After watching the Detroit Pistons be the worst team in the NBA for the past five seasons, it’s hard to know what to expect next.
The Homer in me wants to think that The Pistons have done enough this offseason to at least improve and add players who better complement the young core, which will accelerate their development.
The realist looks at this team and sees the same thing: they are too young, don’t fit in well, with veterans who won’t be with the team all season. Rinse and repeat.
It wouldn’t take much to satisfy impatient fans, who simply want a team worth rooting for, a team that is trying to win and not just repeating the “wait until next year” mantra over and over again.
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The “dream” season is within reach, but after watching the Pistons’ repeated failures, it’s easy to see a more likely reality.
The Dream: Pistons Are Better Than Expected
I don’t think it’s completely crazy to think the Pistons could be better than most predictions. If all goes well for them, the additions of Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr., and a full season from Simone Fontecchio could propel the Pistons forward, much like offseason veteran additions did for Houston last year.
The Pistons are unlikely to win 41 games like the Rockets, but they could be somewhere between Houston and Utah in the 30-35 win range, which would be a win for a young team on the rise.
Reality: Detroit Pistons win 25 games
Most publications have the The Pistons win somewhere between 25 and 27 games next season, which would be an improvement, but not something that will really excite fans.
Let’s be realistic, even a 25-game win would represent an 11-game improvement and the team’s best record in six seasons. It’s more likely that we’ll see baby steps rather than leaps forward in Trajan Langdon’s first season as team president.
Another season with win totals in the 20s isn’t what fans are looking for, but it’s probably what they’re going to get unless everything goes right.
So what does it look like?
