The Detroit Pistons have already made the kind of leap that changes the conversation around a franchise. After finishing as the worst team in the NBA in 2024, they surged all the way to the top seed in the Eastern Conference last season, and that rapid rise has pushed expectations into a new place.
Now the question is no longer whether Detroit can get back on track. It’s whether this group has enough to chase its first NBA championship since the “Goin to Work” Pistons won the title in 2024.
Last season gave the Pistons plenty to build on. They went 60-22 in the regular season and finally broke through in the playoffs, winning their first series since 2008 after rallying from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Orlando Magic.
But the run ended in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and it ended badly. Detroit was blown out 125-94 at home in Game 7, a finish that made clear the roster still has another level to reach.
That’s where the biggest remaining need comes into focus: a true co-star for Cade Cunningham.
Detroit has already taken steps this offseason to help Cunningham and improve the spacing around him. The additions of Oklahoma City guard Isaiah Joe and Los Angeles Clippers forward John Collins were aimed at boosting the Pistons’ three-point shooting and giving Cunningham more support. But the bigger swing - the kind of move that could change the ceiling of the team - still hasn’t happened.
For some, that’s the missing piece. Not more depth. A second star.
According to the Athletic’s Hunter Patterson, the Pistons were part of trade conversations earlier this offseason involving Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and Trey Murphy III. But the price tag was steep enough that Detroit passed, unwilling to sacrifice its long-term future.
It’s easy to see why the front office hesitated. There’s no guarantee any of those moves would have delivered a championship. Still, the idea of landing a player like Trey Murphy III - a younger option who is known as an excellent defender - had obvious appeal.
For now, though, Detroit appears set to keep building with the roster it has. The hope is that the current group can still be good enough to stay among the Eastern Conference’s best teams, even without that extra marquee addition.
There’s also the Jalen Duren situation to watch. With his possible extension series still ongoing, the Pistons are hoping their young center can answer after a rough postseason and turn that into another strong regular season, then carry that growth into better playoff play.
In Other News...
Pistons Defensive Identity Is Suddenly Facing A Real Threat
The Pistons earned the Easts defensive standard last season, but that status is going to be tested in a conference that looks deeper and more physical on that end of the floor. Detroit also made some notable roster changes, including the swap of Tobias Harris for John Collins, a move that feels more like a sideways shuffle defensively than a clear step forward.
The bigger issue may be whether the group can absorb the loss of its interior backbone and still look like the same disruptive unit night after night. Paul Reed is in position to take on a larger bench role, and the question now is whether Detroit can keep its edge while asking him to handle the kind of minutes that demand discipline and clean positioning. [Read more 🡒]
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 🡒]