Post-Mortem: 2021-22 Detroit Pistons

[ElectricMayhem]

With a loss to the Clippers and Atlanta's win against Indiana, Detroit has become the second team to see this year's championship trophy slip from their grasp. We shall now cut them open and see what's inside...

Here is the data from last year's Post-Mortems:
Post-Mortem Results I: GM Confidence Meter
Post-Mortem Results II: Coaching Confidence Meter
Post-Mortem Results III: Performance Compared to Expectations
Post-Mortem Results IV: Rising/Treadmill/Waning

Team Name: Detroit Pistons
Record at Time of Death: 18-50 (.265)
GM: Troy Weaver (2020- )
Coach: Dwane Casey (2018- )

Offensive Rating: 28th
Defensive Rating: 25th
Rebound %: 30th
Turnover %: 20th

GM: Change or keep?
Coach: Change or keep?
Relative to expectations, how did they fare this year?
Rising, falling, or treadmill?
If you were in charge, what would you do this offseason?

Notes:
Players under contract next year:
Jerami Grant ($21m)
Kelly Olynyk ($13m)
Cade Cunningham ($11m)
Killian Hayes ($6m)
Isaiah Stewart ($3m)
Saddiq Bey ($3m)
Saben Lee ($2m)
Isaiah Livers ($2m)

Team Options:
Hamidou Diallo ($5m)
Frank Jackson ($3m)

Player Options:
Cory Joseph ($5m)

Free Agents:
Marvin Bagley III
Rodney McGruder
Luka Garza
Jamorko Pickett
Chris Smith

Dead Money:
DeAndre Jordan ($8m)
Dewayne Dedmon ($3m)

Previous Post-Mortems:
30. Orlando Magic

[ElectricMayhem]

Cunningham and Bey have the potential to be something special. They should be able to add another top tier talent in the draft. Isaiah Stewart is also a solid big man and Killian Hayes at least plays good defense. If I were the Weaver, I'd trade Grant. He's good, but he sucks the ball out of Cunningham or Bey's hands at times. Weaver is Weaver, though and I don't think he'll trade Grant.

Still, I'd like to keep Weaver. He is in his second year and completely rearranged the team. Getting lucky in the lottery certainly helped but I think he did a nice stealth tank job this year by not giving the team any rebounders. They switched out Plumlee for Olynyk. The team was able to develop in other facets while still losing. They rank dead last in reb% and I think that was apparent it would be like that from the beginning of the season.

There's a lot of hate on the Pistons board re: Casey, but I'm happy with his job thus far. He's had a trash roster and now he has a young roster. He's kept them motivated and developing. Retain Dwane.

This year is pretty much what was expected of Detroit. Losing Olynyk and Grant for extended periods of time made it a bit worse for wins and losses but probably better for development.

Everybody would hate Detroit if they get lucky in the lottery again, but Cunningham/Jabari would be a nice duo.

[Clav]

Keep GM
Keep Coach
As Expected
Rising

Do they keep Bagley ? That's an interesting question going forward. Pistons had some good moments this year and despite the record had a lot of development in their guys.

Definitely needs shooting and better guard play but Hayes and Cunningham will develop better. Their roster is ripe to add a solid PF or C (Bagley could be their guy? I wonder if he's shown enough to warrant that spot going forward)

DET should really try to get Smith or Holmgren in the draft and add another dynamic guard to complement Grant. Saddiq Bey has played really well and Diallo has been better. (Shooting needed!) This year, this roster was an injury away from problems, and Olynyk and Grant were not available for a bit, but with a little solid depth, it's a squad that can move up the standings next year for sure.

[BigGargamel]

No reason to shake things up in the front office, or coaching really. They are progressing as expected with a full tear down. Cunningham and Bey look like keepers. Should still get a decent return for Grant. A likely top five pick. Getting into the top three would be huge (obviously) but I think AJ Griffin and Jaden Ivey would be really good fits as well.

[tmorgan]

When did we get rid of Casey, EM? Lolz.

Also, Josh Jackson was in the Bagley deal.

[tmorgan]

I’m satisfied, tho we were suckier than I expected this year.

Everything should be considered tradable except Cade. I like Bey, but he’s nothing special. We need NBA quality guards and a better center in the worst way.

Bagley may want more than he’s actually worth. I’m ok with keeping Grant or moving him for a good return. I wish Joseph and Olynyk weren’t carrying over.

I give Weaver an A-. Mostly good moves, but it’s sure looking like he blew the Killian Hayes pick.

Casey is a B. Fine for a young team like ours, fits what he’s good at.

[VanWest82]

Any chance Pistons make a QO to Bagley? It would be something like 14.7M. Now way he deserves that but if they don't he's probably out.

[BigGargamel]

Is Hayes really that bad? He's still so young. Is it because of youth or because he's just not good? What I read is he's a good defender who needs to work on his jump shot. So basically Frank Ntilikinapart 2. Eww.

[ElectricMayhem]

When did we get rid of Casey, EM? Lolz.

Also, Josh Jackson was in the Bagley deal.

Copy/Paste SNAFU!

[Sothron]

They shouldn't make any changes to FO/coach. They are on the rise. They had a ton of injures plus youth in an obvious rebuilding year and still have looked good despite the overall record. They will get another top pick this year in the draft to go with their young core. They should trade Grant and get more to restock the cupboard.

[mattao313]

Is Hayes really that bad? He's still so young. Is it because of youth or because he's just not good? What I read is he's a good defender who needs to work on his jump shot. So basically Frank Ntilikinapart 2. Eww.

It's some of us Pistons fans that like him but imo he's a scrub. He's basically scared to score the ball. He's decent on defense but isn't a stopper on that end, he can pass but he isn't a real playmaker because he can't score or even pretend to score. He's young but time is running out for him on the Pistons anyways.

Sent from my 5087Z using RealGM mobile app

[TimeisIllmatic]

I’m satisfied, tho we were suckier than I expected this year.

Everything should be considered tradable except Cade. I like Bey, but he’s nothing special. We need NBA quality guards and a better center in the worst way.

Bagley may want more than he’s actually worth. I’m ok with keeping Grant or moving him for a good return. I wish Joseph and Olynyk weren’t carrying over.

I give Weaver an A-. Mostly good moves, but it’s sure looking like he blew the Killian Hayes pick.

Casey is a B. Fine for a young team like ours, fits what he’s good at.

I'll give Weaver the benefit of the doubt for that Hayes pick. Detroit picked at #7 which was a weird spot. I'm sure they tried to trade up. In hindsight Haliburton obviously would've looked nice next to Cade.

[tmorgan]

Is Hayes really that bad? He's still so young. Is it because of youth or because he's just not good? What I read is he's a good defender who needs to work on his jump shot. So basically Frank Ntilikinapart 2. Eww.

Defense is good for youngster. Really, really active hands. Solid passer.

Truly awful offensively. Can’t shoot very well and can’t finish at the rim. No floater game to compensate. Still mostly one-handed.

Basically, no one guards him and it mucks up the offense. His third year is picked up already, but he better get a floater and a reliable open three this off-season or he’s a third string situational PG.

[tmorgan]

Any chance Pistons make a QO to Bagley? It would be something like 14.7M. Now way he deserves that but if they don't he's probably out.

Good lord I hope not.

Bagley is a pretty good offensive player and rebounder. His defensive instincts are pitiful. He is a 4, despite his size, because playing him at the 5 would only work for an elite perimeter defense team, which we are definitely not. If he’ll resign on a reasonable deal (like 3/30), he’s a useful 6th or 7th man for bench offense. I bet he wants more, and if I were Weaver I wouldn’t pay it.

[Mr Peanut]

Any chance Pistons make a QO to Bagley? It would be something like 14.7M. Now way he deserves that but if they don't he's probably out.

It's only going to be half of that due to some clause in Bagley's contract saying he has to play a certain amount of minutes/start a certain amount of games this season which he isn't going to achieve.

[Perseus1966]

you pay Drummond and Dedmon?

[GSP]

Didn't Cade have a bet with Redick that they'd make the playoffs lol

[Mr Peanut]

you pay Drummond and Dedmon?

Jordan and Dedmon. DAJ was to eat some salary cap and we got 4 second round picks out of it. Dedmon was poor cap management though and will still be on the books for another 3 seasons.

[djsunyc]

i think the only way a casey led piston team will make the playoffs is if they play the raptors 50 times a year.

[cupcakesnake]

I had the Pistons as a darkhorse playoff team but man did nothing go right for them. Cade was hurt to start the season, and when he joined the rotation, he also joined the team-wide cold shooting spell. Saddiq Bey in particular started outrageously cold and struggled with consistency all season (the shot still looks fine btw). They vets (Olynyk and Jerami) got hurt and deprived the Pistons of functional lineup options. I believe in Cade/Bey/Jerami with a shooter (Olynyk?) and a rim runner (Bagley...?) (obviously that frontcourt would not work defensively!). Some of their pet projects (Josh Jackson, Hamidou Diallo) didn't pan out. I like Beef Stew, but Cade needs a pick & roll parter who can jump. The number of lob opportunities that Beef just wasn't there for really hurt the offense imo.

I was high on Killian Hayes in the draft. I looked at him and Haliburton and thought they both had similar games, but Haliburton would be too skinny/weak to pull it off in the NBA. Who would have thought that Hayes would be the one to struggle physically! The man's biggest nightmare is making any contact with his defender. He plays offense like the defenders are made of lava. Unless that's fixable, he'll never be a useful NBA player. I like the passing and defense though.

Troy Weaver has made plenty of good calls with this roster. I see no reason to move away from Casey at this stage in the game. Detroit sounds like it has a healthy culture. This year deserves a mulligan. I saw nothing that is stopping me from predicting a dark horse playoff team again next year.