Post Mortem #20 - Detroit Pistons

Post #1 » by **Clav** » Fri May 2, 2025 2:39 am

It was a tough series, but the Pistons take their bow from the postseason and are our 20th team eliminated.

Spoiler:

Time of death: May 01, 2025
Record at elimination: 44-38 [2-4 in playoffs]
Head coach: JB Bickerstaff

Contract summary:
https://www.spotrac.com/nba/detroit-pistons/yearly

Tobias Harris – 26M expiring
Tim Hardaway Jr – UFA
Isaiah Stewart – 3yr/45M remain (final year 15M TO)
Cade Cunningham – 5yr-extension begins next season (5yr/224M)
Malik Beasley - UFA
Schröder – UFA
Simone Fontecchio – 8M expiring
Lindy Waters III – UFA
Paul Reed - UFA

Rookie Scale/minimums (varies on 2-4 years remaining):
Ausar Thompson – 2yr/20M remain, extension available later
Ron Holland II – 3yr remain
Jaden Ivey – extension eligible, or 10M QO (injured, leg)
Jalen Duren - extension eligible, or 6M QO
Marcus Sasser – 2yr/8M remain
Bobi Klintman – 2M guaranteed, 3yr remain in total with 2 of those non-guaranteed

TW
Ron Harper Jr
Daniss Jenkins
Tolu Smith III

Dead-cap – 8.5M off the books this season, NONE retained next season

Cap space: over the cap, non-tax team. Has extensions, but also FA's that will come off the books.

PICKS for 2025 draft:
TOR 2nd

A SMALL SEASON REVIEW:
https://www.espn.com/nba/team/schedule/_/name/det/seasontype/2

The first team ever to triple its win total from the previous season in NBA history are the one and only 24-25 Detroit Pistons. Incredibly, after winning just 14 games last year and not winning in 28 consecutive games at one point, this team has turned it around to get in the playoffs. Not even the play-in, the proper playoffs with a secured spot as the No. 6 seed! Detroit ended up with 44 wins (which is not only more than 3x [3x14 = 42], but also ABOVE .500 by 6 games).

It was a very tough series against the Knicks, and I think DET fans should hold their heads high for the performance and grit their team displayed. It’s amazing to see a team outshine expectations by a fair margin, and DET did that for sure. It was a year of chances for mid-table EC teams with various team turmoil (MIA) or injuries (ORL/PHL/ATL).

That’s not to say the Pistons were injury free, Isaiah Stewart missed some of the playoffs, and Jaden Ivey had a horrific leg break. Fortunately for both they will return next season where another playoff contending spot is up for grabs.

Signing Tobias Harris was panned, but he actually played well. Cade was locked in much of the year, Malik Beasley had a proficient 3pt shooting year, and other pieces around the roster improved. JB Bickerstaff helped this team rally from Monty’s Malaise (sic).

There’s contract questions primarily for Detroit, and they need similar production to repeat this year’s success. Who do they turn to in FA ? Will there be a splashy trade to the Motor City ? What happens next for the Pistons ? They have a Raptor's 2nd to utilize and a long offseason to round out the roster.

xxSnEaKyPxx · Post #2 » by **xxSnEaKyPxx** » Fri May 2, 2025 2:41 am

Losing three home playoff games is rough, especially how the end of that game went down.

That said, they had a great season. They were a young team getting their first playoff experience and will come back next year better for it.

djsunyc · Post #3 » by **djsunyc** » Fri May 2, 2025 2:45 am

fun year after a decade of garbage. happy for their fans. with that said, there's always teams that surprise one year then fall back down the following season.

team desperately needs scoring and playmaking. playing hard defense only gets you so far. hope they don't squander this summer's cap on retaining guys or on role guys. they need some offensive skill guys even if it means trading for one under contract.

i guess they hope ivey fills some of that role but who knows.

this series performance should not be looked at "we almost won" but more "that showed us what we really need".

zshawn10 · Post #4 » by **zshawn10** » Fri May 2, 2025 2:45 am

I wouldn’t feel bad if I am a pistons fan. You could have arguably won this series if a couple calls went your way and you didn’t let the other team put a 21-0 run on you

ORLMagicGirl15 · Post #5 » by **ORLMagicGirl15** » Fri May 2, 2025 2:46 am

Great season Piston fans. Continuity really helps the young players. Hopefully you guys can keep your players.

JXL · Post #6 » by **JXL** » Fri May 2, 2025 2:48 am

Pistons are going places, but dude, get a better coach than J.B. Bickerstaff LOL

james vincent · Post #7 » by **james vincent** » Fri May 2, 2025 2:49 am

A rising team but I don’t like duren for their team. They need a true rim protector, anchor and defender. He’s young but the instincts aren’t there (yet); Isiah Stewart’s too small and better suited as a backup. Also, I think if Ivey were healthy, then they’d play a game 7 in New York. Lastly, they need a backup and future starting power forward desperately; however, Tobias Harris played very well defensively on KAT compared to everyone else. Finally, if Ausur can improve his free throw shooting and mid-range, then he raises the ceiling of their team.

MrBigShot · Post #8 » by **MrBigShot** » Fri May 2, 2025 2:49 am

He is my favorite active player, but Cade did not have a good series overall and has a lot of work to do in the summer. Every time the game was down to the wire all series he missed a shot or turned the ball over.

Marvin Martian · Post #9 » by **Marvin Martian** » Fri May 2, 2025 2:53 am

This team is fool's gold IMO. I have some doubts as to whether this team will make it back to the playoffs next year if PHI is healthy. I even think ATL can also make a run.

IMO DET needs to pick up the phone and make a deal to get Cade some help otherwise they will end up like ORL very soon. Everyone except Cade and Ausar is up for sale

xxSnEaKyPxx · Post #10 » by **xxSnEaKyPxx** » Fri May 2, 2025 2:54 am

MrBigShot wrote:He is my favorite active player, but Cade did not have a good series overall and has a lot of work to do in the summer. Every time the game was down to the wire all series he missed a shot or turned the ball over.

Yea…he didn’t play bad I guess, but I just expected a lot more.

It could be concerning when your star doesn’t rise to the occasion in the playoffs, but at the same time, when defenses tighten up for the playoffs, you really need another reliable option to take pressure off. Cade didn’t really have that.

KnicksGadfly · Post #11 » by **KnicksGadfly** » Fri May 2, 2025 2:58 am

Yall gotta give JB some credit. I thought he did a better job in this series than in two years ago, and he rebuilt this Pistons team.

bronxknicksfan1 · Post #12 » by **bronxknicksfan1** » Fri May 2, 2025 3:06 am

Pistons looked a lot better than I thought they would this series. Wondering what they’ll do with a lot of those players. Cade, Ausar and Duren are keepers for sure.

itrsteve · Post #13 » by **itrsteve** » Fri May 2, 2025 3:07 am

Retool around the fringes but keep everything the same. Those guys have learned a crapload in the past year and are in a great place going forward.

worldjbfree · Post #14 » by **worldjbfree** » Fri May 2, 2025 3:16 am

The first postmortem where the team is trending positive, and there is a bright outlook overall. Better season than expected, and if they can improve the personnel to build off this year, they can be the next Cavaliers.

Post #15 » by **Capn'O** » Fri May 2, 2025 3:17 am

I like this team. Great season and series for the Pistons. Despite the series loss fans should feel good about the direction of the team. They need a few pieces but have a main one and a team with gumption and heart behind him.

This summer I think they need to let Beasley go. He's a loser. JB is probably good for them for another season of building but eventually they'll need a "finishing touches" sort of coach.

It looks like they'll have the ability to sign some guys. Who looks good?

MrBigShot wrote:He is my favorite active player, but Cade did not have a good series overall and has a lot of work to do in the summer. Every time the game was down to the wire all series he missed a shot or turned the ball over.

He'll work but I don't know if it's work. He needed experience. Knicks might have been the best first series for him because we're not leagues better but we do have experience so he got a lot of high pressure knocks. He got the shots that he wanted but it was his first crack at the big-time and he missed a bunch. He'll be more mentally ready next time. I have good confidence with him. He's a straight winner.

nykinoz · Post #16 » by **nykinoz** » Fri May 2, 2025 3:19 am

Alot to like about that Pistons team, you add Ivey and Stew back in, they will be there again next season.

shi-woo · Post #17 » by **shi-woo** » Fri May 2, 2025 3:23 am

Everyone stays. Coach did fantastic this year, and got that team to play hard and buy into their identity, and the FO brought in vets to make the team run.

Even if the series was a let down because you were the better team for 90% of it, the experience of playing late clase playoff games is going to pay dividends. You got questions answered and now can move on with certainty.

You now know Cade is that guy, and his pace is incredible. He elevates people, and the better his team mates, the better he will be.
Duran is a legit NBA starting center, and can play in crunch time against opposing centers
Ausar isn't a liability, and can shut down anyone on D, and still play a role on offsense attacking the rim
This team desperately needs shooting to work, and multiple ball hawks

They are going to be tested though because all their vets are in need of contracts, and they CANT over pay for any of them. Tim Hardaway, Beasley, and Shroder are all solid vets, but you can't give any of them more than MLE money, not even Beasley who just had a year where he played out of his mind. Ivey is coming back, and he was looking fantastic before injury. All 3 of those guys will play substantially less, and not nearly as important as they were this year. They have to be smart about who they bring back, and i'm praying some team desperate for shooting throws a bag at THJ.

I'd bring back Shroder, who excelled in the roll LA essentially had Rondo play, and you know he's not getting a bunch of offers. I would reward Beas with a nice contract similar to what Stew is making, but with less years.

I would like to trade Tobias for more of a marksman at the 4, but i don't think that's going to happen. He probably gets signed again, but I would certainly be looking to find his replacement this year. There is no one on the roster, and they don't have a draft pick. I'd be kicking the tires on trading into the 1st round this year, given the amount of teams that have multiple picks and really no use for them. A trade similar to what Minny did last year to target someone like CMB or Yaxel.

Other than that, just don't be dumb and over pay journeymen vets right before you have to pay the Kids, and just bring the team back, and hope for more internal improvement, and that Ivey continues figuring it out and provides more spacing and dynamic play with the ball. Hope that Holland and Ausar can continue working on their offense because both already look elite on D, and that Sasser finds a role. That's it.

DET is in a really solid spot moving forward, and think they just need to figure out their 4 spot of the future.

Duran- Stew
Holland
Thompson
Ivey
Cade- Sasser

Great young core.

Chuck Everett · Post #18 » by **Chuck Everett** » Fri May 2, 2025 3:45 am

I was impressed by Detroit. Keep building. I'm intrigued to see third year Ausar and second year Holland. Their development is the key to Detroit leveling up. Cade has to clean up the turnovers somehow. Duren probably needs to drop 10lbs, but a center who can rebound and make free throws and be a lob threat will always have value.

chilluminati · Post #19 » by **chilluminati** » Fri May 2, 2025 3:47 am

Detroit is back. Plain and simple, this has been one hell of a season. A turn around that I don't think anybody saw coming. It's been awesome to see the city loving basketball again, and the league is better for it.

Cade's emergence was something that Detroit fans have been waiting for the world to witness. Unfortunately in these playoffs, a very experienced OG Anunoby gave him fits, but that huge game 2 and even keeled playstyle even when he's struggling is what we should all come to expect for the future. Even still, his decision making needs work, and you could tell there was a hesitation on his shot attempts. OG really won that series for NYK, because if Cade could have went off like he was all season we could be looking at a very different result right now.

But in the end, we are too young to win anything yet. We're too inexperienced, and it showed. Cade disappeared a lot. Ausar had a very hard task of guarding Brunson who indeed does like to foul bait. At the same time though, Ausar gives too much body and sometimes just does a little too much, but it got better over the span of the series and by the 3rd game it wasn't exactly what I was worrying about anymore. Very proud of Ausar's game 5 though, he made the right cuts and played the dunker spot beautifully. Duren is also very underated as a passer. When he's paying attention and is locked in, Duren is very dangerous passing out of the middle.

In the end though we shot ourselves in the foot. Bad turnovers, huge cold streaks ... The best part is how much trouble we gave a veteran team like NYK. The fact they let us stay so close for so many games really shows that we are not pretenders. The reality is, with a few less turnovers and 1 correct call in game 3, we're probably looking at game 7. But we really let a lot of opportunities slip away from us with an added inability to finish games. It's the classic case of the young team getting their first taste of the big show. These are the salad days.

The roster is in an okay spot, I'd like to keep what we have and let them develop, but look to improve our veteran bench rotation. Building around Cade and Ausar is now the absolute clear path for us. Putting shooters and a strong drop defender around those two will produce results. We just need them both to keep improving and evolving. In these playoffs without Stew I saw just how small we really are. I like Stew and he's galvanized our defense. In most cases he was the solution to Duren's rim protecting issues, but he also isn't inherently the solution either. Duren has to become a more competent defender, plain and simple. We are a good defensive team, but stats aren't telling the story here. Duren is slow on reads, and could get much much more done with more intuition on D.

Beasley should be resigned, but I wouldn't be willing to throw huge money at him. He's been electric for us, an absolute spark plug. but man, the playoffs start and he completely went ghost. He had a decent game 6 but it's just hard to watch him gloat and shimmy, then proceed to miss his next 5 attempts. It's cool when it goes in, and you look like a horses ass when it doesn't. Once Ivey is back I'll feel better about having Beasley, continuing as our 6th man with a few less minutes.

I don't think overpaying for any of our current roleplayers is a very good idea even though they've been successful here, but I'd like to see them retained. THJ is whatever though. I get tired of watching Hardaway score 20 one night and 2 the next. He's by definition a streaky shooter. Eventually I'd like to see Sasser and Holland work into the roles of THJ and Schroder, but for now I'd rather have experienced roleplayers.

And to those who want Ivey traded, look at how badly we needed another penetrating shot creator in that NYK series. We have to let Ivey get better and see the playoffs too.

All in all, the roster needs upgrades, but not at the expense of the cores progress. I'd rather keep what we have than making breakneck trades that we all think we need.

JB and the coaching staff is okay ... JB really is an excellent coach for young players. He seems to have a knack for helping teams realize just how good they actually are. A definite floor raiser of a coach that keeps the ear of his locker room. But ... A few REALLY bad challenges, some questionable lineup decisions and a few incorrect chess moves against Thibs sub pattern (which isn't much, Thibs rides the horse until it can't anymore as we all know). I think we should keep him, but he's not the long term solution.

I'll say it one more time though, Detroit is back. It's nice to finally escape purgatory.

ElectricMayhem · Post #20 » by **ElectricMayhem** » Fri May 2, 2025 3:49 am

Thanks for taking these over, Clav. I wish I had the time.

As others have mentioned, the Pistons lacked a 2nd threat. In some ways, Ivey was becoming that before he got hurt. He averaged 17.6 ppg this year with 3-point shooting north of 40%. BUT they were still a slightly sub-.500 team until he got hurt. They started winning after he stopped playing. Is that because they were getting to the point of understanding and buying into Bickerstaff's new system? Is that because the vets play winning basketball more than Ivey? If so, can that change? Is it because it put the ball in Cade's hands more? I'm not sure. Obviously, it's better for the Pistons if Ivey is that guy and they can play winning basketball with him.

Both Thompson twins are becoming monsters and they are still so young. Ausar is already a top defensive player and his offense has improved as well. I think his continued growth is the biggest thing that could catapult the Pistons to the next level.

Jalen Duren is only 21. He's still got a lot of growth left too. It's such a young team and great to see them already seeing some success so far from their ceiling age-wise.

Detroit really missed Steward this series. People who don't watch Pistons games thinks he's just a guy who rages and gets thrown out of games. Yes, that is a couple-times-a-year type of thing, but he is an amazing post defender and brings a lot to the team.

I understand the desire to start putting chips in to get a star to become a serious competitor. I don't care who the star is, though, I'd want it done without Cade and Ausar or not at all.

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