John Hollinger article on the Pistons rebuild

[theBigLip]

https://theathletic.com/5148528/2023/12/19/detroit-pistons-losing-streak-nba-rebuild/

Good article by a respected NBA expert. Not flattering at all.

[theBigLip]

The crux of the problem is that the Pistons have made eight first-round draft picks since their reset in 2019 and have yet to land on a star.

[theBigLip]

scouts are extremely down on this season’s crop of one-and-dones and don’t see any can’t-miss stars coming out of the 2024 lottery

All of this is to say the Pistons’ drought might not be anywhere near over. They won’t be this bad (ummm .. right?) when they’re healthier and have another year of experience, but it’s hard to see a scenario in which they’re good anytime soon.

[theBigLip]

Good article but it is adding to my depression

[Snakebites]

We absolutely needed to make a leap this year with what we had- internal improvement was essential. The plan was not to tank this year.

It was always known that this wasn’t going to be a strong draft this year- there’s no savior in this draft.

5 lottery picks in four drafts- no clear star. It’s a disgraceful failure in drafting and roster construction.

Taking into account the context of the last few years I absolutely think this will go down as the worst season in NBA history.

[Canadafan]

Good article but it is adding to my depression

Times are toughhhhh. Ol trader Troy has to do something for **** sakes

[Rip32]

team won't win 10 games! They are terrible

[Snakebites]

We will most likely make some moves. Not sure they’ll be ones we’re happy with.

[DBC10]

Good article but it is adding to my depression

Times are toughhhhh. Ol trader Troy has to do something for **** sakes

Would we really trust Troy to make a move after how terrible we have been? A panic trade isn't going to save this season or make it that much better

[Canadafan]

Good article but it is adding to my depression

Times are toughhhhh. Ol trader Troy has to do something for **** sakes

Would we really trust Troy to make a move after how terrible we have been? A panic trade isn't going to save this season or make it that much better

I'm willing to sacrifice everything at this point to just get 1 win

[vege]

Good article but it is adding to my depression

Times are toughhhhh. Ol trader Troy has to do something for **** sakes

Would we really trust Troy to make a move after how terrible we have been? A panic trade isn't going to save this season or make it that much better

I am fully expecting him to sell Bojan for peanuts and get an awful guy like THJr. We've been linked for THJr for 2 years already.

[vege]

Over his last 10 games, Cunningham is averaging 22 points on 49 percent shooting from the field, seven assists and only three turnovers. He’s got a true shooting percentage of 58. He’s attempting 4.3 free throws per game. Cunningham is converting 73 percent of his shot attempts in the restricted area.

That sounds like a star in the make imo, for a guy with ~100 NBA games. He need a functional team around him tho, he's not LBJ or MJ.

[vege]

Not coincidentally, Cunningham’s progress has come at the same time that Detroit stopped starting two bigs, primarily due to injuries. That hasn’t happened in five games, and in that stretch, Cunningham is posting 23.2 points while shooting 50 percent from the field, 5.8 assists (largely due to one player on Detroit being able to hit a 3) and just 2.4 turnovers. He’s even knocking down over 66 percent of his midrange attempts.

This is Weaver's fault, and it was obvious.

[joedumars1]

Not coincidentally, Cunningham’s progress has come at the same time that Detroit stopped starting two bigs, primarily due to injuries. That hasn’t happened in five games, and in that stretch, Cunningham is posting 23.2 points while shooting 50 percent from the field, 5.8 assists (largely due to one player on Detroit being able to hit a 3) and just 2.4 turnovers. He’s even knocking down over 66 percent of his midrange attempts.

This is Weaver's fault, and it was obvious.

Is weaver the one making the starting lineups?

Cade had 43 points 7 assist 3 steals 1 block 3 turnovers. I mean them are star #’s. Now let’s play the players we have that compliment his skill set. If we have them players (shooters). Lol.

[vege]

Not coincidentally, Cunningham’s progress has come at the same time that Detroit stopped starting two bigs, primarily due to injuries. That hasn’t happened in five games, and in that stretch, Cunningham is posting 23.2 points while shooting 50 percent from the field, 5.8 assists (largely due to one player on Detroit being able to hit a 3) and just 2.4 turnovers. He’s even knocking down over 66 percent of his midrange attempts.

This is Weaver's fault, and it was obvious.

Is weaver the one making the starting lineups?

Cade had 43 points 7 assist 3 steals 1 block 3 turnovers. I mean them are star #’s. Now let’s play the players we have that compliment his skill set. If we have them players (shooters). Lol.

He is the guy who built that roster and forced Stewart being the only option at the PF, and added a bunch of guys who can't shoot or defend. He is the guy who built a roster with 0 wing depth. So yes, it's 100% his fault.

[joedumars1]

Not coincidentally, Cunningham’s progress has come at the same time that Detroit stopped starting two bigs, primarily due to injuries. That hasn’t happened in five games, and in that stretch, Cunningham is posting 23.2 points while shooting 50 percent from the field, 5.8 assists (largely due to one player on Detroit being able to hit a 3) and just 2.4 turnovers. He’s even knocking down over 66 percent of his midrange attempts.

This is Weaver's fault, and it was obvious.

Is weaver the one making the starting lineups?

Cade had 43 points 7 assist 3 steals 1 block 3 turnovers. I mean them are star #’s. Now let’s play the players we have that compliment his skill set. If we have them players (shooters). Lol.

He is the guy who built that roster and forced Stewart being the only option at the PF, and added a bunch of guys who can't shoot or defend. He is the guy who built a roster with 0 wing depth. So yes, it's 100% his fault.

yeah he’s part of it but it shouldn’t take a coach as long as it has (if he has) to realize he needs shooters around him.

[vege]

Is weaver the one making the starting lineups?

Cade had 43 points 7 assist 3 steals 1 block 3 turnovers. I mean them are star #’s. Now let’s play the players we have that compliment his skill set. If we have them players (shooters). Lol.

He is the guy who built that roster and forced Stewart being the only option at the PF, and added a bunch of guys who can't shoot or defend. He is the guy who built a roster with 0 wing depth. So yes, it's 100% his fault.

yeah he’s part of it but it shouldn’t take a coach as long as it has (if he has) to realize he needs shooters around him.

Monty is not innocent. He is trash. But he doesn't have a lot to work with.

I was thinking and this would be my rotation to try to win a game once Duren and Stewart are back

Jalen Duren / Isaiah Stewart
Bojan Bogdanovic / Kevin Knox
Ausar Thompson /
Cade Cunningham / Stanley Umude
Marcus Sasser /

Umude and Knox are 2 of our best shooters, and they can play some level of defense and they have size. How sad is that?

[Mr Peanut]

It's no secret we suck, but John Hollinger has been a known Pistons hater for a while. There were tensions between him and Ed Stefanski when they were both with the Grizzlies and his disdain has extended into the Weaver era. So it's no surprise that he is piling it onto us.

[SuperBad]

The spurs have been doing the same thing and not faring much better even with VW, they’ve extended young guys not worth as well, they just have two more wins than us, our pieces just don’t fit, but I there better.

[NYPiston]

Over his last 10 games, Cunningham is averaging 22 points on 49 percent shooting from the field, seven assists and only three turnovers. He’s got a true shooting percentage of 58. He’s attempting 4.3 free throws per game. Cunningham is converting 73 percent of his shot attempts in the restricted area.

That sounds like a star in the make imo, for a guy with ~100 NBA games. He need a functional team around him tho, he's not LBJ or MJ.

Cade has been playing well but those are empty stats since most games haven't been competitive.

Generally I agree with you though. Cade is a keeper and is not the problem, they need to build around him and instead just collected talent that doesn't fit.
Whoever thought it was a good idea to build a team with no shooters, no viable shooting guard, no 3 and D wing, no power forward that can score and a center that can't score outside of the paint in todays' NBA then trade assets for two bigs that can't play a lick of defense. Just mind boggling.

I'm not going to act like I didn't like the draft picks at the time (although I always questioned Ivey's fit) and Ivey, Duren, Ausar are a talented trio but I don't think you can have 3 high draft picks that can't shoot in todays' NBA, not to mention the 2020 draft that basically netted them Hayes, Stewart and Wiseman, a bust and two non-shooters although one can argue two busts and a non-shooter.