The Detroit Pistons are no longer built to win one way and one way only.
Last season, the formula was simple: bring the physicality, own the paint and dare opponents to stop it. Detroit finished second in points in the paint scored per game and fourth in points in the paint allowed, a 13-point edge that helped cover for an almost total lack of 3-point shooting. In the regular season, that approach held up.
In the playoffs, though, the limitations showed. Trying to overwhelm Orlando and Cleveland with force was much easier to game plan for than it had been during the grind of the regular season.
That’s why the changes Detroit has made matter. The Pistons may not be as dominant inside next season, but they should be harder to pin down. Instead of relying almost entirely on smashmouth basketball, they now have the chance to attack in different ways.
They still have the ingredients to win the old-fashioned way when needed. Assuming the Pistons sign Jalen Duren, they can still lean on physicality. With Duren, Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland, Detroit has some of the best athletes in the league, and that part of its identity is not going anywhere.
But the new wrinkle is real. The Pistons now have the ability to go small, load the floor with shooting and play five-out spacing, something they haven’t been able to do much during Cade Cunningham’s career. We’ve not yet seen what Cade can do with that kind of spacing, and that’s one of the most intriguing parts of this setup heading into next season.
The additions of Isaiah Joe and John Collins give Detroit more options around Cunningham, and they should make it easier to build balanced lineups with two shooters and two defenders around him. That was a problem for JB Bickerstaff last season, when his supporting cast leaned heavily toward defense.
Just as important, the Pistons now have more than one player who can catch fire from deep and swing a game. They’ve kept enough of their identity to still feel like Detroit basketball, but they’ve added shooting where they badly needed it.
The result is a team that may not reach 60 wins again in an improved Eastern Conference, but one that looks much tougher to scheme against in a playoff series.
In Other News...
Pistons Could Benefit If Knicks Make Miles McBride Available
The Knicks offseason math is becoming harder to ignore, and Miles McBride is right in the middle of it. New York has a cap picture that could push the team into some uncomfortable choices, even though McBride has clearly played his way beyond the value of his current deal. Talks with his camp are still ongoing, but the longer the uncertainty lingers, the more other teams have reason to keep an eye on a player who has become one of the more interesting names on the market.
For Detroit, this is the kind of situation worth monitoring closely. The Pistons have been searching for ways to add dependable backcourt help, and a young guard like McBride would fit the timeline as well as the need. If New York decides flexibility matters more than holding onto him, Detroit could be among the teams positioned to benefit from the Knicks cap squeeze, even if the exact path to a deal is still murky. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Need A Jalen Duren Backup Plan Before This Gets Messy
Training camp is getting close, and the Pistons still have a major frontcourt question hanging over Jalen Duren. His contract situation has become complicated enough that Detroit has to think beyond the usual extension talk and start weighing what comes next if the relationship keeps drifting in the wrong direction.
The problem is that the clubs paths from here are not exactly comfortable. Detroit can try to move Duren right away if he takes the qualifying offer, or it can hold out and revisit the idea near the trade deadline. Either way, the Pistons are staring at a decision that could shape the roster before the season really gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Paul Reed's Rise Has Made One Pistons Decision A Lot Tougher
Paul Reed spent last season as Detroits third center, but his role has grown steadily enough that the Pistons no longer look at him as just depth. With Isaiah Stewart moved out of the picture, Reed is positioned as the primary backup at center, and that alone has changed the conversation around the frontcourt. What once looked like a straightforward rotation spot has become a much more important one, especially for a team trying to sort out its long-term plans.
Jalen Durens contract situation is what makes Reeds rise matter even more. The Pistons would have a real challenge replacing Duren if he were no longer in the mix, and Reeds expanded role has quietly made that problem feel a little less theoretical. For now, he remains behind Duren on the depth chart, but Detroits growing reliance on Reed gives the team a useful layer of security as it weighs what comes next. [Read more 🡒]