Detroit Pistons: Now comes the hard part for Troy Weaver

You might have heard, but the Detroit Pistons are not getting Victor Wembanyama.

Not only that, but they dropped all the way to 5th, a devastating worst-case scenario for fans that just suffered through a 17-win season.

But it’s call the lottery for a reason, mostly because the odds are stacked against you, and most of the time you are going to walk away with a busted ticket.

Fans can get mad about the system or call it “rigged” (ridiculous), but it’s the same system that handed the Pistons Cade Cunningham, so you have to take the good luck with the bad.

And the Detroit Pistons have had their share of both. They will now have top-5 picks in three straight drafts, including getting the #1 overall, which should be enough to lay a foundation of talent to build around.

Troy Weaver has done a good job (mostly) of tearing down the roster and getting some high-end talent to build around, but now comes the hard part.

Detroit Pistons: The pressure is now on Troy Weaver to build a winner

With Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and the 5th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons still have one of the best young cores in the NBA, even after missing out on Victor Wembanyama.

But Weaver has talked a big game about being “great” next season, and if that’s the hope, he has a lot of work to do. Fans accepted the last four years of losing because we realized that it is the best way to rebuild a team that desperately needed an overhaul.

We endured for the hope of what we have, young talent to reboot the franchise. In that time, Weaver hasn’t been under any pressure to win, or even to build a coherent roster, as he’s taken risks on weird trades and busts with upside.

He’s been in asset collection mode and hasn’t put together a roster that makes any sense.

Now he’ll be under pressure to do just that, which means nailing the draft and free agency, putting the right kinds of players around Cade and not overpaying the wrong guys.

No more Marvin Bagley’s, Josh Jackson’s, Kevin Knox’s, RJ Hampton’s, Weaver needs to find proven players who are ready to contribute to winning, not dangle more hope in the form of shiny new toys like James Wiseman.

The Detroit Pistons don’t have to be a title contender next season, but they have to be an actual team with parts that make sense, which at least competes in the Eastern Conference. We’ve been sold hope long enough, now it’s time for some results.