The Detroit Pistons' answer to solving their clearly defined ball-handling and second-star problems was acquiring John Collins. The massive six-team trade helped Detroit add some depth and draft capital, but Trajan Langdon has ignored their biggest problems for the second straight transaction cycle.
The Pistons were the top seed in the East before a disappointing second-round playoff exit. Cade Cunningham was forced to do it all as Jalen Duren struggled. Detroit lost Tobias Harris this offseason and already had a scoring and playmaking void. They added Collins, Isaiah Joe, Taurean Prince, and Gary Harris, but none of those players are stars or creators. The pressure is firmly on to be a serious title contender, and another playoff failure will turn up the heat on Langdon’s seat.
Detroit keeps nailing moves on the margins, but that is not enough. Cade is a superstar and a true alpha on a title team. The Pistons must put the right pieces around him, and Langdon continues to fail in that regard.
Trajan Langdon better hope the offseason moves make Pistons a title contender
Detroit drafted Ebuka Okorie with the 17th overall pick, but they can’t rely on a rookie point guard to be a difference-maker in their title chance. Prince and Gary Harris are not handling the ball or making plays. Even Collins needs someone to feed him the ball. Detroit is buying back in on winning with a heliocentric offense built around Cade.
That just failed in the playoffs. Detroit narrowly escaped a seven-game series against the Orlando Magic in round one before losing to the Cavaliers in the second round. The Knicks swept Cleveland in the conference finals.
The Eastern Conference got better this offseason, and the Pistons didn’t address their biggest needs. It is difficult to see them breaking through and winning a title. Cunningham can’t do it all, and the Pistons need to sort out the future with Jalen Duren before the relationship gets any worse.
Langdon keeps betting on the Cunningham, Duren, and Thompson core without realizing those pieces don’t fit. There is not enough shooting, shot creation, or offensive punch to win four playoff series. With Duren and Ausar looking for new contracts, the Pistons had the ideal opportunity to shake things up. Instead, the answer was adding more shooting and taking away from the defense with Collins, Prince, and Harris.
It is time to start questioning Langdon. He helped the Pistons exit their painful rebuild and make the playoffs, but the goal is winning a championship. Langdon failed to address their needs at the deadline. His move was acquiring Kevin Huerter, which didn’t move the needle. Now, he repeated the same mistake this summer.
The Detroit Pistons need a co-star for Cade Cunningham and more shot creation. Without it, they will be doomed to make early playoff exits every year. The seat will quickly get hot for Trajan Langdon if he fails to address the franchise’s clear needs. Expect the same result until Detroit finds a number two. The question is quickly becoming whether Langdon is the man to find it. Sadly, it looks like he might not be.
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