The Detroit Pistons enter the 2026-27 season with real expectations after a breakout 2025-26 run that ended with the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, 60 wins, and a seven-game loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Even with the Eastern Conference shifting around them this offseason - including the Philadelphia 76ers making a big leap by signing LeBron James and landing Jaylen Brown in a blockbuster trade with the Boston Celtics - Detroit still has a path to finishing in the top four. That would mean home-court advantage in the first round if the Pistons land at No. 3 or No. 4.
The first and biggest reason is Cade Cunningham. After an MVP-caliber season, Cunningham is set up for another huge year in the Motor City. His 2025-26 campaign was interrupted in early March by a collapsed lung diagnosis that kept him out for the regular season, but before that, he had a legitimate case to make for the award.
More than anything, Cunningham has been the engine behind Detroit’s rise. The Pistons were just 14-68 two seasons ago, the worst record in franchise history, and now they’re trying to take the next step after pushing into the conference semifinals. Cunningham’s regular-season numbers - 23.9 points, 9.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game - show exactly why Detroit believes its ceiling is so high.
The second reason is the shooting upgrade around him. Three-point production was a real problem for the Pistons last season, and it showed up when the games got tighter in the playoffs.
Detroit attacked that issue this offseason by adding Isaiah Joe from Oklahoma City, Taurean Prince from Milwaukee, and John Collins from the Los Angeles Clippers. Each of them shot better than 40 percent from three-point range last season, and that kind of spacing can change the shape of an offense.
The third piece is Ausar Thompson. He’s already one of the league’s most dangerous young defenders, and he led the NBA in steals last season at 2.0 per game.
That defensive impact helped make Detroit one of the best defenses in the conference, but Thompson’s offensive growth is the swing factor. He spent the offseason working to sharpen that side of his game, and if he makes a real leap, the Pistons become that much harder to knock off.
Thompson averaged 9.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game during the 2025-26 regular season. If his offense catches up with his defense, Detroit’s top-four case gets even stronger. The Pistons open against the Boston Celtics on Oct. 20, and with two months to go before tipoff, they’re still looking like a team built to stay near the top of the East.
In Other News...
Cade Cunningham Is Already Pushing Pistons Toward Their Next Big Step
The Pistons season ended in Game 7 against Cleveland, but Cade Cunningham is already looking at the next rung of the climb. Rather than letting the disappointment linger, he has taken the lead on an offseason mini-camp in San Diego, giving Detroit players a chance to get together and start building toward training camp before the real grind begins.
For a young team trying to turn a breakthrough into something bigger, that kind of player-led initiative matters. It also comes at a time when the roster picture is not fully settled, with Jalen Durens status for the workout still unclear as he works through contract negotiations with the Pistons, leaving one key piece of the group in question as the next step comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Face A Pressure Point That Could Define Their Next Step
The Pistons have reached a familiar kind of crossroads, the sort that shows up when a young roster starts to look promising but still feels short of the firepower needed to matter in the East. Cade Cunningham has become the center of the conversation, with Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson giving Detroit pieces to believe in, yet the bigger picture still leans toward a team trying to find enough offense to make the next step feel real.
With the conference tightening around them, the question is no longer just about patience or internal growth. Detroit may have to decide whether to keep protecting draft capital or use it to bring in more immediate help around Cunningham, because the current mix still leaves too much pressure on him to carry the scoring load. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Face A Crucial Extension Decision With Ausar And Duren
The Pistons have two major extension calls sitting at the center of their offseason, with Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson both eligible for new deals as Detroit tries to lock in its young core. The club still has room to maneuver under the cap, but the order of operations matters here, and the front office appears to be treating the two negotiations as connected rather than separate.
Thompson has become the first priority in the process, which makes sense given the way Detroit wants to structure the rest of its spending. Once that piece is settled, the focus can shift back to Duren, where the numbers and timing may become more complicated. For now, the Pistons are still navigating the framework of both talks, with no agreement officially in place yet. [Read more 🡒]