Is there something happening here that the rest of us are missing? Right now, Detroit Pistons fans are watching their team begin the offseason without much urgency to speak of. After making the playoffs for the first time in six seasons, the Pistons seemed to have a lot of momentum, but they don't appear to be doing much with it so far.
Duncan Robinson is Detroit's lone addition to this point in the summer. He's of course a fantastic shooter, and there's a reason he was a significant weapon for the Miami Heat for two separate runs to the NBA Finals. But ultimately, Robinson does not address Detroit's core issues. The Pistons are in need of another high-level shot-creator, and they really need to take advantage of the Eastern Conference being weakened while they can.
Instead, Detroit's front office has been mostly quiet, and it's a curious development when you take into consideration the circumstances. The Boston Celtics are clearly going in a different direction next season with Jayson Tatum set to miss most or all of the 2025-26 campaign. The Indiana Pacers will be injured as well, and the Philadelphia 76ers are certainly never a safe bet when you want to talk injury concerns. The East is looking as wide open as it's ever been.
The Pistons seem to be sitting idle
And yet, the Pistons seem to be playing it safe so far. Detroit has every reason to believe it can build something sustainable. But with Cunningham, Duren, Ivey, and Ausar Thompson all growing together, there is also pressure to accelerate the timeline. Making the playoffs was a huge first step, but failing to capitalize on it could bring everything back to square one.
The front office’s inactivity so far has felt less like patience and more like hesitation. Robinson was a solid pickup in a vacuum. But was that truly the best they could do? Were there no opportunities to add size, defensive versatility, or another lead guard to help carry the load next to Cunningham? Is the Beasley situation truly make-or-break?
For the first time in years, Detroit’s path to relevance is no longer theoretical, it's actually real. But that makes this offseason even more important. The Pistons no longer need to prove they belong, they need to prove they can evolve.
So far, the front office has not done enough to reflect that urgency. If they are not careful, they might let the window close before it ever really opens.