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Well, it would seem the time has finally come where we as Piston fans can finally have a future worth debating again. This thread has been created in good fun, and in the spirit of Fandom.

Which camp are you in?

Will it be optimistic and a playoff berth?

Or

Will it be tank commander roll out!

Team lotto. Just waiting for the sportsbook win totals and computer model win totals to come out after free agency to show how far away we are. I'm sure everyone voting playoffs will bet the overs and get rich.

I would prefer a chance at one more top 4 pick. Like BuzzKilloton said, we are gonna spend all our cap next off-season for sure so add another young star first.

I'm team lotto, but I'm certainly not going to be mad if they exceed my expectations

If we make the post season because Cade, Bey and Stewart all play great and Cade is a rookie all star that is the best case scenario. Everyone should want that. If we make the playoffs because CoJo and Olynyk have career years playing 30+ MPG I would feel less good about it but still happy to make the playoffs.

I just hope that If we are 18 and 32 at the trade deadline we make moves for the future versus trying to squeeze into that 10th seed.

Team lotto but that’s not Weaver and Cade’s plan.

Either lotto or legit playoff team are the preferred routes

I've had enough of rooting against my team the last 2 years. I'm aware that I'm in the minority but now that they got their superstar and executed the tank perfectly, I'm rooting for wins now.

NYPiston wrote:I've had enough of rooting against my team the last 2 years. I'm aware that I'm in the minority but now that they got their superstar and executed the tank perfectly, I'm rooting of wins now.

Optimism no longer lurks in the shadows my friend. Nothing was worse then cheering when the team yanked Stewart for Okapoor, or when 3rd stringers where turning the ball over without interference from opposing players.

It is a new day, and we are going to bask in the sunlight of success.

I selected lotto, but that really doesn't represent what I'm looking for. I don't want the team to lose games like I did last year, it's just I know this team will lose a lot due to how young the team is.

What I'm really looking in the Pistons this year is to be the "NBA TV team". A fun team that plays entraining basketball with it's young core. I don't expect the team to make the play-in game, but last year's Hornets would be a nice goal for the Pistons.

Give me play in bubble suns! I’m going to root for a win every game. I doubt we get a top 5 pick and would rather see our young core step up.

buzzkilloton wrote:Team lotto. Just waiting for the sportsbook win totals and computer model win totals to come out after free agency to show how far away we are. I'm sure everyone voting playoffs will bet the overs and get rich.

Over under on the Knicks was 22.5 wins.
The sports books were pretty off last year.

I just want to see growth/improvement and competitive basketball. Whatever record that leads to is what it is. The Pistons won 20 games last year and I think we'd all agree that there were definitely some tanked games to only win 20. Could they have won 25? I think so. Now they've added Cade to mix, and think what you want about Olynyk but he's going to make the team better offensively. Add in some expected improvement from Bey, Stew and Hayes and I think this team is capable of a win total in the low 30's. And if everything and everybody clicks and they get to .500 and a 7-8 seed I'm ok with that. As we're all aware, they'd be in position to make a big splash in free agency after the season, hopefully add another star and fill the gaps, and be looking at a deep playoff run in 2022-23.

The only difference between these outcomes is where their draft pick is next year. And one draft pick is not going to make the difference between clearly becoming a championship-level team or clearly not. Point being, there doesn't need to be predetermined goal of making or not making the playoffs because they're sure as hell not going to only win 20 games again no matter what they do. So cruising (i.e. sorta semi-tanking) to 28-30 wins or going balls out for 38-40 wins makes little difference in the grand scheme since the difference between picking 7th vs 13th for example doesn't tip the scales.

Can we add play in game and be in the lottery?

bstein14 wrote:If we make the post season because Cade, Bey and Stewart all play great and Cade is a rookie all star that is the best case scenario. Everyone should want that. If we make the playoffs because CoJo and Olynyk have career years playing 30+ MPG I would feel less good about it but still happy to make the playoffs.

I just hope that If we are 18 and 32 at the trade deadline we make moves for the future versus trying to squeeze into that 10th seed.

You know I think that's what bugs me the most. I think there are those that don't want that. They prefer the Hinke tank job. And that's cool, I just disagree.

I want to see them keep the youngsters in heavy rotation minutes and play to win. If they exceed expectations by the trade deadline, continue playing to win and see what happens. That would seem necessary from a developmental and cultural standpoint.

If the first 50 games don't go well, go for development and move out the vets you can, full tank from there. Nothing wrong with taking a shot at one more top ten pick if the season has some stumbles.

FloridaMan78 wrote:

buzzkilloton wrote:Team lotto. Just waiting for the sportsbook win totals and computer model win totals to come out after free agency to show how far away we are. I'm sure everyone voting playoffs will bet the overs and get rich.

Over under on the Knicks was 22.5 wins.
The sports books were pretty off last year.

Of course theirs outliers. If you were betting 5 games over the win totals every year i can promise youll be broke quickly.

Pistons were projected at 23 last season. They were 3 under.

buzzkilloton wrote:

FloridaMan78 wrote:

buzzkilloton wrote:Team lotto. Just waiting for the sportsbook win totals and computer model win totals to come out after free agency to show how far away we are. I'm sure everyone voting playoffs will bet the overs and get rich.

Over under on the Knicks was 22.5 wins.
The sports books were pretty off last year.

Of course theirs outliers. If you were betting 5 games over the win totals every year i can promise youll be broke quickly.

Pistons were projected at 23 last season. They were 3 under.

They missed a lot in the East

Milwaukee Bucks 49.5
Boston Celtics 45.5
Brooklyn Nets 45.5
Philadelphia 76ers 45.5
Miami Heat 44.5
Toronto Raptors 41.5
Indiana Pacers 39.5
Atlanta Hawks 36.5
Washington Wizards 32.5
Orlando Magic 31.5
Chicago Bulls 30.5
Charlotte Hornets 25.5
Detroit Pistons 23.5
New York Knicks 22.5
Cleveland Cavaliers 22.5

FloridaMan78 wrote:

buzzkilloton wrote:

FloridaMan78 wrote:
Over under on the Knicks was 22.5 wins.
The sports books were pretty off last year.

Of course theirs outliers. If you were betting 5 games over the win totals every year i can promise youll be broke quickly.

Pistons were projected at 23 last season. They were 3 under.

They missed a lot in the East

Milwaukee Bucks 49.5 46
Boston Celtics 45.5 36
Brooklyn Nets 45.5 48
Philadelphia 76ers 45.5 49
Miami Heat 44.5 40
Toronto Raptors 41.5 27
Indiana Pacers 39.5 34
Atlanta Hawks 36.5 41
Washington Wizards 32.5 34
Orlando Magic 31.5 21
Chicago Bulls 30.5 31
Charlotte Hornets 25.5 33
Detroit Pistons 23.5 20
New York Knicks 22.5 41
Cleveland Cavaliers 22.5 22

Looks like they did a really good job to me.Celtics, Knicks,Hornets,Magic, and Raptors the outliers. They were really close to the rest. You're proving my point on how good they make lines.

buzzkilloton wrote:

FloridaMan78 wrote:

buzzkilloton wrote:
Of course theirs outliers. If you were betting 5 games over the win totals every year i can promise youll be broke quickly.

Pistons were projected at 23 last season. They were 3 under.

They missed a lot in the East

Milwaukee Bucks 49.5 46
Boston Celtics 45.5 36
Brooklyn Nets 45.5 48
Philadelphia 76ers 45.5 49
Miami Heat 44.5 40
Toronto Raptors 41.5 27
Indiana Pacers 39.5 34
Atlanta Hawks 36.5 41
Washington Wizards 32.5 34
Orlando Magic 31.5 21
Chicago Bulls 30.5 31
Charlotte Hornets 25.5 33
Detroit Pistons 23.5 20
New York Knicks 22.5 41
Cleveland Cavaliers 22.5 22

Looks like they did a really good job to me. Knicks,Hornets,Magic, and Raptors the outliers. They were really close to the rest. You're proving my point on how good they make lines.

Agree to disagree. I think that's awful. Atlanta, Knicks and Hornets the most glaring. Easy to pick the top and worst teams. The middle is tough and I think we won't be top and we won't be the worst.

FloridaMan78 wrote:

buzzkilloton wrote:

FloridaMan78 wrote:

They missed a lot in the East

Milwaukee Bucks 49.5 46
Boston Celtics 45.5 36
Brooklyn Nets 45.5 48
Philadelphia 76ers 45.5 49
Miami Heat 44.5 40
Toronto Raptors 41.5 27
Indiana Pacers 39.5 34
Atlanta Hawks 36.5 41
Washington Wizards 32.5 34
Orlando Magic 31.5 21
Chicago Bulls 30.5 31
Charlotte Hornets 25.5 33
Detroit Pistons 23.5 20
New York Knicks 22.5 41
Cleveland Cavaliers 22.5 22

Looks like they did a really good job to me. Knicks,Hornets,Magic, and Raptors the outliers. They were really close to the rest. You're proving my point on how good they make lines.

Agree to disagree. I think that's awful. Easy to pick the top and worst teams. The middle is tough and I think we won't be top and we won't be the worst.

Western conference
sportsbook actual
lakers 46.5 42
clippers 45.5 47
nuggs 44.5 47
mavs 42.5 42
jazz 42.5 52
blazers 41.5 42
suns 38.5 51
warrios 36.5 39
pels 36.5 31
rockets 34.5 17
grizz 30.5 38
spurs 29.5 33
wolves 28.5 23
kings 27.5 31
thunder 25 22

Thats the West. So last season 9 teams were outliers. The Suns and Hornets made huge free agent additions in CP3 and Hayward. Jazz added Conley who was an all star. Knicks had a most improved season from Randle(2nd team all nba) a free agent.

As far as the dissapointments. Rockets traded Harden.Magic were wrecked by injuries and traded their best player due to injuries killing their chances.Raptors and Celtics were surprisingly dissapointing I guess injuries slowed them down and under perfoming with talent.

Anyways looking at the outliers last season who actually gained wins nothing we did this offseason leads me to believe were going to be in a position to be the outlier compared to teams last year who had big free agents moves. Like I said if we grabbed DDR you could talk me into us having the turn around this season. Kelly O and a rookie of the year not enough.

Also alot of these surprise teams have young guys who are going into like year 3-5 and broke out. Our young guys are 2nd year players. I think our breakout can come next season. This season just seems unrealistic.