Arenas, fighting and coaches: Pistons in the anonymous player's poll

This 2023-24 season wasn’t just the worst in team history for the Detroit Pistons, it was also one of the weirdest, with one twist after another. 

Some of that strangeness was reflected in a recent poll of NBA players in The Athletic (subscription), where they asked questions about everything from MVP to which player is the most underrated.  

The Pistons, as you would expect, didn’t pop up in any of the positive categories, as there wasn’t much positive about this season, but they were represented in categories that are a reflection of how things are going. 

The arena you least like to play in 

The Detroit Pistons did win one category when players were asked which arena they least liked to play in. Little Caesar’s Arena came in first with 16.2 percent of the vote. This is a shame, as the Pistons have great fans, but they’ve been given painfully little to cheer about over the last decade, which has led to some empty seats. 

The Pistons certainly haven’t enjoyed the crowds (or success) they had in the Palace of Auburn Hills since moving downtown, but as soon as the Pistons are competitive again, this will change, as Detroit has championship-level fans. 

Coach you’d least like to play for 

Monty Williams came third with 6.5 percent of the vote when players were asked which coach they’d least like to play for. He came in 10th when asked which coach you’d most like to play for with three percent of the vote, so it seems like it’s all or nothing when it comes to how players view Monty. 

Monty Williams is also a polarizing figure among fans of the Pistons, as many think he should be fired, while others believe he needs more time with a better roster. Is Monty really the “players coach” he’s been billed as?  These results say otherwise.

Player you’d least like to fight 

Our own Isaiah Stewart came in third when asked which player you’d least like to fight, likely after showing repeatedly that he’s willing to, a rare quality among NBA players who mostly just like to talk. 

Stewart’s reputation wasn’t helped by his arrest for assault earlier this season, except in this poll, where he was the only Pistons player even mentioned. Certified badass and kickboxer James Johnson won by a wide margin, followed by Steven Adams.

So, according to this poll, the Pistons have a bad arena, bad coach and at least one bad man on the roster, but other than that, there’s not much to say, which sounds about right.