Detroit Pistons
Mid-season grade: B+
No matter what happens the rest of the year, the Detroit Pistons have taken a pretty strong step forward this season. This is a team that didn't enter the season with a ton of expectations but one that has already surpassed them. If the Pistons remain on their early-season win pace, this is a team that is going to make a return to the postseason. They will likely have to play their way into the final playoffs but their young core should still be able to get some valuable experience even in just the Play-In Tournament.
The Pistons are on pace to win close to 40 games for the first time in seven years. Cade Cunningham continues to prove that he could very well become the next face of the franchise and before his injury, Jaden Ivey was showing some promise as a potential supporting star. There's a lot of optimism surrounding the Pistons and this is a team that is probably barely scratching the surface of how good they can be in the future. For the first time in a long while, it's safe to say that the Pistons are trending in the right direction.
Golden State Warriors
Mid-season grade: C
The Golden State Warriors' impressive start to the season probably saved this team from getting a failing mark but there's no question that this team has to be frustrated with how they've played over the last couple of months. Entering this season, after electing to not make a big move during the offseason, the Warriors were relying on the continued development of the young players on their roster to help this team emerge as a contender in the Western Conference. While it may have seemed like a solid plan in theory, it hasn't exactly panned out for the team during the first half of this season.
Could the Warriors turn things around during the second half of the year? Absolutely. However, I can't exactly envision how that's going to happen without a big move made at the trade deadline. With the recent reporting that the team continues to be hesitant to mortgage the future for a win-now move, this Warriors team appears at a bit of a crossroads. To be honest, it's probably not a great place for the team to be.