2025 Detroit Pistons Preseason Preview

Last year the Detroit Pistons finished with a record of 14-68. They could not seem to figure it out - but not for lack of trying different things. 31 different players player minutes for Detroit last year (Memphis had 33).

(AP Photo/Benjamin Fanjoy)

Detroit should win more games this year, and have chosen to surround 4th year point guard Cade Cunningham with some new faces that should allow Detroit to develop in a meaningful way. New comers Tobias Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr., Malik Beasley and Paul Reed bring winning experience to a team lacking exactly that.

By bringing in a slate of new vets, Detroit is signaling to Cade, who signed a rookie max extension this off season, that they’re going to work to surround him with a roster that can compete on a nightly basis. It is likely that with this roster, Cunningham will win the most games he has in his short NBA career. It also helps stop the bleeding until some of the promising young prospects on the Pistons roster have a chance to develop.

This situation shouldn’t be unfamiliar to new head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who coached his first full season in Cleveland during the 2020-21 season. That year Cleveland finished 22-50 and that roster had a 4th year Jarrett Allen and second year Darius Garland.

From a roster construction point of view Detroit is in an ideal space. Even when Cunningham’s extension kicks in next year they have a sizable amount of space under the cap. They could use this to acquire assets through trade facilitation as they bided their time a bit longer, or find that costar they’re been looking for if the right opportunity presents itself.