An influx of young talent and an improved Cade Cunningham could have the Detroit Pistons vying for a playoff berth.
The Detroit Pistons won just 17 games last season posting the league’s worst record, and were among the league’s worst in many statistical categories. While all signs point to the 2023-24 season being very similar, there are ways the Pistons can take a bigger leap forward than many anticipate.
With an improved Cade Cunningham returning from injury, a plethora of young prospects, and a new head coach, the Pistons could find themselves in the hunt for a Play-in spot.
3 Reasons the Detroit Pistons can make a run at the NBA Playoffs
Monty Williams taking over as Pistons’ head coach
On June 2, Monty Williams was officially announced as the new head coach taking over for Dwayne Casey. Williams was the NBA Coach of the Year in 2021-22 and posted a 194-115 record in four seasons with Phoenix.
Williams has a history of vastly improving teams’ efficiency offensively and defensively. When he took over for the Suns in 2019, similar to the current Pistons, they were 28th and 29th in offensive and defensive efficiency respectively. The following season, they were 12th in offensive rating and 16th in defensive rating. In just one season, the Suns went from being one of the worst teams to a more average team that showed glimpses of being great after going 8-0 in the bubble.
Of course, the next season they go to the NBA Finals.
I wouldn’t anticipate that big of a jump, considering the Suns’ offseason acquisitions at the time. However, he has a group of young talented players like Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart, and Cade Cunningham to work with.
It’ll be a tall task but it’s possible that establishing a new philosophy and identity along with Williams’ 16 years of coaching experience can do wonders for a team that struggled on both ends.
The development of Cade Cunningham
Last season, Cade Cunningham averaged just under 20 points points, six rebounds, and six assists per game on 41/28/84 shooting splits. After just 12 games though, Cunningham would miss the rest of the season after undergoing season-ending surgery to repair a left tibial stress fracture.
After an encouraging rookie season, it was an unfortunate ending to what many believed would be a strong sophomore season for Cunningham. However, now that he’s healthy, the hope is that he can pick up where he left off heading into 2023-24.
The 22-year-old former 1st overall pick still has much room to grow, especially when it comes to his 3-point shooting and overall offensive efficiency. A productive offseason that included his standout performance as a member of the Team USA Select Team indicates that a new and improved Cunningham could take a league by storm next season.
And the Pistons taking a big step forward this season likely begins with Cunningham doing so first individually.
The Detroit Pistons’ offseason acquisitions
While Detroit’s success will heavily predicate on the improvement of their young core, they made sure to acquire some veterans to help guide their young players and fill out the rest of the roster. The Pistons acquired Joe Harris from the Brooklyn Nets and Monte Morris from the Washington Wizards. Harris is a career 44% shooter from behind the arc, and Morris has been a steady reliable back-up point guard over the course of his six seasons in the NBA.
They also decided to bring back Alec Burks who averaged about 13 points per game and shot over 40% from 3 last season, and to the dismay of some Pistons fans, Bogdan Bogdanovic. While he remains a tradeable asset, for the time being, Bojan Bogdanovic’s scoring prowess will keep him as an integral part of the rotation.
Ausar Thompson who was taken 5th overall in the 2023 draft brings athleticism and defensive tenacity that makes him a valuable addition to the team. How big his role on the team will be is still unknown but his two-way potential could prove beneficial.