In 2024-25, Cade Cunningham and Detroit enjoyed a 30-win turnaround and won their first playoff game since 2008. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Get Caught Up
2024-25 Record: 44-38 (6th in East, lost in First Round)
The Pistons had much to be proud of in 2024-25. In just one season, Detroit went from the worst team in the league to clinching a playoff spot without having to go through the SoFi Play-In Tournament to do so. Their postseason run might’ve been short, but the Pistons still managed to notch their first playoff win since 2008 and nearly pushed the veteran New York Knicks to a Game 7 in the first round.
Detroit’s turnaround can be attributed to the development of its young core players, most notably Cade Cunningham, who increased his per-game averages across the board last season and earned his first All-Star nod. Now, the 23-year-old star is tasked with making sure his squad builds on last season’s success.
Offseason
- Re-signing: Paul Reed
- Additions: Javonte Green (free agent), Caris LeVert (free agent), Duncan Robinson (sign-and-trade)
- Draft: Chaz Lanier (37th pick)
- Departures: Simone Fontecchio (trade), Tim Hardaway Jr. (free agent), Dennis Schröder (sign-and-trade), Lindy Waters III (free agent)
- Unsigned Free Agents: Malik Beasley
The Pistons’ philosophy this past offseason was similar to the previous one: improving around the margins by adding veterans to support their talented young core.
Signing LeVert gives Detroit another ball-handler after Schröder’s departure to Sacramento. Robinson, a career 39.7% 3-point shooter, should fill the shooting void left by Hardaway Jr. (who signed with the Nuggets) while Fontecchio was traded to Miami as part of the sign-and-trade to acquire Robinson.
Retaining Reed was another key offseason move for Detroit. The six-year vet proved to be a serviceable backup big, particularly in the postseason, once Isaiah Stewart went down with a knee injury that caused him to miss most of the Knicks series.
Detroit tripled its win total last season, going from a league-worst 14-68 in 2023-24 to 44-38 in 2024-25.
X-factor
Jaden Ivey. Perhaps the most impressive part of the Pistons’ 30-win turnaround is them pulling it off despite the 23-year-old standout guard missing the rest of the season after suffering a broken left fibula in a New Year’s Day game vs. the Magic.
Ivey was one of the main catalysts for Detroit’s surge before his injury. The No. 5 pick in 2022 averaged career-highs across the board in 30 games, including points per game (17.6) and 3-point shooting (40.9%).
A fully recovered Ivey gives Detroit a boost in many areas including taking pressure off Cunningham. His usage rate last season ranked among the highest in the league and coincided with him averaging a career-high 4.4 turnovers per game. That mark should go down with Ivey back in the fold as a secondary ball-handler.
> Watch Jaden Ivey on NBA League Pass
One key question
Can the Pistons take advantage of a weakened Eastern Conference? Detroit wasn’t too far off from claiming homecourt advantage in the first round last season. Two of the teams that finished ahead of them in the standings — the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers — could take a step back as the Celtics are set to be without Jayson Tatum and the Pacers without Tyrese Haliburton due to both of them suffering a torn Achilles in the playoffs.
Snagging a top-four seed won’t be easy. Detroit must contend with teams that bolstered their rosters in the offseason, most notably the Orlando Magic (who added Desmond Bane) and the Atlanta Hawks (Kristaps Porziņģis). But with Cunningham at the helm, the reinsertion of a healthy Ivey and steady improvement from their young core, the Pistons should still be in a prime position to capture one of the top spots in the East.
Fantasy Outlook from Rotowire
The team at RotoWire broke down the top fantasy options for each team in the East. Here’s how they broke down some of the best options from the Pistons:
“[Detroit] is primed to keep pushing in the right direction thanks to a strong core centered around Cade Cunningham, who earned his first career all-star appearance last season, and Jalen Duren, who has averaged a double-double in each of the last two seasons. They also retain the veteran leadership and consistent play of Tobias Harris, and impactful wings Ausar Thompson and Ronald Holland II, who can cause problems for opponents on the defensive end. Finally, new additions Caris LeVert and Duncan Robinson should provide a notable boost to the bench rotation.”
Key dates
- Preseason Opener: Oct. 6 vs. Grizzlies (8 ET, League Pass)
- Regular Season Opener: Oct. 22 at Bulls (8 ET, League Pass)
- Home Opener: Oct. 26 vs. Celtics (3:30 ET, League Pass)
- NBA Global Games (Mexico City): Nov. 1 vs. Mavericks (10 ET, Peacock)
- Emirates NBA Cup East Group B Play: Nov. 7 at Nets (7:30 ET, League Pass), Nov. 14 vs. 76ers (7:30 ET, League Pass), Nov. 26 at Celtics (5 ET, ESPN), Nov. 28 vs. Magic (7:30 ET, League Pass)
- MLK Day: Jan. 19 vs. Celtics (8 ET, NBC & Peacock)
What they’re saying
Hunter Patterson, The Athletic: “Considering the East is the weaker conference and there isn’t a clear hierarchy outside of Cleveland and New York, I see no reason why the Pistons can’t improve and win a few more games than the 44 they won last season.” (Read more)
