Detroit Pistons Team Needs Going Into Biggest Offseason of the Decade

Around this time last year, Pistons President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon was entering his second offseason with a young Detroit squad coming off of a season of massive improvement.

Langdon had a few choices. He could've swung for fences and tried trading away some of his young assets for a proven star to pair with rising superstar Cade Cunningham. He could've made a swing for Zach LaVine like the Sacramento Kings did at the trade deadline in 2025, or they could've aggressively pursued superstars like Kevin Durant, Desmond Bane, or Michael Porter Jr. Instead, Langdon stayed put.

Langdon was transparent with the media and made it clear they weren't going to chase stars in the offseason just yet. Instead, he watched the young pieces he had faith in develop into a group of energetic thoroughbreds ready to conquer the basketball world through grit and toughness. The result of staying put was 60 regular season wins and a second round exit from the postseason. The time for this Pistons team to level up is right now. Below are the kinds of players Detroit should be targeting this offseason.

May 17, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris (12) is defended by Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley (4) in the second half during game seven of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Stretch Big

The Pistons offense struggled in the postseason for a few reasons. One of them is how dependent they are Cade Cunningham, especially in clutch time. Another reason is how one-dimensional they are on that side of the ball. The Pistons led the league in points in the paint last season, which created a dominant and fierce identity during the regular season. In the postseason, it became stagnant and predictable.

As great of a pick-and-roll partner Jalen Duren was this season, he can only score in so many ways right now. His arsenal is limited and has so much room to grow. Duren is similar to Bam Adebayo in that Duren is an athletic monster of a man who plays strong defense under the rim while holding his own as a perimeter defender against bigger wings as well. However, his presence and styles of play clogs up the paint when the Pistons need spacing the most.

82 outta 82 pic.twitter.com/2DijT5IkMM
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) June 1, 2026

Cade Cunningham needs more space to operate. Cunningham needs a reliable big man who is comfortable hovering around the three-point line, chasing his own rebounds, and being prepared to catch and shoot if Cunningham somehow didn't beat his matchup or if most of the defense collapsed onto him. Creativity and shot creation on the ball for a stretch big is a positive, but not entirely what Detroit needs. It's an addition that would open up so much for the Pistons and how they can dominate other teams.

Catch-and-shoot three-point shooters

The Pistons don't need more isolation scorers like Caris LeVert, Tobias Harris, and even Cunningham himself. They need perimeter players who are going to be exactly where they need to be exactly when they're needed. While he received just 46 minutes in five total postseason appearances this year, Kevin Huerter was expected to provide just what they needed: secondary ball handling and jump shooting beyond the arc.

Year three ✅ pic.twitter.com/reL7tMb3Iz
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) June 2, 2026

Detroit's offense needs versatility. They need to be able to score creatively. They have to find more open shots and easier ways to score, rather than grinding their way to the rim so often. Duncan Robinson can't shoot all the threes. The Pistons postseason potential rises exponentially with more streaky weapons of mass destruction surrounding Cunningham's gravitational pull.

Backup Point Guard

Daniss Jenkins had such an amazing breakout season. Jenkins exploded onto the scene early in the regular season after hitting a game-winning overtime jump shot against the Washington Wizards. He proceeded to average 20.2 points over that stretch of five games. Jenkins earned his playing time and everything he achieved this season.

Jenkins has the potential to play the role C.J. McCollum did for Jalen Johnson and the Atlanta Hawks. He's an intelligent passer, but he should not be the lead commander of the bench unit. Jenkins earned a starting shooting guard position right next to Cade Cunningham this season.

The young backcourt can grow and build chemistry together for many seasons to come if they solidify those roles early this next season. With Ausar Thompson at the small forward spot, it'll be the front court that needs adjusting.

Another veteran guard should be tasked with running the second unit or handling lead guard duties anytime Cunningham is off the court. A seasoned court general would be so beneficial to both Cunningham and Jenkins' long-term success.

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