With the Detroit Pistons’ recent surge in the Eastern Conference standings, it stands to wonder whether the team is on an upward path similar to what the Detroit Lions experienced at the end of the 2022 NFL season.
Let’s take a quick look at that period in Lions history. They finished 3-13-1 in head coach Dan Campbell’s first year in 2021 but had momentum at the end of the season. That’s when the Lions also began to display the talent from some of their young players with the emergence of rookie right tackle Penei Sewell and wide receiver Amon-Ra-St Brown.
In 2022, the Lions started 1-6 but barely missed the playoffs with their late-season run to finish 9-8. That included a season-ending victory at Green Bay, preventing the Packers from qualifying for the NFL playoffs in quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ last game playing for Green Bay.
Any comparisons should be taken with a grain of salt given the disparities in the sports themselves, the fact that the NBA regular season includes roughly five times more games. However, Detroit fans can dare to dream.
Similarities between the Pistons and 2022 Detroit Lions
Young, developing talent on the roster
Cade Cunningham is becoming the NBA star many envisioned and other young players like Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, Ausar Thomspon and Ron Holland appear to be forming a talented young core. This mirrors the Lions’ young core that formed over the last few years, including Sewell, St. brown, running back Jahmir Gibbs, defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, safety Brian Branch and more.
Long-term contracts/salary cap considerations
The Pistons signed Cunningham to a 5-year, $224 million contract before this season and will have to determine which other players will be signed as members of the future core. The Lions have signed multiple young starts to long-term contracts as well. Both the Pistons and Lions will have to make some difficult decisions in the coming years as it is unlikely they will be able to afford everyone they want to keep.
Yet to be determined
Coaching prowess
It’s too early to determine if JB Bickerstaff can mirror what Lions head coach Dan Campbell has done, but the early results are encouraging. Unlike Campbell, Bickerstaff had been an NBA head coach, with 545 regular season games under his belt with three teams before joining Detroit. But the fit may be ideal in both situations.
GM impact
Pistons President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon appears to have done well preparing for this season having drafted Holland and signing Malik Beasley to be a scorer last June. Time will tell if his talent evaluation skills are as on point as Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager Brad Holmes, who has worked his magic to help Detroit build one of the NFL’s most talented rosters.
It's not something you would have said many times in the past, but let's hope the Pistons are on the same trajectory as the Lions.