5 Questions the Pistons need to answer before the trade deadline

#4: Can JB Bickerstaff get Jalen Duren there defensively? 

Coach Bickerstaff is already singing a familiar tune, promising to fix the defense, which Pistons fans have heard before. 

Bickerstaff does have an impressive defensive record and got the most out of his bigs in Cleveland. But Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley came into the league as good defenders and Jalen Duren did not, so he’ll be more of a project for Bickerstaff. 

For the Pistons to reach their potential with this core, Duren has to be better defensively and be closer to an anchor in the middle. He can rebound and catch lobs, but a lot of bigs can do that, so if he’s going to be worth an extension that defense has to improve. 

This will be Duren’s third coach in as many seasons, which isn’t ideal for a young big struggling to learn a defensive system, but it will be on Bickerstaff to get him there. 

This may be the single biggest factor when it comes to whether this core is a long-term fit or not. Duren has shown he is definitely a rotation center in the NBA, but is he more?