The Detroit Pistons built last season’s 60-win run on defense, and that foundation carried them to the top of the Eastern Conference and second-best in the NBA overall. But that edge looks a little less secure now.
The East has gotten better, and Detroit has tweaked its roster in search of more balance. That means the Pistons no longer have the same clean runway to the conference’s best defensive label. There’s a new team pushing into that conversation, and it’s taking a page straight from Detroit’s playbook.
The Atlanta Hawks are clearly trying to follow the same blueprint. Yesterday’s trade for Lu Dort gave them another All-Defensive perimeter piece, and that comes on top of All-Defensive steal machine Dyson Daniels and last year’s Most Improved Player Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Add Onyeka Okongwu’s versatility at the rim, and Atlanta suddenly looks built to switch, cover ground, and make life miserable for opponents trying to hunt mismatches.
That’s a big jump from where the Hawks were a year ago. They finished 13th in defensive rating last season, right in the middle of the pack, but Dort’s arrival could be enough to launch them into the top five.
So the real question is simple: has Detroit done enough to stay on top in the East?
One piece of the puzzle is the swap of Tobias Harris for John Collins. Defensively, that looks close to a wash.
Harris had an easier time handling bigger fours, while Collins brings more versatility and has been the better shot blocker over the course of his career. Still, it’s hard to call that a major upgrade on the defensive end.
The bigger hit is Isaiah Stewart moving out of the bench role he filled so well. Stewart was one of the best rim protectors in the NBA last season, and Detroit hasn’t brought in anyone to replace that impact. His playoff disappearance doesn’t change the fact that his ability to alter possessions at the rim will be missed, especially with Jalen Duren’s defense still a work in progress.
That opens the door for Paul Reed. He’s not the same kind of rim stopper Stewart is, but he can bring a burst of defensive chaos when he’s on the floor. Reed averaged nearly two combined stocks last season despite limited minutes, and his energy and hustle give him a real chance to make an impact.
The catch is foul trouble. Reed has always played with a little wildness in short stints, but this year it matters more that he stays available, especially with no real backup behind him.
Detroit’s offense should also be better, or at least that’s the hope, and that could take some pressure off the defense to be airtight every night.
So maybe the Pistons haven’t truly gotten worse on that end. Maybe Collins and Reed can help keep the standard high. But the Eastern Conference is closing the gap, and Detroit is going to have real competition for the title of best defense in the East.
In Other News...
Pistons Have Every Reason To Fear How Jalen Duren Talks End
The Thunders three-team deal this week was a reminder of how quickly the wrong contract can tighten a teams margin for error. By moving Lu Dort and picking up salary cap relief, Oklahoma City got itself under the NBAs second apron and avoided the kind of squeeze that can force hard choices later, including the need to part with useful players just to stay flexible.
That is the backdrop for Detroit as it negotiates with restricted free agent Jalen Duren. The Pistons have every reason to be careful here, because a deal that looks manageable now can become a problem fast in a league where cap rules punish even modest missteps. Detroit wants to keep building without painting itself into a corner, and the Duren talks are exactly the kind of test that can shape the next few seasons. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Could Finally Chase The Co-Star Cade Cunningham Needs
The next big swing for Detroit may not be about another role player so much as the kind of co-star Cade Cunningham can grow with. As the Pistons keep building around their franchise guard, the idea of chasing a second high-end piece has started to look less like wishful thinking and more like the sort of move that could define the rosters next stage, especially if the right opportunity opens up at the trade deadline.
Orlando is the team to watch in that conversation, with Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero both emerging as the kind of names that could change Detroits ceiling if they ever became available. The Magics looming tax and apron pressure adds intrigue, but so do the durability questions attached to either target, which is why this kind of pursuit would come with both obvious upside and real risk for the Pistons. [Read more 🡒]