What can new head coach Monty Williams do to ensure that the Detroit Pistons will trend upward this season instead of falling short once again?
After another season of rebuilding and gaining experience, the Detroit Pistons could improve their win total significantly heading into 2023-24. Their front office has accumulated a bevy of talented players who could play important roles in getting this franchise headed in the right direction.
Cade Cunningham returns this season after only appearing in 12 games after he suffered a stress fracture in his left tibia. Another player to watch who could make a solid impact is Jaden Ivey. Ivey performed well last season as he finished 6th in NBA Rookie of the Year voting. The Pistons also have one of the youngest rotations of big men in the NBA.
Isaiah Stewart, Marvin Bagley, and Jalen Duren all have size, length, and room to get better but they all have to remain healthy in order for that to happen. In the 2023 NBA Draft, the Pistons were fortunate enough to have Ausar Thompson still available as he was chosen with the No. 5 pick. Thompson is versatile and can play either forward or guard position and he can affect the game with or without the ball.
Can the Detroit Pistons make a competitive enough jump in 2023-24?
This Pistons team has plenty of work to do in order to get to where they want to be and they have the players available in order to start trending in the right direction. Let’s explore three potential early signs of improvement that could be a good indicator for the Pistons this season.
The chemistry between the young players must develop quickly
All eyes will be on Cade Cunningham to see if he has fully recovered from the injury he suffered. This is a huge season in terms of team and individual development and it will be important for him to develop chemistry with his teammates as he prepares to take the next step in becoming the leader of this team.
Defenses will have to account for both Cunningham and Ivey in the backcourt as they could be a tough duo to slow down. Cunningham is more of a smooth and controlled operator who knows when to attack, he knows how to create off the dribble, he can use his strength to get where he wants to on the floor, and if he has gotten stronger during the offseason, he could very well bully smaller defenders in his path.
Ivey uses his speed and ball handling to his advantage and is always a threat to score in transition. He also has a very quick first step and his straight-line speed to the rim will allow him to score a lot of points in the paint. As far as who will actually run the Pistons’ offense remains to be determined.
Traditional roles should not apply to players of their ilk as both Cunningham and Ivey are amazing facilitators and both of them can get a basket whenever needed. One positive that did come from Cunningham’s injury is that Ivey got to prove that he has the ability to be an effective lead guard and will most likely exclusively run the offense whenever Cunningham goes to the bench.
Williams will find a way to utilize both of these players’ skill sets. Cunningham, Ivey, and Jalen Duren have all been spotted participating in the famed Rico Hines private runs and the chemistry is already developing between Cunningham and Duren especially running the pick and roll.
Early reports are saying that they were almost unstoppable and it’s a good thing that these young players are taking the initiative to improve and get better.
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.
The newcomers get off to a quick start
The addition of Monte Morris brings a veteran presence to the Pistons locker room as he should serve as an adequate mentor for both Cunningham and Ivey. Morris will be entering his 7th on his 3rd team and will provide professionalism and bring a calming presence to the Pistons locker room.
Morris will also provide the Pistons something that they were sorely lacking last season as they finished in the bottom half of the league in 3-pointers made per contest and 3-point percentage. Morris is a knockdown shooter, a solid passer and he takes care of the ball. Williams should consider allowing Morris to run the offense at times to allow Cunningham to play off the ball while also allowing him to set up Ivey for better shots.
That would give opponents another dynamic that they would have to try and defend and diversify what the Pistons could be offensively. The Pistons also acquired sharp shooting guard Joe Harris and that was a big win for them considering how they need to surround Cunningham with shooters. A well-known sniper from behind the arc, Harris will be able to help space the floor with his dangerous ability to catch and shoot. With Morris on the roster, and the fact that they drafted Marcus Sasser, will Bojan Bogdanovic be placed on the trade block due to his expiring contract?
Is Harris insurance in the event Bogdanovic is put on the market? And what role will rookie Ausar Thompson have? Williams will have to find minutes for him as he is quick off the floor, a skilled ball handler with an elite burst to the rim and he is capable of multiple positions. The roster will be crowded so the Pistons have an important decision as to what to do with Thompson.
He is way too talented to send to the G League and he could develop faster than the Pistons hope for if he is able to earn the minutes. Will Williams keep him on the bench or is he good enough to start?
I’m sure that Williams will figure out a role that will help with his development and keep the Pistons in the win column at the same time. The way he processes information so quickly and the way he finds weaknesses in the defense is impressive and he is definitely skilled beyond his years. He doesn’t force anything and allows the game to come to him and is also an unselfish and willing passer.
Expectations for the Detroit Pistons
Expectations realistically for the Detroit Pistons are to fight for a spot in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament and to avoid the draft lottery for the first time since the 2018-19 NBA season. How well they develop will depend on what type of culture new head coach Monty Williams develops and what kind of mindset the team will have.
The Eastern Conference is deep but the Pistons can still compete and give teams a good run. They are slowly progressing in the right direction and hopefully, they can improve their winning percentage as they have been one of the worst teams in the NBA for the past five seasons.
Once they solve the issues from behind the arc and can play good defense, they should become a legit playoff team. The pieces are there. They just have to be put in place.