A holiday-centric look at the Detroit Pistons
Happy holidays, y’all!
What a difference one year makes, eh? This time last year, we were in the midst of the worst stretch of basketball in the Detroit Pistons ’ history. Now, things are better. They’re not good, but they’re better and that’s all you can ask for. I wanted to think of a way to put a holiday spin on the Pistons because, hey, they’re not 48 minutes of nightly coal for once!
Before we dive in, I wanted to pay off the image you see above. I know most of the regular readers are well aware of the history of that screen grab, but if you’re a newer or younger fan, it’s one of the great holiday moments in NBA history:
God, I love that shit. Sheed was, and is, amazing. If you’re reading this, Pistons Marketing Team, please, grab some of the guys on this year’s team and re-make this. It’ll pop off on social media, believe me.
1. It’s the holiday season. What are you most thankful for with the Detroit Pistons?
Ben Gulker: A real life NBA basketball team! And they’re better than I thought they’d be, legitimately in the fight for a play-in spot.
Brady Fredericksen: Cade. I’ve always loved watching him, but as someone who has stubbornly believed he’s got a season like this in him, it’s been a very gratifying first few months. His improvements are noticeable, specifically on defense, and I’ve just really enjoyed seeing him take a true All-Star leap.
Justin Lambregetse: I am most thankful that we aren’t in the middle of a record losing streak like we were last year. In all seriousness, it is just nice to be playing competitive games almost every night and not already be checked out of not only the Pistons, but the entire NBA in general.
Wes Davenport: I’m sure I won’t be the only one to say this, but Cade Cunningham. The Pistons have a central piece to build around and he’s on a very reasonable post-rookie max extension. That’s the type of player we fans have dreamed of having on the Pistons. We have one now.
Robbie Bettelon: I’m thankful for JB Bickerstaff. We have a real coach! The vibes on the team seem high and I’m happy to have JB leading the way. He has put Cade and Ivey in positions to play to their strengths, and I’ve really enjoyed the plays he has drawn up after timeouts.
Ryan Caldwell: That they’re playing basketball at an NBA level this season. They still have a long way to go, but they’re back on track.
2. If you could give JB Bickerstaff one gift this season, what would it be?
Ben Gulker: A Monty Williams jersey.
Brady Fredericksen: Prime Rasheed Wallace (see what I did here?) because that guy would be a PERFECT fit for not only the NBA in 2024, but for this team. Imagine the devastating pick-and-pop potential with Cade? The defense? Chefs kiss. Hell, he would be marketing gold, too. We’d have trending Sheed memes on TikTok, some glorious in-game ejections… it would just be an injection of swagger. The NBA would be better with a goofball like Sheed.
Justin Lambregetse: Whatever his favorite thing is for saving us from Monty Williams. I’m not sure if he will ultimately be the coach that gets the Pistons playing consistent playoff basketball, but he sure as hell is better than Monty Williams and has made the Pistons watchable and a semi-respectable NBA team.
Wes Davenport: One of those coiled Secret Service earpiece communication sets. Direct communication from JB into the ear of a certain Pistons big may be our only hope for improved backline defense!
Robbie Bettelon: I would gift JB Bickerstaff film of every made three by Isaiah Stewart last season. I’m sure there are reasons we just aren’t aware of for why he’s using Stew as a rim-running big, but I really want to see what this team looks like with a stretch five. Hopefully we’ll get to see Stew hoist some threes when Ausar is back full-time.
Ryan Caldwell: A highlight video of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen playing defense.
3. If Trajan Langdon could give the Pistons one gift this holiday season (or between now and early February), what should it be?
Ben Gulker: Patience. First, his own. Forty percent wins 30% through the season isn’t enough winning to change course prematurely. Second, for the rest of the franchise, including the players. Stay hungry, of course, but the road to competing for the real thing is long, and these are (hopefully) the very first steps.
Brady Fredericksen: Please, find me a power forward who can defend or a backup point guard who can handle the rock and make the right play. The Pistons’ margin for error is so thin, and when you look at their shortcomings this season, defense against bigger wings and holding on to the god damn ball are the killers. Making both a little better would be a great gift.
Justin Lambregetse: A new starting center. I don’t want to say that I am ready to completely cut ties with Jalen Duren, but I am ready to never have him start a game for the Pistons again unless he significantly improves defensively. I am not sure Isiah Stewart is the answer as the starting center either so the upgrade will have to come externally.
Wes Davenport: A clear and obvious plan. Since the Stan Van Gundy days, this Pistons team has felt a bit aimless. Stefanski was nothing more than a bridge, Weaver said he wanted to build through the draft but never accumulated draft capital yet also never brought in supportive veterans. For all the faults of Stan Van Gundy, his plan was always clear: make marginal improvements to the roster via trade until a point where there is enough capital to trade for a star. That’s exactly what he did. I don’t hope that Langdon will follow the SVG strategy, but at the very least, it would be nice for the new GM to show he has a strategy.
Robbie Bettelon: I want Trajan Langdon to gift Detroit assets. It doesn’t matter what form it comes in, but this team’s cupboard of assets is real bare. He entered this season with an open roster spot, an $8 million trade exception, and Paul Reed’s non-guaranteed contract. He has enough to play with to acquire assets without trading any of the young guys.
Ryan Caldwell: A shiny, brand new starting center. I think it’s pretty easy to say that adding an NBA level center who does “center things” would be the easiest way to improve the team. Duren has pretty unanimously regressed, in what to me felt like a pretty do or die season for him on the defensive end. He is doing better altering shots but is still completely lost on that end 80% of the time and as predicted he is losing minutes to Isaiah Stewart and Paul Reed because they do play defense.
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As always, let us know your answers in the comments!
1. It’s the holiday season. What are you most thankful for with the Detroit Pistons?
2. If you could give JB Bickerstaff one gift this season, what would it be?
3. If Trajan Langdon could give the Pistons one gift this holiday season (or between now and early February), what should it be?