Mar 19, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) drives to the basket past Miami Heat center Kel’el Ware (7) during the fourth quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

'They’ve Become One of My Favorite Teams in the League' – Detroit Pistons Draw Bold Outlook From NBA Analyst

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Jordan Samar | Last updated Jul 5, 2025 7:51 AM ET

The Detroit Pistons have gained some new fans following their playoff run this year, where they took the New York Knicks to six games, and ESPN analyst Tim Legler is one of them.

The former NBA journeyman believes there’s a lot to be excited about if you’re a Detroit Pistons fan, even if the team has yet to make a huge splash this offseason.

“Now, you go out and you add a Duncan Robinson to the mix as well,” Legler said on NBA Today. “Cade Cunningham is the real deal. I don’t think anybody in this league is questioning that. Watch out for the Detroit Pistons. This has now become one of my favorite teams in the league.”

Mar 17, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Miami Heat forward Duncan Robinson (55) dribbles defended by Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

As Legler pointed out, the Detroit Pistons completed a sign-and-trade deal with the Miami Heat to acquire Duncan Robinson in exchange for Simone Fontecchio. They also signed Caris LeVert and Paul Reed on two-year contracts, though they lost Dennis Schroder and Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets.

Detroit Pistons’ Duncan Robinson pickup receives a mediocre grade from NBA writer

Zach Harper of The Athletic gave the Detroit Pistons a C+ for acquiring Duncan Robinson from the Miami Heat. In his column, Harper pointed out Robinson’s limited skill set but acknowledged that this helps the team in the wake of Malik Beasley’s gambling allegations.

Mar 15, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Miami Heat forward Duncan Robinson (55) defends against Detroit Pistons forward Simone Fontecchio (19) during the fourth quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports

“This seems like a lot of money for a shooter who doesn’t do much else on the court,” Harper said. “Robinson flashed a bit of a handle in the last season or two, and creating for himself against hard closeouts would help his game. Defensively, he can’t provide much stability in the individual or team concept.”

Robinson played 74 regular season games (37 starts) for the Miami Heat in 2024-25, averaging 11.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists on 44/39/89 shooting splits.