Detroit Pistons Land Favorable Grade for Roster-Building Efforts

How did the Detroit Pistons do this offseason?

Mar 5, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Duncan Robinson (55) defends Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) during the first half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports | Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports

At this point in time, the bar for the Detroit Pistons is low. After winning just 17 games two seasons ago, the Monty Williams era started off with a shocking regression as the Pistons followed-up with a 14-win season.

That called for major changes in management from the front office down to the coaching staff. The keys to the player personnel department were handed over to Trajan Langdon. Monty Williams was replaced by former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff.

The Pistons didn’t make any major roster changes. In fact, they doubled down on Cade Cunningham’s future by inking the former No. 1 overall pick to a max extension.

With Cunningham remaining the cornerstone player for the franchise, the Pistons looked to build a roster better catered to the potential future All-Star.

How did they do so far? According to Bleacher Report, the Pistons have graded out with a “B” for their roster-building efforts this summer.

“This offseason was more about Cade's max extension and the incoming veterans who should hopefully make his life as the lead playmaker easier. Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. all have playoff experience and can space the floor. Add the recently re-signed Simone Fontecchio to that core, and it should be easy for the Pistons to keep Cunningham surrounded by shooting. If that's the case, his assist numbers could go up. More importantly, if defenses are more worried about collapsing on Cunningham's drives or isolations, his own efficiency could begin to rise as well.”

Although the Pistons entered the offseason with enough cap space to sign a star or two, the team didn’t attempt to expedite the rebuild turnaround by throwing major deals at veterans.

Instead, the team offered short-term contracts to helpful veterans such as Tobias Harris and Malik Beasley. While the Pistons cut the cord with the trade deadline acquisition Quentin Grimes, they swapped him out for the better fit in Tim Hardaway Jr.

Still, with the key veteran additions, the Pistons prioritized building a better future with multiple draft picks. In the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft, Detroit selected Ron Holland after his run with the NBA G League Ignite. In the second round, Detroit traded up to select Bobi Klintman, who had a run at Wake Forest.

At the end of the day, it all has to come together on the court for the Pistons. By no means are they entering playoff-contender status after a productive offseason, but their effort on paper has landed them some praise after a disappointing season in 2023-2024. They hope the new leadership, along with a tweaked roster, can make a difference.

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