3 Questions the Detroit Pistons must answer immediately

The Detroit Pistons’ offseason has officially begun, and they have plenty of work to do and no time to waste. 

Thus far, there have been no major announcements about the future of the front office, coaching staff or roster, but if moves are going to be made, they should happen soon. 

Tom Gores has questions that must be answered right away as he tries to fix a franchise in disarray. 

Who is running the Detroit Pistons?

The most important question is who will be making the “sweeping changes” Gores has promised. Will he bring Troy Weaver back, and if so, in what role? There has been speculation that Gores plans to hire a president of basketball operations to be a babysitter for Weaver et al. which sounds like a terrible idea. If he does, where does that leave Weaver? As a talent scout? Just some guy with input but no real power? And how will that affect future trades? Coaching hires? What happens if this person identifies Weaver as part of the problem and wants to fire him? Will they have authority to do so?  

The Pistons haven’t had a president of basketball ops since 2018, so maybe it is time, but is this person going to be working against or with Troy Weaver and his crew? This has the potential to make things even messier, so everyone has to be on the same page or you may as well just start over. 

Who is coaching the Detroit Pistons? 

There is an argument for bringing Monty Williams back, as he only had one year with a lousy roster that he had no say in assembling. But there is also an argument that Monty showed enough to think a new voice in the huddle might be needed. If you bring Monty back, will it be with the same staff? Will Weaver or Gores want an assistant or associate head coach to share the duties? A whole new set of assistants? If the Pistons are going in a different direction, that search needs to start now, and if not, they need to find dynamic assistants with backgrounds in player development to help this team get to the next level. 

What franchise-changing roster moves can be made this offseason? 

If you are bringing back this front office and coaching staff, then you’re saying it was the roster that was the problem and I would partly agree with that, though I would also add that the guy who put it together and the guy who coached it didn’t help matters. The Pistons have to identify a realistic impact target for the offseason whether it is in free agency, or a trade and they have to land that person. They must upgrade their bench with competent veteran role players who aren’t just washed stopgaps but players who can compete with and push the starters. The Pistons can’t passively wait around for an unhappy star to fall into their laps, they have to make it happen. If there is a player you like, go get him. If you see a trade that can help the team, make it, even if that means smashing the beloved core four, a term that is beyond a joke at this point. 

We should start getting information about the first two questions immediately, as the Pistons can’t make the necessary roster changes until they know who will be choosing and leading it. Tick tock, Tom Gores, it’s time to do something and you don’t have time to spare.