The first thing fans wondered when Trajan Langdon took over as president of the Detroit Pistons was which young players he was going to trade away.
So far, the answer is none, as Langdon chose to augment his young core with veterans who can shoot and stay healthy instead of a huge roster shake up.
He’ll use the first half of next season to evaluate what he has and go from there, as this a new regime and Langdon doesn’t seem to feel pressure to immediately build a winner just to placate justifiably impatient fans.
We should know a lot more by next season’s trade deadline, and by that time, certain questions will need to be answered or at least well on their way to being answered.
#1: Is Cade Cunningham the man or not?
The Detroit Pistons just gave Cade Cunningham a max contract extension, so they are desperately hoping the answer to this is yes, but if we are being honest, the jury is still out.
I don’t think there is any doubt that Cunningham is a good player, but can he carry a winning team, or at least a decent team? No one expects the Pistons to win 50 games next season, but with a better cast around him, it’s time for Cunningham to show he can contribute to winning basketball, as he hasn’t thus far.
What does that look like?
The Pistons need to win more games next season, push closer to 30 total victories, which still isn’t great but would be a move in the right direction.
Cade needs to be more efficient, step up his defense and show he can do more than just put up empty stats on a bad team.
He has a better roster around him, it’s still not great, so I don’t expect miracles here, but if the Pistons post another season of around 20 wins with a healthy Cade Cunningham, we have to start asking questions.
This will be his 4th season and great players find ways to win games and uplift mediocre rosters, which is what he needs to do next season. But this isn't all on Cade.
#2: Is Jaden Ivey a long-term fit?
Tick tock.
That’s the sound of the countdown to Jaden Ivey’s rookie extension, which he’ll be eligible for next summer.
The Pistons are in a tough spot, as they need to see Ivey perform with a better roster and coaching, but also can’t wait too long, as his trade value will plummet if he doesn’t make a leap this season.
Detroit is balancing trying to win games with trying to develop young players and evaluate their long-term fit together, which is not an easy act.
So, what does this look like?
It means Ivey in the starting lineup, being far more efficient on offense and improved on defense. It means JB Bickerstaff can’t keep him off the floor in favor of veterans on expiring deals.
If we get to the trade deadline and Ivey is coming off the bench or playing an insignificant role, the Pistons will have to move him before they have another Saddiq Bey or Killian Hayes on their hands in terms of trade value (Ivey is already better than both of those guys as a player).
#3: What role will Isaiah Stewart play on this team?
The Pistons foolishly tried to make Isaiah Stewart a power forward last season with mixed results.
Stewart did shoot the ball well, but he can’t do much else with the ball so isn’t a guy defenses are going to care much about when he is playing the four.
Stewart’s skills are far more advantageous if he is playing center, as his defensive versatility gives them options and his shooting is far more important if he is dragging a big away from the rim.
It’s likely Stewart plays both spots and that is fine, but Detroit has better options at power forward now, as Harris, Thompson and Fontecchio can all play there.
Stewart needs to be more a Naz Reid-lite this season, embrace playing center again and give the Pistons the chance to create mismatches and put better offensive teams with improved spacing on the floor.
#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?
#5: Will the Pistons trade expiring contracts at the deadline or go for it?
Veterans Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. are both on one-year deals that expire after next season.
Given that they are both veterans with known skill sets who can still play, they could be coveted pieces for contenders at the deadline that want to add more shooting.
This puts the Pistons in a great position to possibly grab some future draft assets or young players.
However, what if Detroit is playing well? What if they are on the fringes of the play-in? Would they still trade these players if they are contributing to winning and there is some excitement around the team?
Detroit also has to factor in their 2025 draft pick, which is protected in the top 13 vs. what their young guys would gain by playing in competitive games late in the season.
To me, if the Pistons are anywhere near the play-in, they have to go for it, which may mean trading just one of these guys instead of both, or in the case things are going REALLY well, just riding out the season and seeing what happens.
The young guys need a taste of winning and that should be more important than draft position or grabbing a second-round pick or two.