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The Detroit Pistons are coming off their worst season in franchise history after going 14-68, including an NBA-record 28-game losing streak, and a 1-35 streak from October 30, 2023 to January 12, 2024.
Detroit finished at the bottom of the standings In terms of offensive and defensive efficiency, the team has fielded 31 different players, 18 of whom have made the starting lineup at some point. Only two of them (Jaden Ivey and Marcus Sasser) have played more than 63 games.
After posting a .500 record that helped them reach the playoffs in 2019, the Pistons have won just 94 games and lost 290 in five seasons. That stretch includes four consecutive last-place finishes and the league’s worst win-loss record in each of the last two years.
With the 2023-24 season representing Detroit’s all-time nadir, the Pistons have opted for new leadership by parting ways with general manager Troy Weaver and head coach Monty Williams, who joined the team on a six-year, $78.5 million contract before the campaign.
Former New Orleans Pelicans general manager Trajan Langdon now runs basketball operations, and former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff runs the sidelines.
The Pistons really have no choice but to move forward at this point. At the very least, the team can hope for some stability, consistency and continuity as it strives for better days.
Here’s a look at the team’s 2024-25 schedule, its key matchups, and a quick preview and prediction for the year ahead.
Pistons 2024-25 schedule details
Season opening: vs. the Indiana Pacers, October 23, 7 p.m. ET
Championship odds: 1000-1 ($100 bet wins $100,000), by FanDuel
Full program: The full program is available on NBA.com.
Any game the Pistons play against the bottom half of the Eastern Conference should be considered a top-tier game. Based on last year’s rankings, that would be the Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets, Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors.
There seems to be a pretty big gap between the top eight teams in the Eastern Conference and the bottom seven. Last year, the eighth-place Miami Heat finished 46-36, seven games ahead of the ninth-place Chicago Bulls at 39-43.
It’s possible that the teams ranked ninth through 15th will all remain in the bottom half of the East. Chicago lost its best player (DeMar DeRozan), as did the Brooklyn Nets (Mikal Bridges). Atlanta lost its second-best player (or best, depending on who you ask) in Dejounte Murray.
The Washington Wizards (15-67) might be the worst team in the NBA. The Charlotte Hornets and Toronto Raptors might have the best chance to move up thanks to their young talent pool, which should develop and improve. But there’s still a long way to go to reach the top eight, which has plenty of teams looking to win the East Division.
So where does this leave the Pistons? Well, it’s not out of the question that they could compete for a play-in spot, which is ridiculous on its face given Detroit’s struggles, but not implausible given the team’s roster improvements.
The Pistons have been the worst team in the NBA for two years.
Expect that to change in 2024-25. In fact, Detroit will finish closer to a play-in spot than last place.
A new management and a new coach should bring a fresh perspective and a breath of fresh air to the city. Detroit should hopefully get a healthy season from superstar Cade Cunningham, who is now on a five-year max contract. All of the young talent should improve after an offseason, including Jalen Duren, Jaden Ivey and Ausar Thompson. This year’s lottery pick Ron Holland should provide an infusion of energy off the bench.
Additionally, there are a few veterans who should at least improve the roster from top to bottom. The Pistons added former Philadelphia 76ers players Tobias Harris and Paul Reed as well as a pair of forwards in Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. None of them are superstars, but they are all solid players in their own right who should make the team much more competitive.
Ultimately, there’s enough reason to be optimistic that they won’t finish in last place. Expect them to be in contention for a play-in spot and finally build some positive momentum going forward.
Record prediction: 28-54, 12th in the East
