Trajan Langdon End of Season Press Conference | Detroit Pistons 2024-25

Good morning everyone. Thanks for bringing the sun out today. Appreciate you guys. Well, um, after a couple days to reflect, um, hell of a season for us. I don’t know another way to put it. Um, surprising, gratifying. Um, I guess it creates different expectations going into next year. Um, for us, you can see that both ways, positively and negatively, right? Um, but I think it’s way more positives. Um, I think our guys are really excited um, not only about what we achieved, but looking forward to, um, getting better. Um, and then what how can we take a step the next season. Um JB and I have been having exit interviews with our guys uh and hearing a lot of positives about how much they’ve enjoyed this season about from a lot of people how was the best year of their career from an enjoyment standpoint and level of competition and obviously what we were able to the the amount of success that we had. So um I think what we set out to do from an environmental and a cultural standpoint um we were able to do which is which is great especially in year one. uh some a lot of times that takes time and look I know we culture is a word that’s used a lot and it’s not same something that’s built you have to sustain it and so we know this is we’re in a good place with it but we have to continue to work and strive to keep it where it is and make it even better um but what JB and what our what our players did what our performance staff did to keep these guys healthy um was was was great was a lot of fun was incredible in ways and nobody expected except for a lot of the players to have the success that we had. Um so now we’re going to debrief with these guys and start gathering up internally after some time and understand how we can get better um going into the summer and obviously next season. Tra a few weeks ago and you talked about uh you know just the surrealness of it now that we’re a few days past the playoffs. uh sort of what do you what stands out most about last season that allowed this to maybe speed up and click faster than what you expected? If there’s two or three things that come to mind, I think the biggest thing when you ask me that question is um the guys buying into their third coach in three years um buying into the system um that JB taught them from day one. um the defensive side of the ball, the unselfishness on the offensive side of the ball, um playing with force, um competing every night and doing it together. and um the approach of kind of having each other’s back um regardless if you’re playing or you’re not playing next man up mentality, but also every day come in the facility and and and work with a joy uh with the game of basketball and with one another. And I think we were able to do that for the full season. I think our guys coming together, buying into that philosophy um was the reason why we a big reason why we able to have the success we had. talked about taking that next step. Is is there any conflict between trying to take that next step for 50 wins or whatever and taking the conflict between that and building a roster that can have sustained success for several years and eventually get to a championship level? In other words, is there a danger in overreaching this summer? Maybe. I think for us is um I’ve always said stay patient. It’s I’m not going to change in that regard. um we’re going to listen to calls. We’re going to see opportunities. Um we’re always going to look at avenues to get better um that we think make sense for us to improve. Um and then at the end of the day with everything that’s presented to us and the options that we have, we have to make the right decision for sustainable success. Uh that’s one thing that we want to have here. Uh is and I think we have a group of guys that we can do that with. At what level? Right now, we don’t know. Um, but a big thing for this summer is going to be developing the guys that we have. Um, the young guys that we have that are, you know, 19 through 22, 23 years old and have them continue to grow. Um, you know, if those guys take steps, we get better. Uh, and I think that’s what we’re focused on and again putting people with those guys um that can make them better. Uh, I thought it was a pretty good formula this year. Um, so but we’ll we’ll look at everything out there. We we looked at everything at trade deadline. Um, and we made the decision we did to to get to bring in Dennis and Lindy. Um, we’ll look at a lot of the stuff. Um, similarly, not only within our own roster internally, but what’s out there and available um, free agency market and also through trade. Tayton, um, last year, I think this was around the time you were just interviewing for the job or in the process of taking a job here. During the interview process, you had a specific method to time where you thought the roster was, what you thought the next step was based on success that you’ve had this year. How does your methods change when you and Tom sit down and talk about the next steps forward? Yeah. Um, you know, Tom’s been paramount with in in terms of his support. um for myself, uh for the coaching staff and for the players. Um he checks in regularly and um we all feel it and we all appreciate it. Uh cuz without him we wouldn’t, you know, have the he gives us an incredible incredible access to resources. Um there’s never a no. We don’t do things frivolously, but we do them with intentionality. Um that’s important to me. It’s important to us. Um but he’s here to support us in whatever way that we need. Um, so going into last year, we had a lot of different discussions terms of last draft free agency season about the options we were going to look at and how that was going to impact our roster and how that would set us up for different optionality at the trade deadline, which obviously changed completely with our our first half of the season success. Um, but we’ll have similar dialogues in the offseason with him. um probably go out there pretty soon to just debrief um about the season itself, but also where we’re looking at going for the summer. Um thoughts that we’ve been having from internal meetings that we’re actually starting to have right now. So, he’ll be kept in the loop. Um appreciate his support, but also appreciate the different insights that he might have on this team and and where we’re going. Tra, when you have a team that takes a big leap like you guys did this year, the prevailing theory is, okay, you got to make the next big step, make the big get a another guy to go alongside Cade. Do you can you tell now if you think you’re at that stage or do you need to know learn more about the players you have? It’s a really good question. Um, I think you can I think you I have to we we have to learn more about our players, right? I mean, Assar played his second season, obviously a shortened first season and he had a shortened second season because it didn’t start uh on time and really didn’t have a summer either because of his blood clot last summer. So, that’s exciting for him, for us that he’s going to have a full summer to actually train uh as a pro that he really hasn’t had yet. And for him to have the season that he had without a summer, without really a training camp, without the first month is pretty incredible. And that’s something that we’re looking at seeing what that’s going to be. Uh I think JD took a huge step after the first 25 games. he was a different player the last um you know 50 60 games of the season and he got off to a slow start and we’re hoping we’re going to push him this summer as well and I think he’s willing to take that up to another level and so I think if those guys take steps we get better. Um you know Ron’s 19 he didn’t have a true summer either. He’s going to have a whole summer with us in this building and in different places that you know he’ll have a summer league to train and um you know those are you know Stu will get healthy and all these guys will come back and there’ll be a a continuity with this not only the roster but with the coaching staff and his philosophy that this group has never had before. So I think that will um be a positive through the summer and into next season as well. Um, but you know, the questions will be there about what do we do? Uh, do we add another person or do we just build from within? And and again, like I said before, we’ll we’ll uh look at all avenues and decide what the best uh avenue is for us. Would it be fair, Tan, to say your biggest need would be a stretch four, five, somebody who could shoot from the outside? And if not, what do you think is the biggest need going into next year? I’m not really going to pontificate right now about what that need is. will will identify what those things are. But the need is one thing, but the availability and the options to bring said player in whoever that is can be difficult too, right? You also need two to tango, whether that’s free free agency or trade. So, uh we have to balance all those things and understand what’s the best uh avenue for us to go down. Traan, one guy I don’t think you mentioned there was was Jaden Ivy. How would you assess his season before getting hurt? And did anything he do over the first two months change the way you guys view his ceiling or or his long-term potential in the NBA. Yeah, I probably didn’t I did definitely didn’t mention several players, so I apologize for that. Um, yeah, Ji has a session today. He’s down there working in the weight room and on the court. Um, this has been painful for him. Um he’s an incredible human being and teammate and he’s been supportive, but it’s been hard. Um watching our run and watching the playoffs and knowing how competitive he is and um you know, he won two games for us. So in the end of the day, that’s huge. Um and he had an incredible first two months of the season and he he helped this turnaround. So, I’m I’m excited to see what his summer looks like and what he’s going to look look like coming back in the fall as well. Um, he’s a guy that impacts the game on both ends of the floor and in between in transition. So, adding him to the roster that we have, I think will create uh an even more explosive dynamic and um something else that our coaches and players can use to help us win games and have even more success. And I think he’s going to come back a better version than he was last year. Seeing him up close for two months for the first time, was there anything about Say it again. Seeing him up close for two months for the first time, was there anything about his game that stood out to you that maybe you didn’t appreciate or or know fully from afar, just things that impress you about him watching him up close? His everyday approach to the game um I think is something that if you’re not within these walls, you just don’t know. uh very passionate, very competitive. He works, he’s one of our hardest workers. Um his ability to shoot the ball was better than I thought coming in. Um his ability to guard I think took a step u from his previous two seasons to last year. His willingness to get up and impact the ball handler. Um those things were you can feel them when you’re watching the game. I think the guys he was guarding you could feel on the floor. um gets to loose balls quickly, gets a lot of deflections. Um obviously can be a secondary scorer and primary at times. So I think he took a huge step this past season. Um but I I just think his overall competitive nature and professional approach were things that I didn’t understand when I first got here. Treasure, what do you think? Sorry, speaking of steps with with Kade, what are the the next few steps? the couple things you’d like to see him work on? Yeah, he had an incredible year. Um, stats-wise, he was fantastic. He got better, but every I think I think people that knew basketball already knew that he was a hell of a talent and he was capable of doing that, but he hadn’t driven winning and he was our main driver. He was the driver of winning for us this year. I think that’s the biggest step and it’s the hardest step to take is is turning your stats into actually meaningful things and driving winning. It’s really really hard to do. Um you know I think he had he was looking at other people and had targets on their backs and I think now he’s going to have a target on his um where people are going to be like well I’m going against Kate Cunningham tonight. I’m going to get my rest. Um because people are going to be watching and I can make a name for myself and I can really impact, you know, my stature in a game if I have a really good game against the Pistons and Kate. And I don’t think that really started happening until probably game 60 or 70 where people started looking at us and him in that manner. And I think it’s going to start from jump next year. Um so I think the big thing for him is just we’ve talked to him about it just getting in elite shape. um obviously incredibly skilled, incredibly talented, understands the leadership part of it. Um now has a little bit of late season experience and playoff experience, knows how that feels. So kind of understanding what you’re training for in the summer, once you’ve experienced it, you can train for it because you felt it. If you’ve never experienced playoff basketball, you you can’t understand the level you have to go to. Um and now he understands that he’s felt it and so he should be training for first second round of the playoffs and not training for game 45 anymore. And so um being in elite shape I think will it will be a huge thing for him. Now um you guys don’t have a first round pick. I think the pick started like number 32 somewhere early in the second round. Um as of right now with the NBA combine next week. Um what’s your early projection and I’ll look up the draft as of right now. Um I think we’re picking 37. Um you know the interesting thing is and I don’t know how much will be true to this but it looks like with all the money that’s being thrown around in NIL, you’re having a lot less players put their name in. um you’re having pretty good players pull their name out and you might have even more pull their name out if these things starting to get NIL packages get up three to four to five to$6 million these guys aren’t going to put their name in to be the 25th pick or even the 18th pick they’re going to go back to school and hope to be a lottery pick next year. So um with that pool of players decreasing um kind of can decrease the odds of the level of player that we get at 37 just through pure mathematics. Um, but you know, I I don’t I can’t tell you that there’s a specific thing we’re looking at doing in the draft. We’ll again understand the landscape of it and see if we can move up if there’s a player that we really like, but then we have to look at how much that cost is to the kind of player that we think we’re going to get. Uh, and we’ll weigh all these things as we get information in Chicago and and start doing our draft prep. um going forward towards the draft in June, you’re looking at potentially adding a significant impact player, call it what you want. Um would you say it’d be more likely that that would happen in a trade than in free agency? Can you repeat the question? So, let’s say you you’re looking at adding a significant player, allar caliber or all-star player. Would you say that’s probably more likely to happen in a trade or in free agency? Uh, if we’re looking at doing that hypothetically, is that where you’re going with this? Because that’s a Okay. Hypothetically, if we were to do that, including Okay. Yeah. Don’t put that as that’s something we’re going to do. Um, I I would assume it would have to happen through trade. Um, I don’t know how many Allstars. um are going to come here in free agency right now. Um I think and and the amount of cap space that we have doesn’t allow that. So it would have to be in a trade. Do you know yet your veteran I’m sure you have an idea, but you haven’t decided which of your veteran free agents do you just run it all back try to run it all back or you’re going to have to make some necessary uh tough choices there. Yeah, maybe if maybe some of them don’t want to come back. Maybe some of them get bigger offers elsewhere. Um maybe they get I don’t know. You know, it’s again it takes two to tango. A lot of them are free agents and they have the decisions to make. Um look, all of them were great for us. Uh I think they’d all be great for us coming back here in terms of what they did for us uh and how they fit um with the roster that we have. Um, so I can’t give you an answer which ones uh because again it takes it takes both sides to come together on a deal. Uh, and I I don’t know what that is right now. They’re going to have their vision of what that’s going to be and we’ll have ours. T’s a lot of anticipation, you know, for the playoffs, first time in, you know, since 2019. Talk about, you know, the fans reception, you know, having the NBA or Pistons legends that came and showed up at LCA. Just your general perception of it. Yeah, I was I was speechless to be honest with you. Um I’ve been in playoff atmospheres in a lot of places. You know, I’ve been finals with the Spurs and Miami um two different times. I’d seen, you know, first round playoffs in Brooklyn and seen in different environments um in New Orleans and Phoenix. Um this was obviously Madison Square Garden. I I think our fans were better than than the fans at Madison Square Garden. You know, nothing against that. Obviously, that’s the mecca and they’re tremendous. But our fans are unreal. The way that they brought it, the sound that they had, the passion uh for our group, especially in the playoffs and actually, you know, second half of the season into the playoffs. Um, but what we saw in the playoffs was special. I think our players felt it. Our organization felt it. Um, it was really cool and appreciate everything that the fans and the city brought to this team and our players did feel it. I think it’s going to give them a lot of um a lot of fuel uh this summer to get back um to the place where the fans are are kind of are bringing it like that and and LCA is rocking. So um you know, thank you to all of them because they were they’re they’re very very special on this run. T you sub schedule turn around this year is positive and can be negative maybe too just changing expectations. What do you mean specifically with the negative? Is it more pressure? Is it more outside pressure? Is it um no disrespect but I wouldn’t have got that question last year. Right. Adding an all-star to the roster. That wasn’t a question. That wasn’t even a real question at trade deadline. Right. Um, so it just it definitely creates different discussions and maybe expectations of what they might do and what they could possibly do, right? Um, and so, you know, we’re going to stick to our guns and we’re going to make the decision that we feel is right for this team going forward. Um, again, we’ll explore all avenues. We’ll look into fits for our team. um figure out can we do some things um to make us better? Is there is there a big play that makes sense for us? Um again, like I said, we did that at trade deadline. We’re not going to ever put out there what we’re doing and let people know what we’re thinking. Um but we are exploring all avenues. We’re thinking about it. We’re thinking about how it impacts our short-term success and our our long-term success as well. Our ability to have sustained success, which is very important to us. Um, and so that that that’s what I mean by, you know, all of a sudden, um, there’s all these things that are out there and how do we internally as a group stay focused and not let our not let our attention waver to maybe something that sounds good but maybe not be good um for sustainable success going forward. You you might have just answered that. I was about to ask with expectation when you guys go on this run and the whole city is lit and now they want more and more and more and doesn’t necessarily happen more and more. Ideally, does most of your growth come from within your roster? In other words, you wouldn’t have to give up assets to go get somebody else. And I know you still have to explore all that, but is that the ideal scenario? Yeah, I think look if if our team was 31, 33, 34 and 30 and we went on this run, it’s different than 23, 22, 21, 19. Um because those guys can grow. Those guys are on the upward trajectory in terms of their career and their development and they were able to to make this run. Whereas if you have guys that are outside their prime on the other they’re they’re going to be they’re not going to be able to get better. the best the most they can do is sustain and they’re probably going the other way. And so I think that would be a little bit more daunting. How do we, you know, what do we do to keep this going, right? There’s going to have would have to be things where you probably do have to make a lot of changes to get better to keep that going uh externally. But when you have guys that are going to be better next year, that should be better next year, expectation is for those players to be better next year than they were this year. Um, you know, you can look at getting better in development and the team next year through a different lens with a core group of this age than you would an older age if that makes sense. Absolutely. In trade deadline, you talked about how you felt you kind of owed it to them to to further their desire to make the playoffs and add to the group and not subtract from the group. Will you put the same priority on continuity and honoring that chemistry over the offse or is it It’s tough to kind of balance that. Yeah, it’s I think it’s different um because you have you’re gonna you’re gonna have a whole summer to figure out once once that group is put together. You have a couple months and you have a training camp and um that group can gel um through those months. Whereas in a trade deadline, you’re bringing new players in and you don’t have time like you don’t have practice time. You’re getting you have literally one practice before the first game. I don’t know how many live practices we had in the second half of the season. So, you’re basically learning this player on the fly and putting him into your team. I think that’s a different dynamic than in the summer. Um, but the continuity piece is big. Uh, I do think, you know, my in my time with San Antonio, um, that was huge for those teams is having that continuity. um where you can go from one season to another regardless of how you end it. But know that on day one, the next day, you’re going there’s not a whole lot of explanation of philosophy. There’s not an explanation of expectations every day, uh what the culture, what the environment is going to be. Um and when you have continuity, you can just go, you get off to quicker starts in terms of practice time. um because the practice time uh in this league is so so minimal. Um when you’re able to start with continuity, you can you can start taking steps of getting better faster. T got two guys who are extension eligible little bit early, but is there any expectation or hope as far as how those talks will go or is that still TBD? Yeah, it’s TBD right now. I’m sure some kind of talks will be had at some point in the summer, but I have a long time to make that decision. Trajan, the players have referenced how much they look forward to coming in here every day. You’ve referenced the joy in the building. I don’t know if that was the case at times last year. Just how did you and JB establish that this year? It felt like obviously a big piece of this team’s culture. How did you um insert that that joy in this in this building? I think just I think showing support of of our players both as not only as basketball players but also as as people off the floor. Um I think that’s the biggest thing is showing them that you care for them uh as people and how can you support them. A lot of them were coming here as uh whether it’s trade or free agency and letting them know that you know we’re going to take care of you. We’re going to take care of your family. Um, and so you can focus on the main thing, which is playing basketball. Uh, and I think once guys understand that there is that high level of care, um, they’re willing to really focus and give more coming in here every day knowing that they’re going to be taken care of. Um, and then once they know that, you know, there is a support structure. There’s, you walk in the medical and performance team and they know that when they walk in there, they’re going to get their best every day. and they also know that there’s if there’s a problem they can communicate it to whether it’s myself uh off the floor, JB on the floor and they can be heard. Um that’s an important piece too for these players to understand that they have a say in what’s going on. Um and they’re not being dictated to I think uh and then of course there’s you know there’s a level of energy and um that’s on the floor of teaching every day, right? You’re teaching the group but you’re also teaching them individually. Uh, and there’s a development piece regardless if you’re playing or you’re not. When you come in here every day, you’re going to get better. And we’re going to do things uh, intentionally for every player to get better, whether that’s on the floor, in the wait room. Um, there’s going to be a plan put in place. And it’s not going to be a plan that’s cookie cutter. You know, you five have this, you five have. No, no, it’s going to be individualized for every player. Um, and we’re trying to create resources where whatever these guys need from a developmental or or um rehab or recovery standpoint, they have. Uh, and so they know that that the end of the day that we’re putting things here that where these guys can become the the best versions of themselves and hopefully at some point reach their potential. And I think these guys feel that. We got time for one more. I I think you know as you sit here right now who your leading scorer is going to be next year, Kate Cunningham. Do you in your mind right now have any idea who would be your second leading scorer? Nope. I think that’s a good thing. Be that guy. Or fair. I I I don’t and I’m excited to see who that’ll be. Thanks, guys.

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23 comments

  3. Trajan, I just want to say thank you so much for injecting life into Detroit basketball, before you came we were lost, we had no vision for the future, but you gave us that path towards the future and with that you have earned our trust!!! So with that I say thank you Trajan Langdon for RESSURECTING DETROIT BASKETBALL, GIVE US FANS HOPE AGAIN!!!β€β€πŸ’™πŸ’™πŸ€πŸ€πŸ€

  4. A seed has been planted, water it , nurture it and let it grow, Naz Reid is the only piece missing at the moment, he offers a scoring big, a flexible big on defense, will mesh well! He’s a free agent!

  10. A lot of dumb repeated questions over and over. Like what else do you want this man to say? Lol Great responses though, and can't wait for next year ❀

  14. Typical presser approach very close to the chest I do think they will kick the tires on making a β€œsplash” but I don’t think it’s their priority as some May want.

  16. If I had to guess…they would like to see another year of development from ausar and Ron to see their trajectory along side a (hopefully) full season or Cade and Jaden to see if they need a new dynamic. Not saying I agree..but I think it’s real

  19. What more does Detroit have to do to earn national recognition? Seriously.

    J.B. Bickerstaff leads one of the greatest single-season turnarounds in NBA history β€” from the bottom of the league to a 6th seed playoff team that pushed the 3rd-seeded Knicks to the brink. A team written off by everyone not only made the playoffs, but went toe-to-toe in a series that easily could’ve gone to Game 7 (don’t get me started on that blatant no-call in Game 4). And yet… no Coach of the Year.

    Trajan Langdon completely retools a franchise in disarray, makes bold moves that actually work, brought in some veterans that a lot of people didn't think would work out but they proved to be invaluable additions to the team.

    Dan Campbell takes the most ridiculed franchise in American sports and turns the Detroit Lions into a legitimate NFC powerhouse β€” a team with heart, grit, and identity. He’s done almost everything you could accomplish within the regular season, except for winning Coach of the Year.

    Then there's AJ Hinch. Against all odds β€” 0.02% chance to make the postseason β€” he leads the Tigers on a near-impossible run, ignites a city starving for playoff baseball, and delivers a Wild Card series win. Still… no Manager of the Year.

    What more do Detroit coaches have to do?

    Time and time again, Detroit gets overlooked. We don’t ask for handouts. But if historic, culture-shifting, league-defying success doesn’t get recognized… then yeah, maybe it really is Detroit vs. Everybody.

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