Trajan Langdon sets timeline some Pistons fans are not going to like

The reason the Detroit Pistons fired Troy Weaver is that the team hadn’t made any progress in the win column in four years. 

In fact, they got worse. 

That shouldn’t be the case next season, as the Pistons have added useful veterans in Tim Hardaway Jr., Tobias Harris and Malik Beasley, as well as bringing back Simone Fontecchio, a guy who shot over 43 percent from long range last season for Detroit. 

The best part is that unlike in the past, the Pistons didn’t completely sell out to get these guys, actually acquired assets in the process and still have more cap space left to make additional moves. 

These signings all have four things in common: They are veterans who have been on winning teams. They have mostly been injury free in their careers and played a lot of games. They can all shoot. And they are all on short-term deals. 

Trajan Langdon has a timeline in mind, and even though it is one some fans may not like, he has a plan and it's a smart one. 

The Detroit Pistons’ timeline has been set 

Hardaway Jr. is on an expiring deal. Tobias Harris is signed for two seasons, same as Simone Fontecchio. Beasley signed a one-year deal. 

These short-term contracts align perfectly with the Pistons' young players. Both Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren are under team control for at least two more seasons, so these contracts coincide with their deals. 

If both improve, they will be in line for extensions just as these other contracts are coming off the books. 

By that time, the evaluation period will be over, the Pistons will know what they have in their young core, which guys they want to keep and which ones to either trade or let leave. 

They will also have financial flexibility with Harris, THJ, Beasley and Fontecchio all potentially coming off their cap sheet.

If Detroit improves sooner, then they have the perfect sized contracts to trade to try and land a star. 

Unlike Troy Weaver, Langdon clearly has a plan in mind, which is to improve in the short-term with complementary veterans on short deals, then strike with cap space and more developed young talent in a year or possibly two. 

The Pistons have already improved more this offseason than they did during the entire Weaver era and it wouldn’t surprise me if they doubled their win total next season or more (a low bar to clear). 

Most importantly, he hasn’t done anything stupid or reckless that could harm Detroit in the future.  

Thinking about the “future” and years down the road may not appeal to fans who are sick of losing (I am one of them), but given what Langdon had to work with, this is the smartest plan, one that could have the Pistons back in contention soon without sacrificing long-term flexibility or any of their young talent.