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The Detroit Pistons Off-Season Points to the Playoffs

The Detroit Pistons’ off-season has received a lukewarm response from fans and media. After winning 60 games, the team was predicted to make a major move, the Pistonsinstead focused on acquiring free agents and trades that included three-point shooting and financial flexibility, and on attempting to retain their free agents.

Is it a pretty offseason? No. Are the Pistons likely to win 60 games again? In this Eastern Conference? No. So, how did the Pistons go from superstar trade to marginal moves? The answer is quite simple.

The Pistons Recent Moves Are for Playoff Success

This seems counterintuitive to the superstar move, but there is merit to this. The Pistons, as an organization, have built their identity on defense and toughness. Even with losing Isaiah Stewart, the foundation is still there with Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren, and Ron Holland II keeping the tough defensive core together. Their defense definitely carried them in the playoffs, but the big thing that hurt the team was on offense.

Aside from the games where Cade Cunningham put on an offensive clinic, Detroit won games when they shot well from the three-point line. The problem was with Detroit was there was only one reliable three-point shooter to open the floor in Duncan Robinson. If he, Tobias (who can hit from deep, but it wasn’t his game), or Cade weren’t hitting shots, the offense was ineffective.

This offseason, Detroit picked up Isaiah Joe and John Collins, both potential starters who can reliably hit the three, and shored up the bench with additional shooters. While changing much of their lineup, these moves specifically were made because Detroit couldn’t, and honestly wouldn’t, shoot the three. In the playoffs, they were in the bottom five in attempts per game, with fewer than 30. The Pistons are an inside-out team, sure, but in the playoffs, every coach will scheme to take away from the Pistons’ strengths. While the moves may take away from the regular season win total, the changes could help extend the length of time Detroit plays in the postseason.

What is the Detroit Pistons True Identity?

The big question fans have about the moves is: what does this do to Detroit’s gritty identity? Losing Stewart, who was by far the heart and soul of the Detroit culture, is hard, as he was the best interior defender and was a force to be reckoned with against opposing centers. Tobias Harris was the veteran presence in the locker room that elevated the younger guys, and he will be missed. The two veterans were instrumental in the Pistons’ rise to prominence and will be sorely missed. That said, are the Pistons worse without them?

Not exactly. While both Stewart and Harris were important to Detroit, coach Bickerstaff is the voice that came into Detroit to instill the culture. Bickerstaff helped get the most out of the team, as Harris and Stewart were extensions of himself on the court. The team’s culture was maintained by the two, but the hard-nosed and professional lessons remain in the team itself. This is not to say that the Pistons will lose their culture, but the same tough style and intensity will remain.

Where Does This Leave Detroit?

The Pistons went through a major makeover this summer, but the core culture remains. Their moves, while not exactly the star-studded additions other teams made, were built to support a longer playoff run. Detroit is without a doubt sacrificing toughness and defense for spacing, but this doesn’t mean the team is worse. 

Detroit won’t win 60 games this year. That doesn’t mean it’s a worse team, but the goal from the front office is to go further in the playoffs, not win 65 games. By spacing the floor and adding smart additions to the team, they’re not going to have the same toughness, but they will have more options and better flow on offense. A defensive identity wins championships for sure, but the team needs an offense to win games.