Detroit Pistons: 3 Early signs of taking a tangible step forward in 2023-24

A clear rotation emerges in the frontcourt

What coach wouldn’t want solid depth and versatility in his frontcourt? Well, Monty Williams will be able to mix and match his lineups to strategically give the Pistons an advantage. Jalen Duren, who is 6-foot-11, 250 pounds with a 7-foot-5 wingspan and equipped with a 40-plus inch vertical, is one of their prized young bigs.

Although he is ahead of the learning curve, Duren still needs to develop on both ends. He is an advanced passer and rebounder and he knows how to roll off of screens and put himself an easy target for assists with his big frame. He already possesses a solid offensive repertoire and his bag should only get deeper in due time. Duren just needs to polish his skill set as he has the potential to become one of the best young players in the NBA regardless of position. Duren does possess a few moves in the low post and that part of his game still needs improving.

Part of the problem last season was the fact that the Pistons were unwilling to feed Duren the ball in the low post but with Cunningham back in the lineup, it should open up the floor for Duren to operate. The Pistons gave Isaiah Stewart a 4-year, $64 million extension so they definitely believe he was worth the investment. He also added a three-point shot to his offensive arsenal which proves that he has been working in the offseason.

Stewart is a hard-working, high-energy player who hustles on both ends of the floor and embodies that old-school “Bad Boy” image that the Pistons made famous back in the 80s. However, there is still hope for James Wiseman. What Williams needs to do is help him regain confidence and remind him that he will be the most physically gifted player on the floor on most nights and that his impact could determine whether the Pistons will have a successful season.

Cunningham and Ivey should control the ball on most possessions but Wiseman should still get a fair share of touches. And when he does he has to take full advantage of the opportunities he gets and allow his presence to be felt. Wiseman also needs to become a better rim protector because he could become a dominating force considering his size and length. There is no excuse for him to become a liability on the defensive end with his athletic ability.

Many felt that Wiseman and Marvin Bagley could become a dominant duo but their style of play is so similar that they wouldn’t mesh well together on the floor. They both work primarily from the left block and they shouldn’t be paired together for spacing reasons. Bagley is a solid rebounder and he is capable of finishing at the rim but he is an inconsistent shooter and struggles to protect the paint and guard on the perimeter.

Even though Bagley could have played better on the defensive end, the entire blame cannot be placed on his shoulders because the Pistons were terrible defensively as a unit. Bagley also continued to struggle to stay healthy as he only appeared in a total of 42 games last season.

At the end of the day, Wiseman will have to get stronger, improve at setting screens and playing out of the pick and roll, and will also have to do a better job of boxing out. Williams should bring him off the bench so he can dominate the lesser competition and give the Pistons a spark while boosting his confidence.