The Cavaliers gave the Detroit Pistons the blueprint, but can they follow it?
At this time I am writing this, your Detroit Pistons are not the worst team in the NBA. Should we raise a banner?
That dubious monicker briefly belongs to the Washington Wizards, though with the Pistons playing the 2nd-seed Cleveland Cavaliers tonight, it will likely be short-lived.
The Cavaliers are one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, but it wasn't always that way. Just three seasons ago, they were at the bottom with the Pistons, but have since won more games every season and are a contender, where Detroit dreams of being.
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So how can the Pistons get there? Easy, just follow the Cavaliers.
The Detroit Pistons need stability and improvement at head coach
The Cavaliers hired J.B. Bickerstaff as their head coach before the 2020-21 season and he went 22-50 that year, not the start he was looking for.
He has since won 44 and 51 games and is on his way to another 50-win season this year.
The Pistons' hire of Monty Williams has not gone as well, as the team is worse this year and is likely to end the season with the worst record in franchise history.
Monty doesn't deserve ALL of the blame (a lot of it, but not all) just as Bickerstaff can't take all of the credit for his team's ascension. Rosters obviously matter more than coaches and Cleveland has built a good one while Troy Weaver was hatching brilliant plans to trade for Marvin Bagley III and Joe Harris.
The Pistons need a coach who can evolve and grow with the roster, make adjustments, figure out a rotation of players that complement each other and work through the challenges it presents.
Bickerstaff has done that, as his roster has plenty of challenging elements. Williams has some of the same obstacles, but will he be able to overcome them?
It starts with building a team ethos.