Would I say I am disappointed in the play of the Detroit Pistons so far this season as we head into the second half of the season after the All-Star break? Yes. Would I say that I expected anything different? No. Anyone who knows me knows that it kills me to say this, but this team is not good at all. There is a reason that they have the second least number of wins in the entire NBA, least amount in the Eastern Conference at 10. To say “Oh, we’re rebuilding so 10-26 is an acceptable record” is a common thing you will hear amongst Piston fans, and that might be okay, but we have also been hearing that since 2009. Since then, we have finished better that 4th (out of 5) in the division just twice, and in those two years, they have led to two first round sweeps. Eventually, you just need to accept that things may never change…
But..
We all know I will NEVER accept that. Despite the record, I have seen a lot that I like from this team so far. I was confident and liked the offseason signings that Troy Weaver made for this team, but to say I have been surprised would be an understatement.
First things first, Jerami Grant got snubbed out of the All-Star game, and you cannot change my mind. I am not surprised by it at all, because well, the league hates Detroit, but he was overly deserving. He should also win Most Improved Player at the end of the year, but probably wont either. Since coming over from Denver, he has doubled his scoring, (12 to 24 ppg) tripled assists, (1 to 3 apg) and improved his rebounding (3 to 5 rpg). He has put this team on his back and despite the struggles in the win column, he shows up night in and night out.
Another surprise this season has been Josh Jackson. If you remember this preseason game number one thoughts that I had, I absolutely bashed Jackson. I take all of that back, as 36 games later, he is the Pistons second leading scorer- 13.5 ppg. Does he still shoot more than I think and take some bad shots, sure, but someone has to score outside of Jerami.
This offseason, Troy Weaver attempted to make the Detroit Pistons the biggest team in the NBA. Signing Mason Plumlee, Jahlil Okafor, and drafting Isaiah Stewart gave the Pistons at least a presence down low. It is too bad Jahlil got hurt, because I thought he was playing pretty good basketball, but the other two have picked up his slack like it was nothing. Mason is averaging almost a double-double (10/9), and the more Stew plays, the more we see the rebound machine he really is. I was a bit skeptical, like everyone else, but I am pleasantly surprised. The Pistons still need to improve in this area if they want to be successful, but for a team like this, they fit perfectly. We’ll see if signing the two guys for multi-year contracts will help or hurt.
The big prize for the Pistons was this year’s 7th overall draft pick, Killian Hayes. Well, after a disappointing seven games, Killian was unfortunate injured. Inconsistent shooting and turnovers were an upsetting thing to watch for a preseason Rookie of the Year candidate, but the other three rookies have been really impressive. I already talked about Stewart, and Saben Lee is just starting to get serious minutes over the last seven games. He is averaging 12.5 over that span and we are all hoping we found a gem in the second round as he can really score. I talked about how second rounders are really a crapshoot and he is seeming to be more than that. The real rookie star for this Pistons team, however, has been Saddiq Bey. I loved Luke Kennard, but Saddiq has stepped in his spot and filled it, and then some. Bey is a consistent scorer, who scored in double figures in every game but two in the month of February (14 games). He is going to be a really good part of this team for years to come. He currently holds the sixth best odds to win the prestigious first year award.
Maybe the best news of the season so far has been being able to get rid of Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin. Before anyone says anything, I will defend these two harder than anyone for their time, effort, and play that they had in Detroit, but unfortunately, it was time. I really hope that they have success in their new places, but for the Pistons rebuild it was necessary. It is believed that Blake may make his Nets debut against the Pistons, and I am not so confident that we will pull that one out against one of the NBA’s best that just got better.
Once this season is complete, I fully expect the Pistons will find themselves somewhere in the lottery, probably around 6 or 7, just because that is how it goes. Cade Cunningham is going number one, so when we don’t get his talents, I would really like Jalen Suggs or Evan Mobley to be the choice if they get a higher choice. If they find themselves in the slot Piston fans have come accustomed to, there are so many options. I’ll dive into all of this once they are officially eliminated from the playoffs and the season is over. Until then…
Roll Stones
ZT
Tuori Sports Report 