While the Pistons record last season was not great, they left us with a lot of excitement about what lies ahead. Early on, I found plenty that was fun to watch, and I expect the same for the upcoming season. This team has the Detroit Basketball mentality. Troy Weaver has put together a team full of young competitors led by Jerami Grant.
New Faces
This season, the number one new acquisition is rookie Cade Cunningham. The expectations for this guy are high, and he seems to have the attitude and approach to the game to back it up. While he didn't play in the preseason, there is no reason to expect a slow start. The upsides to his game do not rely on superior athletic ability. He plays at his own pace, which is rare for such a young player. We all expect big things from Cade. Is he next up in a long list of great Detroit guards? Bing, Isiah, Dumars, and Billups? We'll get a pretty good idea this year when he finally takes the court.
The other big acquisition is Kelly Olynyk. Olynyk will provide much-needed 3-point shooting for the Pistons this season. After drafting Cunningham and planning to start him alongside Killian Hayes, the Pistons no longer needed the distribution from Mason Plumlee. What we did need was some outside shooting. Olynyk should provide that.
The Pistons made a few other moves as well. The Pistons signed Trey Lyles to backup Jerami Grant and drafted Isaiah Livers and soon-to-be fan favorite Luka Garza. Additionally, they signed Jamorko Pickett and Chris Smith to two-way deals. Lyles is an upgrade from Sekou Dembouya. While I still believe that Sekou has a greater upside, Lyles provides an immediate maturity for a team that may be returning to relevancy quicker than most think. The other four rookies all have the potential to rotation players down the line. I don't expect any to contribute major minutes immediately barring injuries but never say never. Coach Dwane Casey has a habit of finding minutes for young, developing players.
Predictions: Playoffs or 30 wins.
One of the best reasons to watch the Pistons this season is because the expectations are hard to pin down. Many are expecting another bottom of the east finish, but I'm not so certain. This team believes they can win every game. That attitude will keep them in most games. Last year, there were a lot of games that were lost in the final minutes either through youthful mistakes or intentional subbing by Coach Casey. The latter was when we were trying to move up in the lottery. In hindsight, great decision.
Going forward, I expect to try to win games. If this team stays healthy, there is no reason why they can't jump into the playoff picture. The other side of making the jump counts on the continued development of Stewart, Bey, and others. If guys regress this season, our chances seem less likely. If guys continue to progress at a similar rate (including Killian Hayes) and they stay healthy, the Pistons have a chance to make the playoffs. Even with the injuries, guys like Frank Jackson (who is going to fight tooth and nail to get into the rotation with his shooting) and Rodney McGruder are always ready to step in. They bottom out around 30 wins. Bet the over on all these predictions of 23 wins. These analysts didn't watch them last year. They just looked at the roster and pinned a number. That works to our advantage as well. This Pistons team plays best with a chip on its shoulder.
Players to Watch
Killian Hayes
Hayes' improvement will be the bellwether for the Pistons' success this season. If he can emerge as a good backcourt partner for Cunningham and start to live up to some of the flashes we saw late last season, the Pistons record will improve dramatically. If he reverts to high turnovers and low confidence, we'll struggle. His play this season is more important than any other from his rookie class or any from the new class. I know it's only year two but he needs to take a step in the right direction.
Josh Jackson and Hamidou Diallo
Many say this combination can't work. I don't believe that is true. If they are able to get on the floor with the right point guard, they could be our new favorite off-the-bench combo. While a comparison to Salley and Rodman is setting the bar too high, I think a comparison to Mike James and Lindsey Hunter is not. They can come off the bench, make plays, frustrate the opposing offense, and get out on the run. The only thing stopping them is playing with a ball-dominant, half-court point guard. I would prefer to see them play with Saben Lee, who is more in line with their style of play. Pairing that unit with Olynyk and Lyles should be enough to spread the floor for them.
Saben Lee
I expect Saben Lee to overtake Cory Joseph for the backup point guard spot. He already deserves to be in there because not only is he more in line with the youth movement, but I think he is already a better player than Joseph. Joseph is a ball-dominant point guard without any outstanding abilities on the defensive end. I like him for the role of a veteran presence, but not much else. Lee changes the pace of the game, displays better decision-making, and makes a difference on defense. I'm not hating on Joseph. Saben Lee should be on the floor.