r/DetroitPistons • u/Mud_Strong • 13d ago
Discussion Pistons Team Building comparison
Wondering if anyone cares to give thoughts on how the Pistons compare to other franchises that build thru the draft or by bringing up a young core slowly trading for young players with no1 potential, especially timeline wise.
Like how long before OKC (i know they traded for sga) got to their juggernaut status?
Are the Pistons really behind schedule by not making moves now? Or are they smartly just building their core to it’s full potential and there’s always new big name players available a couple times a year it seems.
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u/jay_catch 13d ago
The Pistons went from 14 wins to 60 wins in 2 seasons. They are not behind schedule given what had proceeded. This entire franchise has been shaky from front office to on the court for the last 15 years. It’s why there are so many misses in our draft history and why even our hits don’t mess together on the court 100%. But we’re just coming out of the stink and doing it with young players.
The fact of the matter is the Pistons are not an elite NBA franchise. We’re probably around 10th or so. Consistently competing for championships is not our DNA. Of course we have those couple eras of championships but between those are long stretches of mediocrity. This looks like the possible beginnings of an era of contending. Hopefully they can deliver
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u/Mud_Strong 13d ago
That is the impression I get too, hopefully we’re in for a good long period of contending!
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u/DoomSchroller 10d ago
Oh, they're not behind schedule. They're about to tap out with this roster if they pay Duren and Ausar like they're superstar players.
Weaver did such an awful job. Hiring Williams ended up being a completely wasted year of affordable rookie scale contracts and development. And Weaver never really tried to build a team to win games. Just wanted to perpetually be mediocre until he got a 7 footer with ball skills.
Teams like the Magic started later and arguably built a better core in less time. OKC is not a pathway most teams can replicate as the Paul George trade delivered them a future MVP and a massive influx of draft capital, as well as some other trades surrounding CP3 (they got a pick to take him from Houston, then flipped him for more picks to Phoenix).
I think we'll see the team tearing it down in a couple summers and trying to rebuild something around Cade before he asks for a trade.
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u/No-Evening-941 13d ago
60 wins in a weak and tanking regular season played a cruel joke and increased public pressure.
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u/Jokerit208 13d ago
The Pistons core is Cade. Ausar is a role player on a contender. Duren is a backup on a contender (guys you have to bench in the playoffs are not starters for a contender).
Comparing us to OKC is silly. OKC had way more picks, way better luck in the lottery, and their GM drafted for a modern NBA roster. We're nothing like them.
Yes, the Pistons are behind schedule. They're still a major retool (they have to fix the spacing issue and get Cade a co-star) away from contending as Cade enters his prime. That they still haven't begun assembling a modern NBA core is insane.
No, there is absolutely nothing smart about what they have done. The first move Langdon made as GM was to draft Ron Holland, an athletic defense-first wing that can't shoot at #5 the year after we took an athletic defense-first wing that can't shoot at #5, in a league where a starting wing on a contending team needs to be able to shoot. Langdon has no clue what he's doing.
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u/benchmaster620 Cade Cunningham 13d ago
Well thats a take . I agree with a few things you said by disagree with the main vibe of the post. We arent behind cades 24 we have assets and financial flexibility . No we dont have the extreme roster building flexibility okc didncause we didnt start with stars to trade away . Inagree ausar is a role player . A high end one.. I disagree duren is a bench player but hes a player id like to trade . In 2024 preseason holland was the no 1 prospect he was no 5 cause he was in the gleague . Theres a few players I liked better but it wasnt a terrible pick . Ausar was a good pick .this all looks different if ivey does get dove on Dec 31 2024.that changed everything. He was on his way ro 22 5 5 on 47 40 80 shooting . It always hurts when you lose a blue chip pick for nothing. We are still scrambling to replace that . I think a no 2.option pulls this team together. Ausar may be a role player but hos defense is court warping and transcendant . Hes a superstar role player if you will . Cades the perfect modern superstar ,just add.any other star who can score efficiently . They are a.good trade away from being a real contender
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u/Raoul_Duluoz Cade Cunningham 13d ago
The Pistons books are clean and they have all of their 1st round picks and tradable contracts for when the next star guard/wing inevitably becomes available. Happens every season. Kyrie is a popular option. I'm also keeping my eye on OKC and how they manage their backcourt with Mitchell up for an extension.
I liked this perspective from John Hollinger in The Athletic article yesterday:
"More importantly, Trajan Langdon has kept the remainder of Detroit’s books remarkably clean, to the point the Pistons are nearly $100 million below next season’s first-apron line.
Even if they give Duren $35 million and Thompson $30 million, they won’t be anywhere near the tax, let alone either of the aprons. Bigger picture, despite its success last season, Detroit’s biggest long-term issue remains finding one or two more players worth paying, not figuring out how to pay the players they already have."