Top 100 players list shows 2 major problems for the Pistons

The Pistons have not developed a star 

You might have noticed that other than Cade Cunningham, none of the Pistons’ young core is represented in the top-100, which is a huge problem. 

There is no Jaden Ivey, no Jalen Duren, no Ausar Thompson or Ron Holland. You might say that “they are young, of course they aren’t there yet!” but this list is littered with players from the 2020-2023 drafts. 

Maxey, Barnes, Sengun, Ball, Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Wagner, Bane, Mobley, Miller, Keegan Murray, Kuminga, Jabari Smith Jr. Trey Murphy, Vassell, Herb Jones are just a few of the names from those drafts that made the top-100. 

The Pistons didn’t have a chance to draft most of these guys but that is not the point. Other teams with lower draft picks have developed those players into top-100 guys and the Pistons have not. 

Most of these players went well after the 5th pick in the draft (where the Pistons have been for three straight years) and have shown enough improvement to crack the top-100, while the Pistons’ young core is on the outside looking in. 

I have no doubt Ausar Thompson will be on this list by the beginning of next season (so will his brother) but would you say that about any of the other Pistons players? I wouldn’t bet on Ivey or Duren, and Holland and Klintman are complete unknowns at this point. 

The Pistons have failed to draft stars and they have failed to develop the players they have drafted, and I would include Cade Cunningham, who has yet to show he can lead a competitive team or play even 65 games in a season. 

This is why the Pistons haven’t won a playoff game since 2008, why they’ve been arguably the worst team in professional sports and unless we see big leaps from young players, it’s a trend we can expect to continue.