In a limp Eastern Conference, with complementary internal growth on their side, an immediate conference finals run wouldn’t be outlandish. Last season, the Pistons honed a successful identity that was based on toughness, physicality, and open-floor athleticism. Markkanen can smooth the edges in a half-court offense that ranked 19th, expanding Bickerstaff’s playbook without taking anything off the table defensively or on the glass. Don’t let Markkanen’s outside touch fool you: This is a large man who enjoys contact.
There’s risk here for Detroit, sure. Markkanen is very good but might not be “missing piece” good for an organization that hasn’t won a playoff series in almost two decades. He also regularly misses quite a bit of time, with the 68 games he appeared in as a rookie still standing as a career high. But Cunningham is a franchise player who deserves a slightly accelerated timeline, and there’s no guarantee anyone better will come along. The time to strike—to lock up a team that can mature and climb together—is now.