The Detroit Pistons are in a tough spot if their three best players, Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, and Jalen Duren, didn’t get better this offseason. Pistons President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon knows it, too. He flat-out implied during his season-ending media availability that if those guys didn’t make strides in June, July, and August, the Pistons simply aren’t going anywhere in April and May. Last season’s version of that core wasn’t ready to play for a title, and they won’t be this season either unless they come back vastly improved.
The Haunting 150 Seconds and a Failed Pursuit
It’s easy to dismiss, but let’s be real: Trey Murphy III isn’t changing the Pistons’ fortunes. LeBron James isn’t changing them. Even Kawhi Leonard, despite his talent, probably wouldn’t have taken last season’s version of Cunningham, Thompson, and Duren to the NBA Finals this June. Langdon likely spent his offseason thinking about the last 2.5 minutes of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Those 150 seconds didn’t just shift the direction of the Pistons’ postseason; they defined it completely. It’s clear that moment highlighted a major need for the team.
Langdon reportedly went all-in on finding a proven second scorer. His target? Kawhi Leonard. Now, banking on Leonard to stay healthy for back-to-back seasons is a serious gamble. He only appeared in 65 games last season, and that was his second-most since he played 74 in 2016-17. Despite the risk, Langdon was reportedly willing to make that play, assuming Leonard was interested in coming to Detroit and the Clippers didn’t demand the Pistons gut their entire team for the trade. The catch? Leonard wasn’t interested. So, Langdon had to move on.
No Surprise, Just Tough Choices in a Stacked East
Don’t be surprised by the lack of a major scoring acquisition, though. Langdon actually told us this back in May. After the Pistons lost to the Cavaliers in six games in the second round of the NBA playoffs, he stated that the team needed to improve, and that improvement would have to come from both outside and inside the roster. Finding that “outside” scoring punch has proven to be incredibly difficult.
The rest of the Eastern Conference isn’t slowing down for Detroit. As of July 3, the New York Knicks lead the pack with +325 odds to win the East, having added Andre Drummond and featuring a projected starting lineup of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns. Key reserves like Landry Shamet, Miles McBride, and Jose Alvarado are also on deck. Right behind them are the Boston Celtics at +450 odds, who bolstered their roster with Paul George. Langdon’s task to get the Pistons into contention just got significantly harder. Without that proven second scorer, the pressure is on Cunningham, Thompson, and Duren to make massive leaps for the upcoming season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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