The Detroit Pistons should be ready to move on immediately from a 2023-24 season we'd all rather forget.
They have more work to do than any other team in the NBA, as they have the league's worst record, many open roster spots and more questions than answers when it comes to the team, from the front office on down.
Detroit will play their season finale today in San Antonio with half the roster on the injured list (a common theme this season) and a guarantee to finish this year in at best a tie for the worst record in the league after already clinching the worst season in franchise history.
The Pistons need to get to work right away and shouldn't waste any time. Here are three announcements we'd like to hear soon after the season is mercifully over.
The Detroit Pistons re-sign Simone Fontecchio
Detroit will have up to five free agents this summer, but most of them should be shown the door.
The lone exception is Simone Fontecchio, who looked like one of Troy Weaver's best moves before injuring his toe and being held out for the final weeks of the season.
Fontecchio is a solid two-way wing who can provide shooting and defense, which is the precise description of the types of players they should target this offseason.
They can't announce Fontecchio's re-signing right away but they can at least make him the qualifying offer which starts the process of his restricted free agency.
Cade Cunningham signs a five-year extension with the Detroit Pistons
This is another announcement that can't come right away, but we should soon start hearing rumblings about the parameters for a max contract extension for Cade Cunningham.
Everyone has to take some amount of blame for this season, including the Pistons' best player, who did make an individual leap but was unable to translate it into more wins.
He's only played 62 games this season (though I do feel he'd be playing now if there were anything at stake), so there are some red flags when it comes to Cade.
But he's also the only star player they have and their only hope to turn this mess around soon. It starts by getting the man some help, as Cunningham has been playing with an ill-matched and just plain bad roster that doesn't do him any favors.
You could see the losing was affecting Cade and he did step up in a leadership role even as the team continued to plummet, often taking the blame onto himself, which is what you want from the guy who is supposed to be the leader of the team.
It will be interesting to see if the Pistons can work some incentives into his next deal or if Cunningham makes any demands of the franchise before agreeing to sign it.
The Detroit Pistons part ways with Monty Williams
I am sure a lot of fans would add "and Troy Weaver" to the end of this statement and I couldn't blame them.
There are no scapegoats when it comes to a 13-win team, as everyone
can be deservedly blamed, including the head coach. It may not be fair to fire Monty Williams after just one season, as he didn't construct the roster and the Pistons did have a ton of injuries this season.
But he also didn't get the most out of the roster or do a good job developing players or finding them consistent roles.
I have no idea if Tom Gores is willing to eat Williams' remaining contract or admit that he made a mistake, but something has to change this offseason and finding a new coach would be much easier than revamping the entire front office.
And if that were going to happen, wouldn't Troy Weaver have been fired by now? Why allow him to make trade deadline moves if you were just going to fire him anyway? I could be wrong, but my gut tells me Monty's seat is hotter than Troy's right now and that if one of them is going to go, it will be coach Williams.
Of course, Gores could just save his money and run it back with the same group, hoping for a different result, but it's hard to see a coach regaining his players after a season like this and someone will have to be held accountable. It may not be fair, but that person is usually the coach.