3 Detroit Pistons that could shock the world next season
The Detroit Pistons were the worst team in the NBA last season, so it wasn’t surprising when their 2023-24 schedule didn’t contain many nationally televised games.
You also won’t see too many Pistons on offseason lists or hear many people predict they will be anything but bad again next season, which is what comes from years of futility in the win column.
Related Story. Month-by-month predictions for the Pistons next season. light
The Detroit Pistons will have to earn that respect, and the only way to do it is by winning. After winning only 17 games last season, Detroit is certainly in a position to shock some people next season.
Casual fans outside of Detroit don’t talk about the Pistons much, but these three guys have a chance to change that.
3 Detroit Pistons that could shock the world next season
Monty Williams
The Pistons’ biggest offseason addition may be head coach Monty Williams, who will take over for Dwane Casey, who was mercifully moved to the front office.
Unlike Casey, Williams will be tasked with winning games instead of just player development, so we’ll see tighter rotations, players pulled after mistakes and no guarantees of minutes.
We’ll also (hopefully) see a more exciting and fluid offense in the half court and an improvement on the defensive end.
Williams has a history of turning teams around right away. He added nine wins to the Pelicans’ total in his first season as head coach in New Orleans, winning 46 games with a rag-tag roster led by a young, dynamic point guard named Chris Paul. He’s hoping to have similar success with another young point guard in Cade Cunningham.
But Williams’ time in Phoenix may be even more relevant, as the Suns, like the Pistons, were the NBA’s worst team when he took over, winning just 19 games the season prior. He got them all the way up to 34 wins in his first season after the Suns shocked everyone by going 8-0 in the Disney bubble.
People are sleeping on what his addition can mean for the Detroit Pistons, and you will see some surprised faces if his young roster is in the mix for the play-in next season.