Detroit Pistons 2024 2025 Season Review and Off Season Preview
It’s the Sports Minnesota podcast. Coming up, we’re looking back at the Detroit Pistons 2024 2025 campaign that saw the Pistons unexpected and New York rise from the worst record in franchise history to a six seed mainstream conference playoffs this past year. We’ll discuss the changes that led to this resurgence. We’ll also talk about the offseason plans and how the Pistons can build on their first playoff appearance since 2019 next. Now, here is your sportsman team. Welcome everybody to the Sports Peninsula podcast. My name is Dave Zinski Drew. I’m joined by coach Andy Shield. We’re talking all things sports in the sports peninsula and that’s the state of Michigan. Coach, how you doing? Doing well, Drew. Doing well. Uh we’re uh you know in the midst of a great we were just talking about it a baseball season here uh with the Tigers and uh you know or at least a great start to to a baseball season here with the Tigers. Got our Michigan Panthers. You know I know they they kind of take a backseat and understood it’s the UFFL it’s a secondary league. Um but the the Panthers are are a competitive football team and very very much in the USFL division title contention uh to bring home a title themselves. Um exciting stuff. And uh you know today it seems like it’s going to be kind of a fun time to uh talk about a group that we don’t talk about a lot um you know in regards to um uh different uh episodes that we’ve had in the past. But, uh, I’m gonna talk a little Pistons basketball and, uh, we had a great turnaround there. We were able to do, uh, some some really really interesting things. Uh, not really was expecting it. Things kind of started off in a very very similar fashion uh, off of a 14- win season uh, from a year ago. And, uh, we were able to uh, triple our win total and make a little noise ourselves in the playoffs. And uh you know, lo and behold, the team that that bounced us um I think we probably gave a little more of a difficult run at uh them than the Boston Celtics did, and that’s the New York Knicks who were advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals. But Drew, your kind of quick thoughts on the Pistons here and just the you know, what were your thoughts uh regarding the Pistons from the beginning of the year just to to to to what you eventually got to see uh in this resurgence? Well, definitely didn’t see it coming. Um, you know, it’s an unrealistic expectation to say, “Yeah, you know what? I I fully expect them to triple their win total and make the playoffs or else.” Well, what planet do you live on? But they did it. And uh you could the one thing I I liked about it like I guess to compare and contrast because the Tigers did something very similar last year where they you had a resurgence and they made the playoffs and made some noise in the playoffs. But that team started out very average and actually took a real downturn in the summer. They looked like they were dead in the water at the end of July, early August. The Pistons never they they were ne they never could get quite over 500, but they were hanging around that 500 mark a lot. And then right when they would either get there or get close, they’d have a two or three game losing streak. So it was like they were kind of stuck there. But as a fan, I’m like, well, hey, that’s um that’s certainly going to equate to more than 14 wins. So certainly improvement. You could see right away. You could see a better commitment to defense. I think um you know, and I know you’ll talk about coach Bicker staff. I think that was a major factor in that because um that team had a better commitment to defense and lo and behold, the win total tripled. So, kind of a correlation there, but that’s how I saw it and certainly was very happy at the end. I mean, heck, they were they were at least knocking on the door of the fourth seed for a little bit there until the very end of the season. So, um very very nice very nice season. A lot to lot to look forward to and talk about. Absolutely. Well, let’s take a little deeper look at just what they did, Drew. Uh you know, this is coming from statmuse.com. Um, the Pistons are the worst have the worst winning percentage in the NBA the last 20 years and have more losses than any other NBA franchise by 500 games the last 20 years and that includes going to the NBA finals in two in 2004 2005. So to think about it that way, we have been part of some futility that is I it’s unprecedented. This organization has been at the in in laying flat on their backs in the basement of the NBA for 20 years. Um and what they were able to accomplish uh was they became the first team to triple their win total from one season to the next. as you had mentioned uh in 2023 2024 they were 14 and 68 uh we we we we oneuped ourselves or two upped ourselves from our previous uh act of futility which was 16 and 66. So, um, you know, we we we got better in a worse way. Um, if if that’s so much saying that this year, 44 and 38 regular season, a 30 point or 30 game turnaround, 30 wins. Unreal than last year. That’s almost half the season. And and yeah, I mean, it’s it’s almost half of a season’s win total improvement. Um yeah, and this is our first winning season that we’ve had here in Detroit in nine years. We have not had an over 500 season in nine years. So, and and then we and then lo and behold, we we break a 15game playoff losing streak that dated back to the 2008 Eastern Conference final. Um so, I mean, we that’s 17 years ago. So, this team definitely broke some ice, sort of like the 2022 Detroit Lions did, but really even more with more gusto and in in some ways. Um, they went from being in that basement, like I said, they were napping flat on their back in the basement on a cold cement floor to a team Drew, in my estimation, looks like they can compete for an Eastern Conference championship. I like you said, the Knicks right now are, you know, knocking on the door to going likely going to Eastern Conference final and the Pistons gave them hell and that, you know, and that was not 100% either. So, yeah, when you’ve got teams like Boston going down and team like Cleveland who, you know, had the best record in the conference going down. Um, yeah, it opens the floodgates, especially how well the Knicks are playing, knowing that the Pistons with just some minor adjustments could win, could have should have won that series, quite frankly. And it’s uh it’s encouraging. Definitely. Yeah. I mean, we we had a call on Tim Hardaway Jr. not made that would have won a game. You know, I I I’m sure he would have hit free throws and we would have won that basketball game. Um and and kudos, hey, the New York Knicks beat the Detroit Pistons. Um, as fired up as I may have been at times, we we we were winning in every single game. Every single game, all six of them. We were winning deep into the fourth quarter. All six of those games. So, I mean, you know, I mean, you can you can you can catch your your Bristol, Connecticut network and the and the fan fandom that’s, you know, being spewed for the New York Knicks out of that organization, ESPN. um who you know which is just it’s it’s it’s a you know you want to if you want to hear about the New York Knicks tune in to that station at any given point in time and hey yeah they they’re in the Eastern Conference Finals you know awesome you know that’s great it’s been 25 years you know um but you know the the national media be you know being greatly in part uh in the city of New York which is a great place and all you know I’m not here to trash on New York this is about the Pistons but you’re going to get a lot Love that way, guys. We were beating them in all six games in the fourth quarter. They went on a 21 run and they did and they beat us. All right. Um, we won game two. Um, you know, they won game three. We had a call go and against us in game we we that that we was clearly a foul made that they didn’t call. We would have won that basketball game. Um, we were, you know, and then we won again. We won again in game five in New York. Won twice in New York. And then we came back and Brunson beat us in in coldhearted fashion and won the series in six games. New York, you won it. Congratulations. I’d love to play you again. I’d love to play you again when we are full steam ahead. I really would because I’m not afraid of the New York Knicks. And I’m not really afraid of any other team. And it’s crazy that this basketball team has made those changes that quickly, Drew, that quickly. And uh you know I think it’s time that we talk about those individuals that may be greatly responsible for that. And no question no question you know so Drew you know we they they made some changes at the top. Um we we had some issues uh you know dating back you know our our owner Tom Goris paid a lot of money to Monty Williams to come in here and to be a change agent and and and that guy was about as interested in being here uh as uh you know I don’t know I guess a polar bear in the middle of July. We have those by the way in the zoo but it’s true but we climate control those for them. um he didn’t want to be here and uh he took a bunch of money from the p from the Pistons and and and we took gave a bunch of money to go away. Um we had given handed the keys to to a a beat up machine to uh Troy Weaver who who was very and you know what Troy Weaver if it’s not for a lack of trying the guy did all sorts of different things but he never would put down the Rubik’s cube. He just kept them spinning it and spinning it, spinning it and spinning it and spinning it and we were not getting anything solved. You know, ultimately we were starting to kind of look like an LA Clippers type situation. We were just always in the lottery, never winning the lottery and never getting a player of consequence in here that was going to make a great change. We did some different things. Tom Gors got things right. Drew, what did he do in getting Tra and Langden here? Well, I think he got a guy to your point. I think Weaver had the right idea, but he like you said as a great compar like a great analogy he would couldn’t wouldn’t quit spinning the Rubik’s cube. I think Langden is more of a measured focused um front office GM and you know he obviously he was he was a very good player you know the Alaskan assassin right he was he used he was the um Pelicans GM assistant with the Nets and he was a scout for the Spurs. So, he came up the certainly starting out in the Spurs organization. That’s a big thing there. But, I think there’s no doubt he brought some he brought a level of um stability that maybe Weaver wasn’t giving them. But again, not for lack of trying. I mean, Troy Weaver, if he did anything really well, he got them out of all of those really bad contracts that happened under the Stan Van Gundy era at that point, you know, where you had the Reggie Jackson, the Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond, you know, they they that was the last playoff team, but that didn’t work. Um, but no, I think Langden’s brought some stability and now there’s buil he’s he’s established the building foundation blocks for this organization. And now they’re building upon that versus constantly tearing it down, building trying to build up, tear it down again. And I think that’s a huge move, but I think his best decision was to part with Monty Williams and bring in JB Bickerste. I know you got some things to talk about. Absolutely. Yeah, we’re going to get to that in one second. And and you you hit some home runs there, Drew, and Tan Langden. I mean, he he played college basketball at Duke University for Mike Shasheesky. Um he was an NBA first round draft pick. uh played briefly in the NBA uh you know part of one rookie deal and then then went over to Europe and was a Euro Allstar and a Euro League champion multi-time Euro League champion wound up playing 12 13 year pro basketball career um and then came back started working for Greg Papovich’s regime uh down in uh in San Antonio as a scout for them helped them fortify uh you know another run and then you know became assistant GM with the Nets was real active with them and then helped the Pelicans really become a playoff team. I mean, and and the Pelicans, you know, yes, they they you know, we can talk about, you know, and we we’re not going to, but you know, but but if we were to talk about the Pelicans, you know, you could go one of two different ways. You could say, “Oh, it’s an underachieving team, and you know, they’re they’re not built to win at all.” And and and you know, what who are they? Well, they’re they’re a backend Western Conference playoff team in a conference that’s got some real power players in it. It’s tough to crack that top four. So, uh they’re usually a top eight team in in the Western Conference, which is pretty dog on good uh considering uh all the great teams that are out there. So, Traange and Langden, you know, really has kind of a a resume built on success. And you’re right, Drew. I think it started not you know number one you know his first great move was bringing in a new guy you know in in in I guess it was about May I guess maybe it was June of 2019 um May June of 2019 you know the you know U of M basketball um you know program got a bombshell that John Beline was going to leave the organization and become head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers and That did not go well. No, that did not go well. And um it didn’t even last I think half of a season before um you know they moved on from coach Beline and he was you know actually working for the Pistons uh then thereafter in in a developmental role um and they brought on an interim coach by the name of JB Bicker Staff and alls he did was bring them to the playoffs five consecutive years. That’s all he did. And then he was very unceremoniously let go because he was seen as a guy that couldn’t get them over the top in the playoffs. Well, Drew, what has now happened once again to the Cleveland Cavaliers? Yep. Yep. Second round rich. They’re second round rich. That’s as far as they could get. Don’t think it’s the man in our right hand on the right side of our screens uh issue here. I think we got a gift from the Cleveland uh organization very much like we were gifted Johnny Peralta from Cleveland uh once upon a time that fortified our baseball team. I think with a man by the name of, you know, JB Bigger Staff. Oh yeah, by the way, Drew, can you name a former Cleveland Cavaliier coach that couldn’t quite cut the mustard there that was pretty successful here with the Detroit Pistons? I can. His name is Chuck Daly. Yeah, that’s right. Yep. So, Drew, take it away. Give us some some love on JB Bickerstaff, man. Well, you know, certainly the son of Bernie Bicker Staff, you know, and certainly we’re very familiar with him. I spent I know Bernie was a coach up with this the former Seattle SuperSonics back in the day. That’s that hell of a franchise there. And it’s now Oklahoma City. Uh but 21 21-year coaching career, eight seasons as head coach. And you know, he’s he’s led the Cavs and the Pistons. He led the Cavaliers to the playoffs the last five seasons like you mentioned prior to this year and now the Pistons. So this is six straight years in the playoffs for JB. It it let’s f I mean obviously the Pistons did make some roster moves in in in the pre in the preseason before this past year and they added some players. We’ll talk about that. But the the the core was there still. And bottom line is I like you said, Monty Williams clearly didn’t want to be in Detroit. And here’s the thing. I would I mean, would I spend $72 million on somebody who I had to make a third offer to? Hell no. But it’s Tom Goris’s money. If he wants to do it, I as a fan, I don’t give a damn. I really don’t. Doesn’t hurt our salary cap. doesn’t it’s not stopping him from spending money on person on on player personnel. So if he wants to waste money that that’s his that’s his problem not mine as a fan. I don’t care. It’d be different if he went the route of spending big bucks on a player that didn’t make any sense. That would be a total different ballgame. But JB Bickerstaff, you can tell the players love playing for him. They’re committed to playing his style and that that’s a major major reason why this team really turned it around. But I I I I love him. I I just I I love his press conferences. I love how he he does he doesn’t throw his players under the bus in in press conferences. He’s behind his players, but I believe he holds them accountable, too. So, excellent move. Um, you know, it’s unfortunate Monty Williams didn’t work out. The one thing that does puzzle me still, coach, is I I really thought Dwayne Casey prior to Monty Williams was going to work out, and that just didn’t happen. He he just could not get that team to play defense. So, I don’t know personally what Bicker Staff’s doing differently in that regard, but it’s it’s very evident on tape. He’s younger and and and and you know, Dwayne Casey’s wildly and he’s still with the organization in a in some in a in a consult a consulting capacity. Um, and and and he’s a very accomplished coach, an excellent coach, did great things with with Toronto and also with Dallas. Um it just for whatever reason that message was not getting across here uh for for whatever reason Bicker Staff’s able to reach these kids and and and they are they’re kids they’re young I mean they are he is able to reach them uh differently and and and and you know he he’s younger a and and I think that that plays a big part of it. Um, you you’re so right, Drew, and and and to look at a couple of other very successful coaches uh in our in our neck of the woods here in other sports, you know, obviously everyone’s going to go to MCDC Motor Dan Campbell, who JB Vickerstaff went to uh and discussed, you know, some different some, you know, culture and and and change agent stuff and uh you know, and had him around, you know, and and and talked to him and picked his brain on certain things. AJ Hinch um who with the Tigers, phenomenal guy and he’s a very calculated guy and a very uh analytics guy and and a guy that plays percentages is as does his staff. Um and and you could just see that everybody is on the same page and and that’s I think the big difference between you know the Lions and the Tigers are all everyone gets it. Everyone understands they’re on the same page. JB Bicker Staff has done a great job of getting that here going too, Drew. Um, and that’s why I don’t think this was fluke. This was not a one year and done type deal. Drew, we got a stud here. Yeah, we got a stud here, you know, and I know at times I was a little hard on him uh in the playoffs and we need more from him and we’re going to talk about that next. Um, guys, we do have an all-star and it looks like it could be a perennial all-star for the first time. Even Grant Hill drew I don’t know was a perennial all-star. Um you know he was getting close to that status. Um you know we’ve had Chanty, we’ve had Rip, we’ve had Sheed, we’ve had Ben, who would be bits and part time allstars here. We got Blake Griffin here for a hot minute. I think Andre Drummond made an all-star team once. Um, but it’s been, you have to go back to Isaiah Thomas as a guy that was going to be a year in year out allstar, folks. Cade Cunningham in 2024, 2025, and 70 games he missed, you know, he missed a handful of games, which that’s an issue we’ll be talking about here in a minute. Um, these were his numbers through 70. 26.1 points per game, 9.1 assists per game, 6.1 rebounds per game, 46.9 field goal percentage, a 20.6 efficiency rating, the league average is 15. So if the league average would be like an OPS, let’s say, is a let’s say it’s 710, you know, I know we’re correlating it to baseball. If it was 710, he would be at around 900. So, this is a stud. He had seven triple doubles in a season, which is the most by a Piston in and in in our franchise’s history, surpassing Isaiah Thomas. So, this is a superstar. Drew, what are your thoughts and feels in regards to Cade Cunningham as the lead dog of the Pistons? Well, he this this was the one time the Pistons did actually win the lottery in all the in in all of this f all these years of futility. They actually did win the lottery. And I I’ll be honest with you, I was happy about it and it was a foregone conclusion it would be Kate Cunningham. But I wasn’t convinced he would be this version of Kate Cunningham. But I figured 20 points a game, five assists, maybe five boards, and that’s a that’s a very good season statistically, but I thought he would need a lot of help still. He showed last year that while he needs some help a little, he he he stepped his game up significantly. Um definitely concerned about this. I mean, 17 games isn’t horrible, but Kate Cunningham’s history in the league so far has has been very checkered with injuries. So, we’re hopeful that those days are behind him somewhat and we’re going to start seeing more of the 70 75 82 games played. Um, I statistically loved it. He’s he’s certainly he’s a go-to guy. You can count on him to score. That field goal percentage is outstanding considering, you know, the position he plays. Um, that that’s a that’s the kind of field goal percentage you’re going to get from guys in the paint, you know, like your power forwards and your centers. when you’re getting that from a shooting guard or or number or a three, you’re you’re definitely getting something from Kate Cunningham. No question. I I I guess I mean, if I had any concerns about Cunningham, coach, it would have been in the playoffs in crunch time. And he just seemed like he wanted to dish and defer way too much. Sounds a lot like our our Red Wings, the you know, when when it’s not like when the going gets tough, they don’t. It’s it’s more like quit quit being unselfish to a fault. Take it take take the shot. And I think in the NBA it’s even more prevalent when you’re a player of Kate Cunningham stature and it’s in the last two minutes of a game. You’re the man. Be the man. And I think that’s just a mindset switch that has to take place. And I I’m glad we got a coach bigger step to help that. But that’s what I see. coach, great player, very well could and should be a perennial all-star for this Piston team and should make people around him better. Yeah, I think I I’m a massive fan. You know, I’m I’m very very happy he’s here. We This doesn’t happen without him. Um, I I I I am not going to be quick to, you know, ju just kind of like, you know, with the Detroit Lions, who who is going to be the the the player that puts them over the top to win the the Super Bowl? Um, is it Jared Goff? It could be, but it could be somebody else, but Jared Goff is going to get that um a lot of that notoriety. Um and and and if if we don’t get it done, he may continue to be as good as he has, but it’s going to be also Jared Goff as the reason why we couldn’t get it done, too. Yep. That’s the same type of deal we’ve got with Cave Cunningham. We’re going to talk about some other guys here in a minute. Um and and what he needs to still be able to do. He’s going to put up numbers that are like the best version of Grant Hill on a given day. Those are going to be Kingham’s averages. What position does he play? Well, what position does he play? Is he Is he a small forward? Is he a shooting guard? Is he a point guard? He’s really all three at any given time. He there there’s a versatility here that we’re just not we we we just have not been accustomed to. And we finally saw it uptick big time last year with Kade. Now, what does he need to do? He needs to become a Jaylen Brunson. He needs to be a guy that’s give it to me. Go ahead, MF me. Put Put my name all over the billboards in town. You MF me in unison. 20,000 large. Go ahead and do it. I’m going to beat you in your stadium. And he did. Yep. Cutthroat. That’s what we need to see out of this guy. That And can he do it in one year? I am not so sure. I am not so sure. Do we have a Luca Donic type player here? We do. We do. Does he need a robin? As we’ve been been been it’s been so uh cliche and said so much on the um social media lines and also you know in in media as well. We may have that player. True. Um but we I hope have not seen the most clutch version of Cade Cunningham yet. And he’s done some clutch things. He won some games for them in, you know, in buzzer beers and at the end of games uh during the regular season. You know, he he certainly is capable uh and and and I don’t think he doesn’t not want to do it, but that’s what we need to see out of this guy, Drew. I I 100% agree. He is our star. He’s our unequivocal star. You know, you know, he is the Jared Goff of the Detroit Pistons. He is the TK Scooble of the Detroit Pistons. He is the Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Pistons. Um, and what Cade Cunningham needs to be is the Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons. And that guy that is everything runs through me. Everything, you know, everything runs through me, good or bad. And when we have that from Cade, uh, is a true leader, I think we’re going to see that next step up because we’re really close to it. He wasn’t alone, Drew. He wasn’t alone. We got a lot of guys to talk about here. And you know what? We have an established young core here that I think these four individuals uh from from my estimation, Drew, um are that young core. Now, could we move on from some of these pieces? Eventually, we will because we won’t be able to afford them all, but uh in in the in the long grand scheme of things. Um, but Assar Thompson, Jaylen Duran, Isaiah Beef Stew Stewart, and Jaden Ivy represent some really, really good players. You know, Assar Thompson, you know, has a 108.0 defensive rating. That’s he’s an elite he became an elite perimeter defender. An elite perimeter defender by the end of this past season. Duran is a double double average player. He averages a double double and I think he had the second most dunks in the NBA this past year. So he is at the rim. He’s at the rim. He had a higher efficiency rating than Kade Cunningham. Yeah. Um, and he shares the position with the top rim defender in the NBA. And that’s Isaiah Stewart, who really signifies the classic Piston mantra, which is a tough come bring it, hit me square in the jaw, I’m coming at you, I’m going to hit you square in a draw jaw mentality, defensiveminded mentality, physical mentality, a stir it up mentality. And you know, he averaged one and a half almost one and a half blocks a game. You know, he had a he had the highest defensive rating on the team and he was critically missed um in in in the in the playoffs because he really played a half of a game and and he wasn’t eligible. A guy that didn’t play after New Year’s Day was Jaden Ivy, who really was our second leading scoreer. shot over 40% almost 41% from three and and he was out and and really you know his athleticism and his ability to get to the rack. I mean we’re talking kind of like you know what he was starting to look like was a a version of a Dwayne Wade. Uh and that would certainly couple pretty nicely with with Kade Cunningham and what we go what we’ve going on. Drew, what are your thoughts on these four guys? What what what are your thoughts? because it that to me at least three of these individuals I think are going to be around for a long time. Yeah, you certainly hope so because missing the two gentlemen on the right was certainly detrimental in the playoffs. No, no excuses, but it is what it is. Um they they had missed Ivy for 50 the last 52 games of the year. So they were rolling without him. Certainly could have used him, but they managed to work through that and in a way it helped others emerge and to see what they have too. So that in a sense, I mean, that’s great. That next man up mentality really, really paid off for the Pistons. That’s not to say that, okay, well, they don’t need Jaden Ivy. Oh yeah, they do need Jaden Ivy because to your point earlier, Cunningham does need a Robin of some kind. And Jaden Ivy is clearly that guy in terms of skill set. Um, they miss Stew’s muscle inside and his defensive toughness. And quite frankly, he’s a policeman on that floor. Um, there’s going to be no nonsense. There was a lot of nonsense that happened in that Knicks series. I think Beef Stew would have squashed real quick um from a couple Knicks. One thing that really impressed me, Duran did what he what he does in that playoffs, but Thompson really emerged as a guy. I mean, he he was the only Piston defender that really was able to give Jaylen Brunson hell. Jaylen Brunson struggled against him because of his length and and he had not only his length, but his speed. So, I’m really encouraged by this group. Again, there’s no there’s no Kate Cunningham here, but Jaden Ivy is certainly somebody who could be I guess to compare in piston terms his Joe Dummars to Cade’s Isaiah. Very much in play. I I think that’s a really really you know intriguing uh comparison, you know. I think it really does. And I and I fully agree with Osar Thompson. He he and Jaylen Brunson admitted. He said that guy is big time. Yeah, he is. He’s a big time defender. He he he can play and you know he had a 53 and a half field goal percentage. I mean we’re talking about a guy that gets to the rack. He gets good and easy looks. Now there are times where he was having a hard time getting the shot off where what what they were getting the ball to him underneath the basket. He needed to space a little differently. That kind of you know there’s little reoccurring things. But he’s also a very young guy. I think he turned 21 years old during the season. Um his twin brother is the is is one of the emerging stars of the Houston Rockets. Amen. Thompson um and and you know Assar Thompson again just that that elite defensive ability. We’re talking Dumar’s Rodman um type defender. I mean Assar Thompson 6’7 6’8 and we had him defending the point guard and and and he he has the capability to do that. We if you watch Piston’s basketball, the effortless lobs that he caught during the regular season and threw down just with just ease it. I mean, it just his he just just oozes athletic ability. I I think Assar Thompson is a huge piece to our future. Um and and with Duran, you know, I he is as athletic of a center as there is in this league. Um, and he gives he’s a mismatch issue for some of the bigger, more clotted footed guys. Um, you know what we have to account for is if those individuals can shoot, we’ve got to be able to defend them on the perimeter. Carl Anthony Towns did that to us. But he basically Carl Anthony Towns was not going to play inside basketball. He did nothing of consequence down low. He didn’t I mean he didn’t just Jaylen Duran was too much, you know, an athlete for him. And that’s with Stewart sideline as you had said and I’m not going to go into great detail on Steuart and Ivy because you know you know what other than what you’ve already said you know Isaiah Stewart kind of is that that almost that that that kind of captain that that that bluecollar Piston that that that kind of is the the definition of a Detroit Piston. And Ivy, you know, Monty Williams did not did not seem like he was in favor uh of Jaden Ivy. He did not seem very very happy with him at all. And and and it took a minute for him to kind of step up. We just started to see it and and would have this, you know, we would have we won 30 more games this past year with Jaden Ivy. I think we would have um but it would have looked different. it would have looked different and because we really need to depend on the next group that we’re going to be talking about and that is the guys that we would call refer to as the the four main catalysts on this team and the veteran presence that was brought in by Trajan Langden um first and foremost and that is Malik Beasley, Tobias Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr. and then eventually come the end of February Dennis Shruder. Uh Drew, take it away man. talk about these guys. Well, yeah. Here here’s where I get as far as talking about the season. The these guys were critical to the success of the Pistons. Uh Beasley and hard specifically Beasley with his three-point shooting. I mean, un unbelievable season to get 16 almost 16 and a half points a game from Beasley and almost in 41 a.5% three-point shooting. I mean, he’s the he was the all-time leader in three-point um um field goals in a season for the Pistons last year, and he was second in the NBA in three-point field goals, I believe, to Steph Curry. Um this guy was unreal. Harris, getting him back, you knew what you were getting with him, and he didn’t disappoint. You know, almost 16 points a game, over a block a game, great defensive rating, 101.8, which I didn’t didn’t expect to be honest with you. And his three-point shooting 43 and a half percent. I mean, hardweight averaging nearly 12 a game. Um, 110 defensive rating and and third on the team in three-pointers. I mean, outstanding season. Big big reason for the turnout. But Dennis Shruder getting him at the deadline. You you thought he was maybe a throwin, you know, a cap, you know, to to make the cap um to make the deal because the Pistons were, I think, the fourth team in that deal to take Shruder to give some cap relief in that deal. And look what ended up happening. He was outstanding in in in the end of the season in the playoffs. A great defensive rating, 13 points per game and almost five and a half assists per game. But coach, I I am concerned about one thing. Hardway Jr., Shruder, and Beasley all unrestricted free agents now. That’s what I’m worried about. But I think they can get two of them back. I don’t think they can get all three back. Harris is under contract next year. Absolutely. Great work there, Drew. You you you tied it up. Tobias Harris deserves to be talked about. That’s probably truly the captain of this team. He was very very good and part of the Stan Ban era uh when he was here. Yeah. Um and then you know we made him we we we we traded him essentially for Blake Griffin and uh he and Bob who still do Goldfish commercials with each other I think. Yeah. Um but Tobi and then Tobias Harrison ended up moving on to Philly and it was a big part of when Philadelphia was good and really relevant and a playoff contender. Um, you know, he was a big piece of that there, playoff tested guy. He he made the playoffs with the Clippers, too, and was good there with the Clip. Um, and and just brought that great veteran’s presence and and and I think, you know, JB Bickerstaff could kind of really coach and muse through uh Tobias Harris a lot uh and and and be that kind of that player voice. He shot almost 44% from three-point, right? That’s fantastic. And yeah, he averaged almost 16 points himself. Um, and we’re getting that back. Now, will we need to expect that from Tobias Harris anymore? I hope not. I hope not. I hope we can better this roster so he can continue to be that veteran presence, a lock down defender that can shoot and score when we need him to be. Uh, and that we’re going to get back for sure this year. As you had said, these the Beasley, Hardway, Junior, and Shruder are all unrestricted. Um, I agree with you. We can get two of these guys, not three of them. Amari Sora of the Detroit Free Press, uh, read some great stuff. He does great stuff for the free press. He alluded to, uh, you know, uh, in in in in Langden’s, you know, press conference that he had in regards to the off season this past week, um, it may hard to be even bring back one of, you know, we might be only being able to back bring back one of them. Uh realistically, it’s it’s very possible because we want to fortify what we’ve got going on with that young core and solidifying some finances for them. Also, we may be looking at a splashier move via a trade. And you know, in doing so, we’re going to need some cap space to do that. So, in my opinion and and and kudos to all three of these individuals um for for their contributions to we go back a long way with Tim Hardaway Jr. It’s part of those great Michigan basketball teams. Uh and he, you know, went went to, you know, to the brink with Louisville. Um, you know, it’s Yeah. And it’s been great with that. But I think that would be an individual that we could we could take our midlevel or um exemption or our lowlevel exemption and try to fortify with that and find a shooter, a guy that brings because he was third on the team in three-point field goals. um we can find another guy that can be third on the team in three-point field goals. Um and brings maybe a better defensive length. Um some of those kinds of things. That’s kind of been Tim Hardaway Jr.’s mantra in his career. He’s a veteran journeyman guy that can really run the floor and shoot the ball pretty well. Um and outside of that is kind of a a fit by fit piece. So, um I I do think financially where he would be in the market, that’s probably where we would go. And if we could only keep one, Drew, if we had to choose between Beasley and Shruder, in my opinion, you’re going to resign Malik Beasley and bring him back. Um that, you know, he his three his scoring is just when he’s on, I mean, we we we are on. Um, yeah, you know, his mother is from the city of Detroit. Um, and and you know, his whole half of his family, his mother’s side of the family, um, is all from here and still is here. He spent and summerred here, uh, you know, significantly throughout his life. Um, so it is a home of sorts. Malik Beasley kind of does fit also that kind of piston mantra in regards to the going to work Pistons is a guy that’s always been a very very good player but never could find a home very similar to to Chanty Bips very similar to uh in a way Rip Hamilton um you know he really found his home here um are there holes in Malik Beasley’s game um you know when he goes cold it can get kind of rough but he broke that Pistons alltime three-point record in a single season in February. It’s crazy. He beat Sadique Bay’s record in February. So, I mean, you know, he was second in the league this past year. Now, can we expect that from him again? I don’t think that’s fair. But again, I think we are talking about a guy off the bench that is an absolute catalyst. He gets under people’s skin. I mean, he’s got the little shimmy and that kind of thing. And uh when it’s going good, it shuts a lot of people up and he can get people a little fired up, too. and get under their skin, which you know is never a bad thing here with the Detroit Pistons. But, uh, that’s where I would go. If we could only keep one, I would go with Beasley. If we could keep two, I’d love to keep Don Shruder around. I’d love to at least for a short term in the interim, you know, I think we could get better. Now, a healthy Jaden Ivan, if that’s what we’re going to roll with, I don’t know if Dennis Shruder’s role is really going to be worth what we would have to pay to keep him around here. Marcus Sasser might make more sense in that role. So, that’s just how I say it. Drew, what are your thoughts? I’m totally on board with that easily and and it’s a mutual um fit. He wants to be in Detroit. He expressed it in the media. The Pistons certainly haven’t expressed anything to the contrary. So, I think they’re going to make that work. Harris under contract. Shruder. Yeah, I I that’s that’s where it’s at. He’s going to get more money on the open market than the Pistons can afford to give him in the role he would have. They have Jaden Ivy. So that to me now we go back to that question. Would the Pistons have it would have looked different with Ivy, but they would have still improved by 30 games. I agree that’s what Dennis Shruder did. And I’m I’m very confident Jaden Ivy can bring the same elements to the game that Dennis Shruder did. And that’s no disrespect to Shruder. I’m very very happy with what he did. If there wasn’t a Jaden Ivy, um, I probably would change my tune, coach. I would say, “Yeah, they need him back.” And and I think they I would think they would agree. Hardway Jr., that’s the one. It depends on, you know, can you get him shortterm on a on a mid-level exemption? Well, if you can, why wouldn’t you? You know, if you can, but again, then you go back to that young core. Now, Stewart’s been reuped. He’s on he’s he’s got I think three more years left on his deal, but Thompson, Duran, and Ivy are all on the rookie deal still. So, you got to start looking at that. And obviously during this playoff year, Thompson certainly has asserted themselves as someone you want to have on that club for a long time. Duran certainly is. We’ll see with Ivy this year if he can play at the level we expect, what we saw in 30 games. Well, then it’s a good problem to have that the Pistons haven’t had in a while. But it’s it’s a problem. Who do you keep and who do you let walk? So, but I I think we’re in lock step. Beasley should be back and I’m very confident he will be back, coach. Yeah, I think they’re gonna make something happen there. I do think they’re going to make something happen there. Well, as we kind of bring this thing to a head here, um you know, we we had a nice supporting cast. We we do. And there’s some other pieces here that are not going to go away. And first is is our our first round draft pick, our lottery pick in 2024, which is Ron Holland Jr. He had a 113 defensive rate. Now, he didn’t have the pressure placed upon him to play uh you know, substant minutes uh on a regular bl basis. But I tell you what, he’s got a lot of grit and a lot of grow. I mean, he he is tough. He’s rugged and he is a good defensive player in my mind’s eye, Drew. This is a guy that that that has a piece of the future here and he could really fortify uh if we were to make some sort of move uh with a team to to to to make a splash and get a a bigger player here that’s not of the supporting cast. Ron Holland Jr. will be part of that package because that is a guy that can play in this league. Simony Fontio, you know, that, you know, when he would play and he’d get the threes, we’d give him the Italian hands, you know, um, you know, and and and and yeah, he’s an Italian team member. If you watch any of like coverage of of global kind, you know, you know, FIA basketball, he’s a huge player in Europe. He’s a big-time player in Europe. Um, if he went back to the Euro League, which he can clearly play in the NBA, he he should he’s where he belongs. um he would be a Euro Allstar. Um you know, he can score and he can help. Now, yeah, he was kind of part of the glue. He was kind of fun around here and uh you know, you know, it was fun to see the fans and the players, you know, do that when when he would make his buckets and that kind of thing. So, there’s a part of the supporting cast. If they move on from a Simony Fontio, um, again, it would probably be in some form of a trade. Um, or we will lose him outright as a free agent someday, which, uh, very well could possibly happen. You know, don’t forget Marcus Sasser was a first round draft pick. He was a later first round draft pick, but we traded back into the first round to get Marcus Sasser. And, uh, you know, during some of the the the buildup years, you know, he was starting to kind of emerge as a depth point guard. And I guess that’s still what he would be. I don’t know if we’re ever talking about a, you know, a a for a prolonged starter. But if if if if we’re going to roll with Ivy, I think that is your fourth guard probably ahead of Dennis Shruder just because we’re going to be able to pay Marcus Sasser and we know what we have with him, which is an excellent defender and a guy that can shoot the rock a little bit. Paul Reid was another free agent acquisition last year and, you know, he didn’t not a lot of expectations. He’s definitely the third center. Um, but you know, he he he really showed in the playoffs there against New York that he could bang and kind of play a little bit of that role and he came up with some big rebounds and some some help with some big stops. Um, we’re not going to, you know, is Paul Reed going to be around here long term? Probably not. But, you know, what are your thoughts of these four, Drew? I mean, you you don’t have to go into great depth on them, but I mean, do you see any pieces here that could be, you know, parts of the long-term future? I definitely do in the form of Ron Holland Jr. Yeah. And and it would like I like you pointed out if there’s a big trade to be made he’s likely a piece in that trade because of that upside. So you sasser I think all now now Reed is an unrestricted free agent. So that time maybe now where maybe we don’t see Paul Reed again although of this group he’s the one that actually had some minutes in the playoffs to your point as well. Um Pontio’s got his role and he’s on the team next year and Sasser and Holland are under contract as well. But yeah, I would ideally you want to see Ivy take over what Shruder was doing and pick up where he left off and and after before the injury and then you’d like to see Sasser move right in behind him and provide what he can provide which like you said is very good defense and and improving offense. Holland’s got a lot of upside too. Yeah, this is this is a nice group here and it’s you know they have another two years to see what Holland and Sasser can do and that’s good and and they have the ability now being the supporting cast. They’re the second unit. They’re going to they’re going to get an opportunity to be able to step up. So I think that’s encouraging. This this is a very important group on this team for them to keep building and getting better in my view. 100% Drew 100%. They’re going to to to help fortify wins in that regular season and somebody we need a little bit more. Clearly, we need a little bit more. Could one of these individuals be that piece? They definitely could and adding to us being a a team that’s truly a contender for the Eastern Conference. Yeah. Well, you know, they weren’t the only guys. We have a few other pieces, too. And then really what you know with this slide, what we want to talk about more than anything, Drew, and bringing things to an end here is what it looks like, uh, you know, moving forward. You know, we had Ron Harper Jr., Dennis Jenkins, Bobby Clintman, uh, Tuloo Smith, and and Lindy Waters III were also members of the Detroit Pistons on the on the the full roster. I Bobby Clintman is in blue, uh, because he’s, you know, he was a draft second round draft pick last year. I do think we’re going to see more and more of them, more of him and eventually him being uh, you know, a supporting cast member here. Um, he’s he’s got a great he’s very good defensively. He can run the floor. He’s a bigger guard that can defend. Um, I do like Bobby Clintman. Not these other four individuals aren’t valid members of the Detroit Pistons. Some of them are unrestricted free agents. And we’re going to cycle through some of these two-weight guys that really play with the Motor City Crews. I like Bobby Clintman. Um, Drew, do you see anything from these these five guys that that that could be getting them a picture in the future? Well, I I certainly I know Waters is the free agent. Um, and I agree with you on Clintman as well. Um, you certainly want to give him more of a look and let him develop while you can. And that that’s the beauty of it. The Pistons now have a young core and a superstar, budding superstar in Kate Cunningham that now these younger guys can develop the right way instead of, “Hey, we need you to start like now because we’re we’re awful.” No, the Pistons now have the luxury of being able to develop guys like this. So, I I I wouldn’t I’m not bold enough to say that I think, you know, one of these guys is going to emerge, but it’s certainly a great opportunity for them. And I’m no capologist. uh hockey, NHL, and NFL I can handle. The NBA cap is like is another world for me. So, you know, where you where it looks like there’s no space, there’s magically exemptions to come, you know, and there’s only 15 players on a roster that on on a a signed roster, only 12 active in a game. So, you can there’s a lot more levity in the NBA. So, what may look grim capwise, there’s always ways to finagle um a contract. Go ask LeBron James how that works. I think he’s a capologist. Yeah, I guess he is because I I don’t know if he’ll be able to explain it to you, but you’re you’re absolutely right. Whatever team it seems like he’s ever played on is always be able to squeeze a few more uh few few dollars underneath that cap. But getting to that, we got 19 million on the, you know, mainstream cap. Yeah, we’ve got $19 million. We have 14.1 to spend on the mid-level and then the buy level uh exemption which the low level is 5.1 million. So ultimately around $ 38.2 million but it’s not all under the cap. Um if that’s oh let’s go out and sign the top free agent. Well we we can’t quite do that. Um but we do need to be kind of considering of some things. How we want to use this cap. Do we want to use it on the mainstream free agent market? Do we want to use some of these funds to um you know kick down the road you know so to speak uh to take care of Assar Thompson and Jaylen Duran or Jaden Ivy if if go down that route. Um do we want how much do we want to spend on Malik Beasley? You know is is you know is that if that interest is mutual he’s going to have to be somewhat wise to that $14.1 million number in that total. Now can we go above that a little bit in the luxury tax? We can. Could we give him 16, 17, $18 million a year? We could. Um, however, that’s going to then come out a little bit of that cap space at the top. That’s a cap number that is that going to yield you a perennial all-star. Is that going to get you your Robin player next to um Cade Cunningham? Not alone. It doesn’t. Not alone. It doesn’t. We would have to package some salary along with that. But you would be you would be if you’re getting that is that kind of cap dollars that you could utilize in a trade that could make a substant move to make the Detroit Pistons look a lot different and maybe be a lot different in regards to their ability to be consistent um in scoring and those kinds of things. It could it could and you know the names we could go on and on and on about. That’s not really what we were intended to do there, Drew. But you know, you know, and I and I know you you do a great job with cap numbers. You and in and and and don’t sell yourself short. You’re you’re you’re as good of an NBA capologist as as as we’ve got on, you know, the uh the air right now. So, I mean, you know, you you’re you’re phenomenal at this stuff. How do you see the cap space? I I think you articulate very well. It’s it’s good space. It could it could be it could yield you what you need theoretically, but like you said, you’d have to package some folks in a trade. And that’s where a Ron Holland would come into play, a guy like that. Not a lot of salary, but a lot of upside in that case. Um, that mid-level exemption’s got Malik Beasley written all over it. I mean, honestly, that that’s um that seems like a a really good move there. And and quite frankly, you know, if I’m I’m going to try and reference his number from uh last from last season, I want to say he was around 9 million um dollars last year. And I do have it up now. And you know, long story short, yes, 6 million. So honest, honestly, I think that works out very well for the Pistons and Malik Beasley. Um and maybe they can work out the contract where, you know, I you know, again, I’m not sure. You can do a lot of things, but yeah, Beasley makes a lot of sense there. 30 or something like that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And uh you know, it’d be great to get Hardway on maybe another one-year deal. I don’t know if he’s willing to do that. Maybe he is. Um if they do, you know, he he was at uh he made a lot of money last year because he had a big contract that the Pistons took on. He was at 16 million. I don’t think it’s realistic for him to expect that kind of coin going forward, honestly. Um, no. No, not from the Pistons. No. So, that’s that’s where I I’m a little reluctant to say he’d be back. But Beasley, I think this this is a a very good fit there. So, I think they’re in good shape. They have their their core back. If they can resign Beasley and maybe get maybe make a trade and and maybe get some help from the draft this year, although um they’ve only got one pick like it’s shown on the screen there at 37. So, an a rare exception this year, the Pistons aren’t in the lottery and and they’re not we’re not watching their ping pong ball get bounced from one to five or one to four or one to six or something like that. So, that’s a good thing. But no, I think it’s encouraging, but I I don’t think they don’t need to make the splash move. And I’m not sure there’s a guy out there in free agent land even or there could be a sign and trade. I’m not I’m not sure who that would even be to be honest with you. I think they need to see a little bit more of what they have. There’s there’s still time to de keep developing what you’ve got. Maybe add another key vet like you did last year and added several key vets. That’s a good that’s a good recipe right there. But let’s develop that core. Let’s develop these young guys. Let’s not keep like you said, let’s stop that Rubik’s C cube. And that’s Tjan Langden alluded to that. That that is going to be part of the deal here. We’re we’re going to we’re going to work with the ingredients we have. We’re going to let this stew congeal a little bit more. We’re going to see and we’re going to develop and get me get to be more uh more synergistic here with what we have. We’re building upon this. We’re not tearing it down and and and redoing it per se. There are teams that do that and and and ultimately they end up kind of being, you know, the the destruction of their own hand uh because they really tear down what they already had. didn’t talk about the draft pick very much. You know, it’s the 37th overall pick. That’s a that’s a second round lottery pick. I mean, that that it’s it’s a higher second round pick. I mean, there have been NBA Hall of Famers that have come from the 40th 43rd pick. So, I mean, I’m not saying that we’re going to draft S player, but definitely somebody that’s going to probably replace one of those names above. Uh that’s that’s certainly going to happen. and a guy that could be on the slide before that as a supporting cast member really even starting next year. It’s very very possible especially if we were to make some sort of big splash move and where we would you know take a lot of cap numbers down and um you know trade some pieces off to make the salaries work. Um we’re going to need that player. So it’s an interesting one and we’ll see what Langden can do with it. Um, you know, I I if we we stay out of the first round or if we try to somehow somebody’s drifting back and we’re able to get somebody in the at the very tail end of the, you know, three, four picks ahead and uh get up into the first round again to get that player. Uh, this pick would obviously be used in that and and and we’d leverage future picks to do so. But uh it’s exciting stuff, Drew. We’ve got a basketball team here again that is uh that’s that’s definitely fortified. So, I mean, I guess that really kind of alludes, you know, and I and this really goes out to the viewers out there and to all the other Piston fans. Now, what now what are we going to do? Well, Drew, you know, I think we gave some realistic possibilities here um without going into too much crystal ball stuff because, you know, I I am not so sure we’re going to be crazy uh active uh on free agency or or or making big trades. We could do something fairly substantate. Who knows? But uh in the end, Drew, it’s great to have this organization uh functional again. It was a lot of fun getting into it. I’ve been a lifelong Pistons fans. I know you have as well. And uh you know, a couple of our buddies have been. And it was a lot of fun. And uh here’s to many, many more playoff runs out of those Detroit Pistons. Uh any final thoughts, Drew? It like you said, it’s fun. I I it’s I would say I mean I was a fan probably the the year or two before they got Isaiah. So you’re talking the 1980 season. I remember the lightning bolt uniforms, but I also remember um Paul McKesky and Bob Mcadoo were the stars on that team. Nice guys, you know, at one time good players, but you know, the team just it wasn’t working. They get Zeke and and things start happening, you know, and that that’s another episode in itself. But uh yeah, I’d love to see it’s great to see the Pistons um relevant in the NBA because I’ll be honest you as a fan I that’s the NBA the way it’s officiated the way I I’m not a fan of how that is. But I love the game of basketball and I love how the Pistons play basketball. So this is really fun. Lot lot of fun. It sure has been. And uh hopefully uh we can we talk about a deep playoff run uh on the next time we talk some Detroit Pistons. But uh we’ll have that be our last thoughts. And for the great Drew, Dave Druzinski, this is a coach Andy Shield and this has been the Sports Peninsula podcast. This has been the Sports Peninsula Podcast. Thank you for watching and don’t forget to subscribe to our channel. Follow us on YouTube so you don’t miss an episode at the Sports Peninsula Podcast. You can also follow us on Twitter X. Just look for atports peak podcast and follow us to keep up on sports around the great state of Michigan and beyond. 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We’re looking back at the Detroit Pistons’ 2024-2025 campaign that saw the Pistons unexpected and meteoric rise from the worst record in franchise history, to a 6th seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs this past year! We’ll discuss the changes that led to this resurgence and we’ll also talk about the off-season plans and how the Pistons can build on their first playoff appearance since 2019 next!
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