Final Takeaways From Detroit Pistons 2026 Campaign

For a team that was projected to be the fourth best team in the East to the No. 1 seed for the majority of the season, the Pistons had a rollercoaster year. Let's look at the highlights and lowlights.

May 5, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) gets set to take a free throw in the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers during game one of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Before the 2025-26 NBA season even started, the Detroit Pistons were slept on.

The preseason win total projections for Detroit were at 46.5 wins.

The Pistons absolutely crushed this number by finishing the regular season 60-22. Making this just the Pistons third 60+ win season all time, and first in 20 years (2005/06).

However, this is just the start of an otherwise record breaking season.

Cade Cunningham stifled doubters

The preseason doubters extended to Cade Cunningham as well. Not many analysts had Cade as a participant in this season’s MVP race before the season began. However had Cade not punctured a lung, he was likely to finish in the top 3-5 players.

Cade and company also broke a handful of records held by some illustrious Pistons.

Pistons fans will have to wait until Sunday for an official announcement. However, the expectation is that Cade Cunningham will be the first Piston named to the All-NBA first team since Grant Hill after the NBA granted Cade an "extraordinary circumstances" exception to the 65-game rule.

First time All-Star center Jalen Duren will also be up for an All-NBA team. Cade and Duren would be the first Pistons duo to be named to All-NBA teams in the same season since Ben Wallace and Chauncey Billups did it in 2006.

Postseason successes

The playoffs may have come to a disappointing finish for Pistons fans, but it was a historic postseason as well.

This season was the Pistons first as the top seed in the East since 2006/07, giving the Pistons a homecourt advantage many younger fans hadn’t experienced in their lifetimes.

The Pistons first round matchup with the Magic is one of those series that will be remembered as historic and will play at times on NBA TV. This series victory marked the Pistons first advancement into the second round of the playoffs since 2008.

Within the context of the series, this year’s Pistons squad became just the 15th team ever to come back from being down 3-1. It was especially significant for Detroit since it was the second time they achieved such a feat, both against the Magic over 20 years apart.

Even after a disappointing game 7 loss to the Cavaliers, the Pistons were on the precipice of the conference finals and there is much to build on for the seasons to come.

Detroit is well ahead of schedule according to analysts, and with the right offseason moves to aid an MVP talent like Cade Cunningham, a Larry O’Brien trophy could very well be on the near horizon.