The direction of the Motor Cade next seasons

[topsearch92]

We draft Cade and pass any offers for moving down for more picks and assets. Which direction do you want us to go next season and do you expect we do what you want?
I think I remember someone mentioning the Pistons telling Grant if we hit a top 4 lottery pick we push and if we fell we would tank again. Do we have enough youth talent to stop tanking and count on growth to push us to a contender? Should we tank for one more blue chipper. A team like Dallas probably wouldn’t have minded one more shot in the lottery to have a robin next to their batman. I honestly wouldn’t mind tanking one more season but don’t see how we do it. We had so many close games last season (10 losses within 5 points, not counting some OT loses). The rookies will get better and we have Cade to elevate everyone around him.

[bstein14]

There is no chance we finish in the bottom 3 next year. We could get lucky like Toronto did this year, push for the 8th seed and the last few weeks of the season we realize we fall short and rest some guys... then get lucky when the balls bounce. But most likely next year we are back to drafting 7th, 8th, 9th or 10th. In reality, most drafts end up having all-star talent somewhere in that range (Mitchell, Booker, SGA, Michael Porter Jr, Jamal Murray, Julius Randle, Zach Lavine, etc.

The only way we really bottom out again is if we end up trading Grant, and perhaps Plumlee, for some younger talent and or picks. If that happens its certainly possible our very young team finishes as the bottom 3 again.

[buzzkilloton]

I think we try to win and not tank but are still a bad team. Even the best rookies rarely equal wins right away. When the computer models and sportsbooks put out win projections after draft and free agency we will be somewhere between 4-6 projected.

Also you have to keep in mind we arent going after free agents or looking to improve outside of our young guys developing more. Many other teams are looking to improve with free agents and vets and will have injured players return next season.

[LaSheed]

Am I the only one that doesn't really like the nickname MotorCade? Lol

[440BB]

I kind of like HFO for a nickname. That's what most of us thought before the lottery were our chances of getting #1 - when Hell freezes over.

Hopefully, later in his career there would be a need to revise it to HOF.

[Manocad]

I chose "want us to tank" only because that's closest to what I actually want because I don't think a focus on either winning or losing as much as possible should be the goal. We don't know what we've got with the Pistons right now. We know what we had last year, and we suspect Cade will be added to the roster (which will likely improve the team), but there's a lot that's likely going to happen before Game 1 of next year. What I want is to build the right team in the right way and be geared toward some continued success. Not focusing on absolutely trying to make the playoffs this year, nor intentionally load managing/"leg contusion"-ing guys right off the bat to lose games/tank. Just play the guys the minutes they should play, and if the wins come and it looks like the team could make some noise in the playoffs with a trade that is NOT a "win now" short term move but instead improves the team now and in the future, sure, go for it. And if the team looks like it's still the same basic team from last year plus a little improvement due to Cade, i.e. a 30-35 win team that's likely going to fall short of the playoffs and wind up with a 10-14 pick, fine. Just let things happen and react. There doesn't have to be a predetermined goal to either make the playoffs or get the highest draft pick possible.

And spare me any "this is what this player said/Weaver said/Casey said" stuff. We all should understand that everyone has to sometimes keep a mask on when they talk to the media and not tip their hand, so what's actually going on behind the scenes may not necessarily be on the surface aligned with the message given to the media.

[Billl]

I think you are missing an option. Lose a lot of games, but not on purpose. Last year was the first time in memory that we actually tried to lose game by sitting rotation players. That's a true tank. I don't expect us to do that this year.

On the flip side, I don't think we'll be making a playoff push by riding vets. All the youngsters will continue to play big minutes. Our win total will be a reflection of their development.

[Manocad]

The only way we really bottom out again is if we end up trading Grant, and perhaps Plumlee, for some younger talent and or picks. If that happens its certainly possible our very young team finishes as the bottom 3 again.

And that's something I don't want to see. I don't like the "get worse to ultimately get better" idea continuing for...how long? At what point do you stop that and start being better and work on improving rather than getting worse? Like I've posted before, it seems some people have this belief that the Pistons have to arrive at a team filled with a dozen 19-23 year olds all drafted in the last 2-3 seasons, and then boom--they're a championship contender. Which obviously completely overlooks the idea that you've got to give a core group some time to develop together and gel into something special and sustainable. Right now it's Grant being suggested. Then let's say Josh Jackson (assuming he's still with the team) starts off the season like an All Star, like he's really putting it together, what then? "Well, he's a 4th year player--too old. Trade him for a mid/high first round draft pick and get worse to then get better." Know what I mean?

[vic]

With all the close games I saw last year... and all the times they pulled out surprise victories against contenders. I don't expect them to tank again.

This is a fighting team that's been built the right way. If you add more pieces and put a brain on top of it, it can take a big leap. Look at what Chris Paul did for Phoenix (and every other team in his career). High IQ players tend to add a lot of wins because they get the best out of the other 4 guys on the floor with them.

With Cade's IQ and creation talent stirring the pot, or "playing the orchestra", I think the team is going to be greater than the sum of their parts. Plus Killian showed some nice playmaking skills also. They both are good defensively. The lighter load for Grant is going to allow him to step up another level. Plus this draft is pretty deep, so we are bound to get extra shooting help.

I think Internal and Draft improvements won't allow another tank:

Cade: Creation Talent, Passing talent, IQ, Game finishing skills, perimeter defense
Killian: Passing talent, better perimeter defense, maybe some extra scoring
Bey: more shooting, more glue guy skills
Beef Stew: rebounding growth, more interior scoring, easy buckets from Cade, more pick & pop 3p
Grant: more iso scoring, less of a burden to carry the whole offense
+
Trey Murphy/Joe Wieskamp/Kessler Edwards - an elite shooter added in the draft
+
A bunch of young athletes and vets fighting for their careers in the 2nd and 3rd unit

I don't see how the Pistons can tank again

[DBC10]

I'm probably in the tank again camp than not lately. Only because we don't really know how much of an impact adding Cade will do to this already tanky and experience-less team. Does Cade add 5 or 10 more wins by himself just being the focal point in the offense and playmaking? Because with 5 more wins, we're still in the lottery vying for a top 4 pick and 10 is likely a fringe scrappy team at best to an already 20 win team from last year. Assuming everything holds constant and I'm not expecting a huge jump in the young guys just yet

I want to see how the season plays out, we'll have a good sample size on what the team is like by closer to all-star break and then I think the FO should adjust accordingly IMO. Especially if we have 20 or so games left and we can either more or less lock ourselves into the 8th/9th pick or leg contusion a few guys every couple nights and try for a top 4 pick next year would be ideal, no? Especially the draft next being pretty good or so I heard.

[Manocad]

I think you are missing an option. Lose a lot of games, but not on purpose. Last year was the first time in memory that we actually tried to lose game by sitting rotation players. That's a true tank. I don't expect us to do that this year.

On the flip side, I don't think we'll be making a playoff push by riding vets. All the youngsters will continue to play big minutes. Our win total will be a reflection of their development.

Yep. I guess the simplest way to put it is just coach/play the games like you know it's an 82 game season where winning that one game is the only goal in mind. So pretty much just normal, for lack of a better word. Pretend the playoffs and/or getting a high draft pick don't exist.

Now, certainly I'll throw the disclaimer out there that if this team comes charging out of the gate looking like a 45-50 win, 2nd round playoff contender and there are trade opportunities to get a player to close that gap and put them into ECF/Finals contention, you can't overlook that and I'd wouldn't be unhappy at all if that was done. But done with the future in mind, not one year rentals. But moves to go from missing the playoffs to a 7-8 seed just because "Make the playoffs!"? No, I definitely don't want to see that.

I also do acknowledge that there are lots of Joe Casual fans who would love to see anything done just to at least get that 7-8 seed every year because "Just get in and you've got a chance." But most of know that's not true in the NBA at all in reality. Never has been in the past and sure as hell isn't now with the super teams being the hot thing. But thinking like we do means potentially foregoing opportunities at revenue from playoff games. That obviously means nothing to us if it's a perennial 1st/2nd round exit, but certainly can mean something to team ownership/management. But hopefully Gores/management has learned by now that thinking that way not only isn't conducive to building a championship team, but may backfire on you and you don't even make the playoffs anyway.

[Manocad]

I'm probably in the tank again camp than not lately. Only because we don't really know how much of an impact adding Cade will do to this already tanky and experience-less team. Does Cade add 5 or 10 more wins by himself just being the focal point in the offense and playmaking? Because with 5 more wins, we're still in the lottery vying for a top 4 pick and 10 is likely a fringe scrappy team at best to an already 20 win team from last year. Assuming everything holds constant and I'm not expecting a huge jump in the young guys just yet

I want to see how the season plays out, we'll have a good sample size on what the team is like by closer to all-star break and then I think the FO should adjust accordingly IMO. Especially if we have 20 or so games left and we can either more or less lock ourselves into the 8th/9th pick or leg contusion a few guys every couple nights and try for a top 4 pick next year would be ideal, no? Especially the draft next being pretty good or so I heard.

Bingo. There's no reason to be looking ahead or even planning ahead right now IMO.

[zeebneeb]

I am unsure how the team will look to start the season as Weaver, as we all know now, comes out of left field at times with moves. Now, if everything remains the same, and Cade is the pick, and is NBA ready, I fully expect this team to make the playoffs. As someone else already pointed out, they lost a bunch of very close games last year, and with a full training camp, preseason, continued growth, and adding the #1 pick in the draft, i don't see how they could possibly miss the playoffs, if healthy and everything clicks.

Now with that said, it could be a longer adjustment for everyone to get on the same page, the top pick could be a slow starter, bad fit rears its ugly head, e.t.c they could miss out.

I don't see a scenario where they tank again. This group is already ultra competitive, and adding a player like Cade on top of that is pouring gasoline on a fire.

Remember, you get the right group of guys, anything is possible as the Hawks, and Suns have shown us all this year.

[chrbal]

Didn’t vote, because I didn’t see an option that fit.

We’re adding 1 maybe 2 rookies to the 15 man roster, which leaves spots for some veteran players.

I’m guessing we’re going to be running a lot of the younger players with more playing time for Stewart among those that were active all season.

Team will probably be a little better.

I think we’re out of the tanking range unless you count late season draft positioning if we have a chance to move down. But I don’t honestly think we would.

But I don’t think we are a push for the playoffs team either.

[Scout Taron]

Could be wrong, but I think this team could be good enough to just make the play-in. Feels like we mega-tanked pretty hard. If we didn't do that, we definitely wouldn't have been the 2nd worst team in the league. So we're a little better than our record.

[ComboGuardCity]

I think we’re only missing one more significant piece and I don’t think that piece is going to be drafted. I’d like us to go the suns route with our young core of:

Hayes
Cade
Bey
Stewart

+ budding star Grant. If we make enough noise next year, we should be able to get a significant player in the 2022 off season with our cap space.

[Snakebites]

The poll lacks nuance, so I’ll explain.

I really don’t want to bottom out again, so I put push for playoffs even though I question whether that fits. I put it for both want and predict.

With Cade, Bey, Stewart, Hayes etc we at least in theory have a significant portion of what’s going to be our core moving forward. I don’t think you stay in bottom-out mode with that in place.

I think we push for wins, though I don’t know how many we actually get. You might get some strategic losses towards the end to get a slightly better position, but I think bottom 3 won’t be in the cards again.

[foolinc]

The poll lacks nuance, so I’ll explain.

I really don’t want to bottom out again, so I put push for playoffs even though I question whether that fits. I put it for both want and predict.

With Cade, Bey, Stewart, Hayes etc we at least in theory have a significant portion of what’s going to be our core moving forward. I don’t think you stay in bottom-out mode with that in place.

I think we push for wins, though I don’t know how many we actually get. You might get some strategic losses towards the end to get a slightly better position, but I think bottom 3 won’t be in the cards again.

This is where I'm at. "Tanking" doesn't make sense for this team, but there are levels to what it means by "pushing" for the playoffs. Also selected push for the playoffs twice, but I feel like we will only be making some low to mid-level moves to round out the squad. The push will come from us trying to win games with the kids, perhaps something similar to what happened with the Kings.

[FloridaMan78]

The poll lacks nuance, so I’ll explain.

I really don’t want to bottom out again, so I put push for playoffs even though I question whether that fits. I put it for both want and predict.

With Cade, Bey, Stewart, Hayes etc we at least in theory have a significant portion of what’s going to be our core moving forward. I don’t think you stay in bottom-out mode with that in place.

I think we push for wins, though I don’t know how many we actually get. You might get some strategic losses towards the end to get a slightly better position, but I think bottom 3 won’t be in the cards again.

This is where I'm at. "Tanking" doesn't make sense for this team, but there are levels to what it means by "pushing" for the playoffs. Also selected push for the playoffs twice, but I feel like we will only be making some low to mid-level moves to round out the squad. The push will come from us trying to win games with the kids, perhaps something similar to what happened with the Kings.

Same. Push for playoffs but don’t sign anyone older than 25 Make a trade for the future if it makes sense. Done tanking.

[whitehops]

we had three first round rookies last season and we have the first overall pick this season. how many more young prospects does a team need to build around?

if we only had two first round picks last year and ended up with the 4th-6th pick i'd say yeah, realistically we're going to need one more year of developing/acquiring a top pick before we start growing. but instead we have an entire starting lineup of "promising" (jury is still VERY out on hayes) prospects and jerami grant who is a borderline all star.

i say we bring back guys like frank jackson and wayne ellington to give cade as much spacing as possible, keep guys like grant and plumlee to continue to lead by example how the young guns should play and try to win as many games as possible this season. that might only be 41 wins or less, but i think we have a solid enough foundation to start building. we can always acquire players through trades or free agency to fill out the roster as the team continues to grow.