Pistons can't let minor successes foil their offseason plans

The Detroit Pistons have won 3-of-4 games, which has sadly been the high point of the last few seasons.

They've won four of their last eight while playing the kind of basketball we hoped we'd see at the beginning of the season, not at the end after their fate was well decided.

But let's not get too excited. All of those wins came against shorthanded, bad teams, so we shouldn't be hanging banners over beating Chicago, Brooklyn, Charlotte or Toronto who are all likely to miss the playoffs and were without key players. The Mavericks blew the Pistons out in the loss sandwiched between those wins and their sloppy, 21 turnover performance against Toronto wouldn't have beaten a good team. But a win is a win and it's nice to get them however they come.

The Pistons especially can't let this fool's gold affect their offseason plans, as a few minor successes shouldn't blind them to the fact that this team needs talent.

Whether they do it via free agency or trade, the Pistons need to add players that will move the needle and can't try to sell fans on hope and internal development again as they did last offseason.

The big splash for the Detroit Pistons

That doesn't mean the Pistons have to mortgage their future for a star player, but they also can't look at their current roster and think a few late-season wins over bad teams undoes the fact that they are 12-53 with the second-worst record in the NBA.

They have cap space and trade assets and this roster, no matter how many games they win down the stretch, needs to be upgraded. That hasn't changed and it won't change this season.

James Wiseman and Simone Fontecchio can't be it

Simone Fontecchio has been great for the Pistons and looks like one of Troy Weaver's better moves, so I'll give credit where it's due.

That also extends to James Wiseman, who has been playing much better of late, making an impact setting screens, rolling to the rim, protecting it and grabbing rebounds without trying to force things or do too much.

On the right deals, I'd take both of these players back next season, but if the Pistons try to sell re-signing these two as their big offseason moves, we may be right back here again next year, as it's not enough.

The Pistons must upgrade the forward position. They need a veteran backup center and point guard. Those things haven't changed.

While we can expect some internal development and improvement, it won't be enough to put the Detroit Pistons in playoff contention next season, which is where they need to be in what will be the 5th year of their rebuild.

So as much as I am enjoying this streak (I'll enjoy it more if they beat a good team), I am somewhat concerned that Troy Weaver is going to use it as an excuse to do nothing this summer except re-sign his own guys to contracts that are larger than their production warrants.