The Detroit Pistons came out of nowhere to land the 6th seed this season, but the good vibes around the team won’t last forever.
Success brings expectations, so next year will be the first time Cade Cunningham and co. will be expected not only to make the playoffs, but to improve upon this year’s success, which will put a different kind of pressure on the players and the front office.
The Pistons are not likely to make a huge splash this offseason and they don’t need to, but they also can’t just expect everything to go right again, to rely on internal growth only to improve.
Fresh blood is always good, and the Pistons should try to make upgrades around the fringes. Players like Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Caris LeVert or PJ Washington (would take a trade) represent realistic upgrades that would still fit into their budget and not disrupt the core.
As fun as this season was, the Pistons do have weaknesses and can’t just count on being back in the playoffs next season, especially in a wild Eastern Conference where power is shifting and some of the teams below them are poised to make big leaps in the standings.
The Eastern Conference is in flux and the Pistons can either slide or thrive in the chaos
The NBA wanted parity, and they got it this season, especially in the East, where the 4th seed just rolled to the NBA Finals while both the 60+ win teams got bounced in the second round.
Boston may be looking at a slide after the devastating Tatum injury and the Bucks have big question marks around Giannis Antetokounmpo, so the power is somewhat shifting in the East.
But there are teams ready to fill the void. Philadelphia could be right back in contention with good health, especially after lucking out in the Draft Lottery.
The Raptors are reportedly looking to make a big move and never stay bad for long, same with the Miami Heat.
The Orlando Magic had poor injury luck this season and still only finished three games behind the Pistons. They have a clear need for offense and shooting but could easily be a top four team next season with the right offseason moves and better health.
Then you have the wildcard teams like the Hornets and Nets, who could come out of nowhere and be the Pistons of next season.
The point is that the Pistons can’t count on a repeat or improvement simply by running it back. That certainly doesn’t mean they have to trade for a star player, but they do need more quality depth, shooting and size off the bench.
If they can upgrade without making disruptive changes, the Pistons can hopefully make that leap into the top four behind continuity and improvement from their own guys, but they can’t just count on it in the East, which is set up for the Pistons to thrive or slide depending on their offseason.