Five reasons the Pistons will finish with a better record than last season

The Detroit Pistons finished with an abysmal .171 winning percentage last season, ending up with a 14-68 record that once again did not include the type of draft pick Pistons fans expected as a result.

Detroit netted a controversial prospect in Ron Holland at the No. 5 spot in the draft, adding a player to the roster who was ranked No. 1 by multiple media outlets prior to the spring draft season.

New head coach J.B. Bickerstaff now has a talented roster to work with heading into the NBA's opening month this October. The Pistons lack size along the front line, but hope springs anew for better days with Holland and other young talents in the fold in Motown.

Here are five reasons why the Pistons will finish with a better record this season.

1. Detroit grit

Last season began with Monty Williams as the captain of owner Tom Gores' Pistons ship, a scenario that quickly fizzled out amid an NBA record-tying 28-game losing streak.

Gores invested big dollars in Williams and wasn't afraid to eat his contract for the chance to bring in Bickerstaff, a coach whose gritty personality and understanding of the Midwest from his days with the Cavaliers will fit Gores' team and the city of Detroit. 

2. Cade leap?

Cade Cunningham came into the NBA with aspirations of becoming the next Grant Hill for the Pistons. He has lived up to the bill for better and worse as a supremely talented point forward with constant injury concerns. 

Cunningham turned heads in Team USA scrimmages last summer. He continues to mature, add wrinkles to his game and hone his considerable talents with each passing year. If Cunningham can stay healthy, he has a real chance to make his first All-Star Game in 2024-25, which would be a welcome development for a team in search of a leader to take the reins on the court. 

3. Duren holding down the fort

Jalen Duren looks overmatched heading into the season as the Pistons' lone frontline big man. 

With James Wiseman in Indiana, Duren will have a bigger weight on his shoulders than ever before. Despite his relatively small (for a center) 6-foot-10 frame, Duren has the athleticism, talent and physicality to hold down the fort in the paint.

Detroit will need to make rebounding a team effort if it wants to keep pace with some of the bigger teams in the Eastern Conference like Boston and Indiana, but Duren will certainly play his part. 

4. Cohesiveness

The Pistons made tough moves last season to improve the team's cohesiveness on both sides of the court. Bojan Bogdanovic provided exceptional scoring and ball handling from the small forward position, but his playing style clashed with Cunningham's. 

The Pistons added small forward Simone Fontecchio before last year's trade deadline, whose smooth play and ability to score within the framework of the offense is a much better fit. 

Free-agent addition and former Piston Tobias Harris is another player who will do the little things Detroit needs to win, although his playoff no-show with the Philadelphia 76ers last year was more than a little bit concerning. 

Meanwhile, the addition of Holland in the draft gives the Pistons a second defensive stopper to pair with Ausar Thompson, last season's first rounder. 

With Cunningham facilitating the offense, the Pistons can focus on ball movement and defense, giving them a chance at forging an identity they can rely on next season. 

5. Desire

The Pistons know the stakes heading into the 2024-25 season. They must erase last season's embarrassment and bring a competitive team to the Motor City or risk losing their fanbase entirely. 

Detroit hasn't won a playoff series since 2007-08 in the second round against the Orlando Magic.

Holdovers including Cunningham, Duren and Jaden Ivey have the talent to lead the Pistons franchise back to those heights, but it's going to take time, starting with the laying of a new foundation under Bickerstaff this coming season.