to go “all-in.”
Yes, it’s possible the Detroit Pistons will make a leap if they land a pick in the 2-5 range, but Wembanyama speeds things up considerably and would give Detroit the chance at a young super team with Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren already on board.
So the dream has happened, the Pistons have bucked the 86 percent chance that they don’t get the #1 pick and the Motor City is rejoicing. Now it’s time to make some moves.