The 2022-2023 Detroit Pistons were the worst team in the NBA by a significant margin. A downright pitiful 17-65 record is no laughing matter. While even the most passionate Pistons fan likely knew on some level that the season was lost before it even began, even that hideous record still came with a glimmer of hope. After all, generational prospect Victor Wembanyama awaited if they secured the first overall pick. n a cruel twist of fate, the Pistons were unable to win the draft lottery despite their awful record. In fact, they fell to the No. 5 pick in the draft. Here is our Pistons’ Season Outlook: Playoffs or Rebuilding Year?
Pistons Playoffs? Probably Not
I’m not going to mince words. Even if the Pistons had managed to secure Wemby, it wouldn’t matter. They still would’ve been an extremely long shot to make the playoffs this year. There are too many holes on the roster for one offseason or one player to fix the team’s chances.
Detroit is currently tied with three other teams for the worst odds of winning the NBA Finals this year. They are listed at or around +100000. Even with a cushy ESPN BET Michigan promo code to boost your chances, those aren’t the kind of odds you want to take.
The Pistons sport a 2-6 record over the first couple weeks of the season. This puts them on pace to improve by three to four wins compared to last season. That’s not really something to hang their hats on, especially when it still means a winning percentage below 25. They’ve shown flashes of improvement, as their point differential is a fairly respectable -3.5 points per game. But, that may be unfairly skewed in their favor because they’ve played games against the equally pitiful Trail Blazers, Hornets, and Bulls. We could see them regress to the mean as their strength of schedule evens out.
Enough doom and gloom, though. Here’s a look at the ongoing rebuild process. Whether it’s the young players they’re developing right now or the way they could add to the team through the draft next year, let’s get into it.
Ausar Thompson
The twin brother of guard Amen Thompson, Ausar Thompson was the prized pickup of the Pistons’ offseason.
Detroit’s twin was widely seen as the less talented of the two. A major work in progress, he needed to improve his shooting and passing to really maximize his talent. It’s early yet, but Ausar has been one of the pleasant surprises of this Pistons’ season.
He’s averaging close to a double-double per game all with 1.9 blocks and 1.5 steals per game. At 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds, Thompson could stand to bulk up a bit in order to really maximize his defensive potential. But, that area of his game already looks phenomenal in spite of his lanky frame. The one real knock on Thompson’s game so far is his three-point shooting. It sits at a miserable 17.4 percent on roughly three attempts per game. But, there are plenty of ways for big men to succeed in this league even if they can’t find a way to drain shots from beyond the arc.
Thompson has looked much better than expected so far, and that’s really all that the Pistons can ask for. The NBA is an extremely top-heavy league when it comes to talent. Even high-end first-round picks often don’t pan out. The 20-year-old is off to an excellent start.
Mock Drafts? Already?
Given that the regular season isn’t even a month old yet, it feels insane to talk about who the Pistons could end up drafting next year. But, if you follow the NBA, you know that the draft coverage cycle never truly sleeps.
Assuming the Pistons are in the draft lottery again this season, we won’t know what pick they will have until the season ends.
Earlier this week, Bleacher Report mocked 19-year-old Lithuanian-American wing Matas Buzelis of the NBA G-League to the Pistons in the 2024 draft. He’s a lanky athlete with excellent handles and shooting for his size. A frontcourt of Buzelis and Thompson would give the Pistons an exciting duo for years to come. Buzelis is something of a defensive liability right now. But, with his athletic ability, he certainly has the potential to grow in that area.
There aren’t any overwhelming talents in the draft this year. So, you aren’t going to see the Pistons cap off their rebuild in dramatic fashion like the Philadelphia 76ers did when they “trusted the process”. But, there are plenty of young players who could make a difference as Detroit continues to try to turn the corner.
Pistons’ Season Outlook: Playoffs or Rebuilding Year In Summary
The Detroit Pistons faced a challenging 2022-2023 season, culminating in a disappointing 17-65 record. Despite their high hopes of securing the first overall pick in the NBA draft lottery, they fell to the fifth pick.
The Pistons face an uphill battle to reach the playoffs. Their early-season record shows some improvement, but they still have significant roster deficiencies.
While the immediate outlook may seem bleak, the Pistons are focusing on their ongoing rebuilding process. Young talents like Ausar Thompson are providing glimpses of promise. Also, the upcoming NBA draft offers opportunities to add to their roster.
Matas Buzelis, a 19-year-old Lithuanian-American wing, has been projected as a potential addition in the 2024 draft. Although there are no standout talents in the draft, the Pistons continue their journey to rebuild and develop a competitive team in the future.
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