In one of the most remarkable turnarounds the NBA has seen in recent years, the Detroit Pistons have gone from Eastern Conference cellar-dwellers to sitting atop the standings-all in the span of two seasons. It’s a rise that’s caught the league’s attention, and even head coach J.B.
Bickerstaff admits he didn’t see it happening this quickly. But make no mistake: he believed in the foundation being built.
“When you’re with the group every day, you can feel the potential,” Bickerstaff said. “I wouldn’t have guessed we’d be coaching the All-Star Game a year and a half later, but I knew we were going to grow. We had the pieces.”
That growth started with a front office reset. After being let go by Cleveland, Bickerstaff found a new opportunity in Detroit, thanks to Trajan Langdon, who was hired as president of basketball operations in 2024. Langdon wasted no time bringing Bickerstaff aboard, and the two have been aligned ever since.
“I trust Trajan completely,” Bickerstaff said. “He understands team-building-how to construct a roster.
The small, subtle moves he made last season and even this one have helped elevate us. I trusted his vision and plan.”
And that plan is working. The Pistons aren’t just winning-they’re doing it with a process-oriented mindset.
Bickerstaff isn’t talking championships right now. He’s focused on the day-to-day grind, keeping his players locked in on the moment instead of the standings.
“We talk about today every single day,” he said. “That helps control the emotional ups and downs.
If you’re always looking 10 games ahead, you can lose focus. But if you stay in the moment, you keep improving by attacking the problem in front of you.”
Depth Tested, Depth Delivered
The Pistons’ depth is about to be tested again as they prepare to return from the All-Star break without two key frontcourt contributors. All-Star center Jalen Duren and high-energy reserve Isaiah Stewart are still serving suspensions following an altercation with the Hornets. Duren has one game remaining on his suspension, while Stewart will miss six more.
Still, Bickerstaff isn’t sweating it.
“Our depth has been a strength all year,” he said. “Whenever guys have been called upon, they’ve stepped up.
The team supports them, helps them be successful. That’s how we move forward-we hold the fort until our guys get back.”
That “next man up” mentality was on full display in the Pistons’ 113-95 win over the Raptors, their first game without Duren and Stewart. Paul Reed, inserted into the starting lineup, delivered in a big way: 22 points on 10-of-17 shooting, five boards, four blocks, and three assists. It was the kind of performance that reinforces why Detroit brought him back on a two-year, $11 million deal last summer-even if next year’s salary isn’t guaranteed.
“My minutes might not always be consistent,” Reed said, “but my teammates and coaches expect me to be ready. That’s what I take pride in-stepping up when things go left and providing what the team needs.”
All-Star Weekend: A Showcase of Progress
Detroit’s rise wasn’t just felt in the standings-it was on display at All-Star Weekend, too. Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren both suited up for the USA Stars team in the revamped three-team All-Star contest.
Cunningham stuffed the stat sheet with 15 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and three blocks across three games. Duren added a double-double of his own: 15 points and 11 rebounds.
For Duren, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, the moment was more than just an exhibition-it was a reminder of how far he and the team have come.
“It’s kinda like being broke and then getting money,” Duren said. “You never want to be broke again.
That’s what it is-understanding what that bottom felt like and never wanting to go back. We all have pride in what we do, and we want to be the best.
That feeling of being at the bottom? We’re doing everything we can to never feel that again.”
That hunger, that pride, that daily focus-it’s fueling a Pistons team that’s no longer just rebuilding. They’re competing. And if this trajectory holds, they’re not done rising.