After making the playoffs last season and swiftly exiting following a sweep by the Milwaukee Bucks, the Detroit Pistons are looking to make the playoffs again in the 2019-20 NBA season.
After posting a 41-41 record in the 2018-19 season, the Pistons are currently not projected to make the playoffs, as The Action Network projects the squad to go 38-44 as the ninth best team in the Eastern Conference.
While these initial projections are not encouraging, there is a lot to be excited this season for the Detroit Pistons, as the squad looks to not only make the playoffs, but also do some damage once they get there.
Roster (as of September 24)
The Detroit Pistons made a lot of moves this off-season to quietly change up their roster. While they traded away Glenn Robinson III, and guards Ish Smith and Wayne Ellington left in free agency, they gained a lot of veteran bench pieces to replace these pieces.
The Pistons most notably added a lot of veteran pieces, including Derrick Rose, Markieff Morris and Joe Johnson in free agency while also trading for Tony Snell. Detroit is hoping that all these players can find the fountain of youth to contribute off the bench.
With the addition of Snell, the rest of the starting lineup remains the same. Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond will remain as the two stars in the front court, with point guard Reggie Jackson leading the pick-and-roll and the two-guard starting spot being split between Summer League standout Bruce Brown and potential breakout candidate Luke Kennard.
Key Storylines to follow
In order for the Pistons to remain successful in the Eastern Conference, their offensive leaders need to stay healthy. Jackson and Griffin have tumultuous injury histories, and both players need to stay off the training table to see the team succeed.
While the Pistons are hoping that Jackson can be a serviceable starting point guard and Griffin can return as an All-Star, the performance of Andre Drummond will also be heavily looked at this season. The center who has been on the brink of All-Star status the past few seasons needs to continue to be an elite rebounder and expand his offensive game to be honored in February with fellow Eastern Conference stars.
Drummond will have some motivation to have a career season in the upcoming campaign. While he is locked up to be a Piston until 2021, his player option of $28.8 million may be declined, as he hinted at as much this summer in hopes of more money.
With that in mind, Drummond may be entering a contract year this season, pushing him to play as well as he can to earn every penny of a new deal. If Drummond can make that elite jump and earn a contract extension similar to that of Draymond Green or Caris Levert, the Pistons will be more than just an 8-seed in next year's playoffs.
Key games on the schedule
While it can often times be difficult to play the schedule game because of all the future variables that go into it, there are a few match-ups that Pistons fans should be circling on the calendar to see if their team is truly up-to-snuff.
The Pistons will have their first reality check of the season on October 26 when they host the Philadelphia 76ers. In past seasons, the Sixers have owned the Pistons, mostly because Joel Embiid has essentially rented a condo in Drummond's head and has dominated him on the court. If the Pistons can manage to play well against one of the best teams in the East, that's a good sign for things to come this season.
November 1 is another date to circle on the calendar, because the Pistons travel to the United Center to face the Chicago Bulls. While Derrick Rose is bound to get a standing ovation, Pistons fans are hoping that Rose can destroy his former team and look like the formidable point guard he once was in that game.
Their final home game of the season will be a big one as well, as after a 4-game road trip, the Pistons return to Little Caesars Arena to take on the potentially-playoff-bound Boston Celtics on April 13. That game will not only truly test this Pistons team, but it will also be important in cementing a playoff seed should the team still be in contention in the Spring.
Record Prediction
The Action Network has given a fair prediction for the win total, but eager Pistons fans find that total to be a conservative estimate. With head coach Dwane Casey entering his second season, he should be able to lead the team back to the promise land once again.
With the veteran leadership off the bench and possible breakout season from Brown and Kennard, as long as Griffin, Jackson and Drummond can stay healthy, the squad should see their win total bump by a few games.
Predicton: 44-38, 6-7 seed in Eastern Conference
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