It’s easy to forget that just two short seasons ago, the Detroit Pistons won 14 games, had a 28-game losing streak, and were the worst team in the NBA.
A new front office brought hope and immediate results, a playoff berth, and followed it up with a 60-win season that had fans hoping their franchise was on the verge of another banner to hang in the rafters.
Even after losing in the second round, it was all positivity heading into an offseason that fans were hoping would add the final piece of a championship core that was in place for the foreseeable future.
So, what happened?
The Pistons have blown up the chemistry lab
This really all started last season when Malik Beasley got pinched for gambling and was unable to re-sign with the Pistons, which was not only a blow to their shooting but also to their chemistry, as he was one of the leaders in the locker room. Not their fault, but it did hurt.
They also let Tim Hardaway Jr. walk, another rock-solid veteran role player who they certainly could have used in last year’s playoffs.
This summer, it was Tobias Harris and Isaiah Stewart who were shown the door, and the latter move, for obvious reasons, is one the Pistons may already regret.
All of these moves can be defended individually and in a vacuum, but it’s hard to defend losing that many guys who strong parts of the team’s identity, especially when the team just won 60 games and looked to be on the verge of real contention.
Of course, there is a chance these moves will all work out, and I do like the additions the Pistons have made in John Collins, Isaiah Joe and Taurean Prince, who are also solid veterans who can fill some of the void left behind.
But Cade Cunningham must be looking around and wondering what happened to all of his friends, the ones he just climbed out of the trenches with. And the problem has only gotten worse.
The Jalen Duren situation has put a black cloud over the season
The only way this Duren mess gets fixed is if he signs a deal before training camp and then has an amazing season capped off by a strong run in the playoffs. Anything short of that, and it will be a disaster for the Pistons.
I’ve outlined Detroit's options many times and they are getting worse by the day.
Even if this does somehow get resolved before camp, there will be some residual dark cloud over the team, as the Duren situation is all anyone has been talking about.
As a fan, I won’t hold Duren’s holdout against him, but he’s going to have a Michigan sized spotlight on him next season either way and not all fans will be as forgiving.
The good vibes the Pistons have spent two years building have all but been obliterated, and the only way out is to win, in which case, things will quickly shift back.
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