Sir Charles in Charge
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NBA Hope Index: How far is each team from a ring heading into 2017-18?

By Jonathan Macri

OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 12: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers defends Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 of the 2017 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on June 12, 2017 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 12: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers defends Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 of the 2017 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on June 12, 2017 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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AUBURN HILLS, MI – JANUARY 05: Head coach Stan Van Gundy reacts to a foul call during the second half while playing the Charlotte Hornets at the Palace of Auburn Hills on January 5, 2017 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Detroit won the game 115-114. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
AUBURN HILLS, MI – JANUARY 05: Head coach Stan Van Gundy reacts to a foul call during the second half while playing the Charlotte Hornets at the Palace of Auburn Hills on January 5, 2017 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Detroit won the game 115-114. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

26. Detroit Pistons

It wasn’t like anyone saw this coming.

If you squinted hard enough before last season, you could see a future in which a cohesive Piston team is fighting it out with Boston, Philly, Washington, Toronto and Milwaukee for Eastern supremacy after LeBron’s reign finally ends. Maybe, if everything broke right, they would top out as a poor man’s version of the early 2000’s Nets or Sixers – teams that took advantage of a weak conference to make a Finals or two.

That dream now has a lower percentage of fruition than an Andre Drummond corner three. The team went from having two franchise cornerstones to zero in a matter of months. The big man’s progress has stagnated and Reggie Jackson has been injured and ineffective. There is a chance both bounce back this season, but it’s more likely that at least one will no longer be on the team by February.

Stan Van Gundy is a good coach, but we’ve seen things go south with him at the helm before, and there’s no promise that this gets better before it gets worse. The one bright spot is that they should be able to maneuver into tank mode fairly easily, but it will require moving Drummond while he still has value.

For a coach and president who has desperate playoff aspirations, that doesn’t appear to be in the cards.

Path to Glory: Unload Drummond for the best offer on the table, and see if a team will take on Reggie Jackson without sending back bad salary in return. Go in the tank for the next two seasons and build around whatever you can get in the draft plus the young guys already on the roster.

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