The Detroit Pistons replaced several of their role players from last season, leading to some new looks for next season. The young core remains intact and the Pistons have signed new veterans to fill in the gaps of the roster around them. One new advantage for the team as a whole is tremendous size at nearly every position, which can unlock versatile lineups and level up the defense.
The Pistons are huge everywhere you look
Of the Pistons’ likely top nine rotation players (starters plus Isaiah Stewart, Caris LeVert, Duncan Robinson and Ron Holland off the bench), the shortest is Jaden Ivey at 6-foot-4. The rest of the main Pistons rotation is all 6-foot-6 and above, with many playing larger than their listed height due to long wingspans and toughness.
The defensive advantages of such a large lineup cannot be overstated. With this defensive rotation, the Pistons don’t have any weak spots that an opposing team can bully with larger players. Many of the players are capable of defending multiple positions and holding their own in the post or in isolation.
Having length and size at every position will also help the team cover for any individual defender who might be overmatched. For example, the Pistons lack power forward depth outside of Tobias Harris, but with their large lineups, they can send help to assist a smaller player in covering that position.
Cade Cunningham’s large frame at point guard is what really enables the size advantage on defense. His help defense and rebounding at that position is extremely rare across the league, and gives his teammates more freedom to take defensive risks. But he’s not the only Piston with unique defensive capabilities at his position.
Ausar Thompson’s defensive disruption across the entire court really elevates the Pistons’ team defense to the elite level. He can be great as lockdown point-of-attack defender guarding primary options, or blowing up plays in passing lanes and on the weakside. At 6-foot-6 and with absolutely outlier athleticism, Thompson is capable of guarding both the quickest point guards and disrupting centers at the rim.
The Pistons’ size advantage helps them be a force on the glass. Last season, the Pistons were fifth in the league in rebound percentage. The extra possessions secured by elite rebounding were key for a team that turned the ball over fairly often. Having multiple players capable of helping rebound efforts on both ends should only improve this number more next season.
As always, success for the Pistons comes from dominating the paint and glass on both ends of the court. This team is built on toughness and size, which they have in spades at every position. We can expect to see some very large lineups out of the Pistons next season, whether it is the starters or bench units.