With the NBA All-Star break beginning this weekend, a break to reset is needed for the 8-46 Detroit Pistons. When they return to action, there will be several key Pistons storylines to keep an eye on.
There was brief momentum for the Pistons in their last five games after going 2-3 during their Western Conference road trip. By defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 128-122 in overtime last week, the Pistons officially avoided recording the worst record in NBA history at the All-Star break.
After the historic turmoil of 28 consecutive losses earlier this season, the Pistons' front office implemented change by trading or waiving 8 different players since December. Most of the newly acquired players are still looking to find their rhythm with the roster.
Detroit still has one of the youngest rosters in the NBA with an age average of 24.1, including their G-League two-way players. With the NBA Trade Deadline being over, the Pistons need to see internal growth to save any future hope for this franchise.
Can Cade Cunningham stay healthy?
So much of the Pistons' future is predicated on the production of their franchise point guard Cade Cunningham. The 2021 No. 1 overall pick is putting up career-high numbers averaging 21.9 points and 7.5 assists per game while shooting 44.6% from the field, 33.5% from 3-point range, and 85.7% from the free throw line.
The biggest question regarding Cunningham for this season was his health. The 2022-23 season ended for Cunningham after only playing 12 regular season games due to a nagging shin injury. The Pistons' point guard has missed 10 games this season while dealing with a knee strain since January.
Cunningham admitted to having ‘good days and bad days' with the injury to James Edwards III from the Athletic after their loss to the Phoenix Suns. If Detroit is looking to build some consistency to close the season, a healthy Cade Cunningham is mandatory for the Pistons.
Will Jaden Ivey's scoring consistency continue?
One of the biggest priorities for the Pistons this season was establishing a suitable scoring complement next to Cunningham. After Detroit's front office had a sitdown with head coach Monty Williams regarding rotations and the team's direction, we have seen an impressive emergence from shooting guard Jaden Ivey.
Since finally entering the starting lineup full-time, shooting guard Ivey has answered that call to spark some hope for Detroit. The 2022 No. 5 overall pick has averaged 17.4 points as a starter for the Pistons this season. He has flourished in different roles off-ball and on-ball as the primary decision-maker. The Pistons have shown how dangerous they can be when Ivey is flourishing and that must continue.
Can Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson learn to defend without fouling?
The Pistons are currently second in the NBA for most personal fouls as a team with 1,189. A big source of that issue has been center Jalen Duren and rookie Ausar Thompson. Duren is first among the team averaging 3.3 fouls per game and Thompson is third among the team with 2.8.
Thompson regularly draws the opponents' best scorer and Duren is the team's defensive anchor as the paint protector at center. Both players regularly find themselves in foul trouble in the first half limiting their ability to stay on the floor in critical moments. This improvement should drastically improve Detroit's second-worst defensive rating in the league of 120.7.
Monty Williams must solidify a reliable rotation
Working with one of the youngest rosters in the league has been quite the challenge for Coach Monty Williams. After the spree of trades and waived players, Detroit needs to figure out a consistent rotation they can depend on.
The Pistons regularly play at least 11 or 12 players each game with sporadic minutes. Williams played all 13 active players in their blowout loss against the Suns on Wednesday. That level of inconsistency can confuse roles and expectations which is necessary to develop for a young team. Monty Williams must find a suitable 10-man rotation that best fits a winning rotation for the Pistons.
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