Coming into the season, it was a safe bet that the Detroit Pistons would improve upon their 17 wins from last season.
They brought back the bulk of their roster, including a healthy Cade Cunningham, had a top-5 draft pick and $30 million to spend. But Cade hasn't been enough on his own and the Pistons have gotten next to nothing from Joe Harris and Monte Morris. Ausar Thompson has been one of the bright spots, but Monty Williams currently has him buried on the bench, playing 20 minutes or fewer in the last four games.
Add in injuries to Bojan Bogdanovic, Isaiah Livers, Monte Morris and Jalen Duren and you have a team now riding a 19-game losing streak. What started as a season that many thought could see 30+ wins has devolved into one in which 17 wins might be out of reach.
The Pistons are currently on pace to have the worst season in NBA history and this is before the annual trade deadline fire sale that could see them deal players like Bogdanovic and Alec Burks.
Detroit still has time to turn it around, and who knows, maybe at one point they will gel. Cade Cunningham has been steady of late and is due for some breakout performances. Maybe Jaden Ivey will get hot, Burks and Livers will find their shots and Marcus Sasser will return to his early-season form. Maybe the Pistons will get off this streak, get some momentum and stack some wins.
But with injuries mounting and no clear win in sight, we could be looking at the worst season in team history at least.
Detroit Pistons' projected win total
The worst record in team history is held by the 1979-80 Pistons who went 16-66 and the current Pistons are on pace for half as many wins with 59 games to go.
Bleacher Report predicted the Pistons would go 14-68 in their updated win-loss predictions which is bleak and would set a new low for the franchise.
Currently, Fanduel has the Pistons' win total for the season at 19.5 and you'd have to be a gambler to take the over.
It's going to take a big turnaround for the Pistons to even fall somewhere in that range, so we are looking at another season with fewer than 20 wins. If Detroit wins fewer games this season, Troy Weaver's job would be at risk, as his fingerprints are all over the problems with this roster. With the assets and cap space he had last summer, there is no way the Pistons should be worse.
With half their roster opening up this offseason, you have to wonder if Weaver will be the one doing the rebuilding this time.