Feb 3, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) dribbles in the first half against the Atlanta Hawks at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

NBA Analyst Urges Detroit Pistons to Take Major Swing

Originally posted on Detroit Pistons on SI
By Justin Grasso | Last updated Aug 5, 2025 10:22 AM ET

Heading into next season, the Detroit Pistons are no longer the NBA’s best-kept secret. After having a major turnaround, the Pistons have gone from rebuilders to playoff contenders in just one year.

While there are expectations to win now at a higher clip, not everybody is quite sold on Detroit’s status as a potential championship contender. Recently, the NBA Analyst Bobby Marks of ESPN suggested the Pistons are still at least one big personnel move away from being taken seriously as contenders.

“They’re kind of one move away,” Marks said on ‘The KOC Show’ late last month.

“They’ve got all their picks now to go out and canvas the market. They’ve got some expiring [contracts], the big Tobias number as an expiring. It’s a matter of how much are willing to kind of go in when you do have a window here? Eventually, Jayson Tatum is going to get back, and you trust Brad Stevens to retool around him … And you have Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and [Tyrese] Haliburton will eventually [return for the Pacers]. You have like, it’s almost like when Jordan retired whenever he went to play baseball in the mid 90s. Everyone’s like, here’s our window, right?”

Bobby Marks on the Detroit Pistons

“I do think they’re one move away, they got all their picks now to go out and know canvas the market.” pic.twitter.com/e07Zkur2Ev
— Pistons Talk (@Pistons__Talk) July 20, 2025

The most recent Eastern Conference contenders are going to navigate through the 2025-2026 NBA season with key injuries. As Marks mentioned, Jayson Tatum is out for the Celtics as he recovers from an Achilles injury. Since he suffered the setback during the playoffs, Tatum will miss the entire year.

Tyrese Haliburton of the Pacers went down with a similar injury in the final game of the NBA Finals. He’ll need an entire season to recover as well. The Celtics and the Pacers might not fall flat on their face next year, but they aren’t gaining any respect as Eastern Conference Finals threats without Tatum and Haliburton.

That leaves it up to the Pistons to step up to the plate and take advantage of the Jordan-esque window, as Marks mentioned.

Don’t Hold Your Breath…

Detroit’s front office leader, Trajan Langdon, has made it pretty clear that the Pistons are playing the long game. With a promising young core in place, the Pistons are confident that their homegrown talent could have the ability to get them where they need to go.

The team’s biggest moves this offseason included signing Duncan Robinson and Caris LeVert. But they also see Jaden Ivey’s return from a major injury as a big boost going into the new year.

For those hoping to see the Pistons take the big swing that Marks speaks of, don’t hold your breath. It would have to take a notable regression next season for the Pistons to change directions.