The Detroit Pistons are about to hire their 16th head coach in the last 30 seasons. The franchise hasn’t had the best of luck getting coaches to stick around. Whoever earns the right to sit in the first chair will be burdened with the daunting task of competing every night after four years of losing.
A first time coach could be the answer, growing with the group as they learn to win will build trust in each other. Being a young candidate could also provide stability, if they see themselves in Detroit for the foreseeable future.
Whoever the predecessor to Dwane Casey may be, he should follow in his footsteps. Dwane should be recognized as the longest tenured head coach since Chuck Daly, not by wins and losses. Continuing what he started will help this young team as they try to transition from tanking to winning.
Getting this team to the next level is what’s expected, and the ideal scenario would be a play-in possibility next season. There’s several areas that the team needs to improve in, yet there’s still a pathway to success. A new coaching staff focused on these three categories will quickly change things in Motown.
Detroit Pistons: The next coach must improve the defense
One of the most telling stats on that end of the floor is defensive efficiency as a team. Last season the Pistons ranked 27th in the league with a 1.149 rating. Defensive efficiency has a direct link to wins and losses. Teams amongst the top 10 in this defensive statistic are all play-in teams or better this year, while the bottom 10 has only two teams (Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings) that are playing in the postseason.
Other areas of concern defensively are opponents field goal percentage. This season the Pistons allowed the second highest in the NBA. The 53.3 percent shooting from the field was only behind the San Antonio Spurs who allowed a staggering 53.7 percent. This helped the Pistons’ atrocious 118.4 points allowed, which ranked 27th out of 30 teams. Fix the percentage issue, the points allowed will be impacted as well. Just getting towards the middle of the pack will greatly increase the win total from this season.
The Pistons have always connected defense to winning, so fixing this team’s defensive woes will be a necessity. Strong defense will translate into easy baskets, rewarding the young core in transition will make them buy in to a new coach’s philosophy. The coaching staff will have its handful with this young team, if they get them to be a cohesive unit defensively that’s a huge step towards success.