New Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff was introduced in a news conference on Wednesday.
New Detroit Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon wanted to create an environment of positivity after the team went through a historically bad season. He believes new head coach J.B. Bickerstaff brings that to Detroit.
Langdon and his front office staff wanted a coach with leadership qualities, great communication skills and someone who wanted to collaborate with the front office to build a culture and environment where players can reach their potential. Bickerstaff aligned with those qualities and that vision.
Bickerstaff was introduced as the Pistons’ next head coach at a press conference Wednesday, where Langdon highlighted Bickerstaff’s passion and desire to be in Detroit, to be the team’s next leader.
“What this job comes down to for me is being a partner,” Bickerstaff said as he addressed the media at his introductory press conference Wednesday. “And an opportunity to build something special, build something unique. I’m looking forward to it. I believe in the people that we have running the show. I believe in their courage. I believe in the young talent we have here. And then the shrewd moves that we made this offseason to get some veteran players to come along and help lead our young guys.”
Bickerstaff noted that he had a great feeling that the organization was heading in the right direction, which helped his decision in taking the job.
Bickerstaff’s new franchise player and floor general in Cade Cunningham recently agreed to a five-year, $224 million maximum rookie extension , which could become worth as much as $269 million. Bickerstaff noted that a focus for him and his staff will be to turn Cunningham into one of the top two-way players in the league.
“I think he’s a stud,” Bickerstaff said of Cunningham. “I don’t think there’s a lot that he can’t do on the basketball floor.”
Langdon’s early moves prioritized adding players who complement Cunningham and make his life easier on the floor. All of Tobias Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley help space the floor. They all rarely missed games in recent seasons, which was an issue with other Pistons veterans over recent years.
“You want to surround your guys that you are developing with people who make them better,” Bickerstaff said. “I think that with the young guys we have, we’re trying our best to put them in positions of success. And success a lot of times, offensively in particular, starts with that space.”
He highlighted that floor spacing isn’t just important for Cunningham, but also for Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart who can put pressure on the rim. Bickerstaff mentioned that it’s paramount to put space around all those players to put them in positions where they can see success.
When asked specifically about defense, which is a focal point of all Bickerstaff-led teams, he noted that any team will struggle without a defensive foundation. Elite teams in the league have two-way players who take pride in the defensive end, which helps those teams increase their chances of winning at the end of games.
Bickerstaff also mentioned the need for a will to play defense, which Langdon also highlighted in his own introductory press conference only a few weeks ago.
The Pistons’ rotations for next season are up in the air after their offseason transactions, most recently claiming fifth-year big Paul Reed off waivers . With added talent, Bickerstaff mentioned that players will have to earn minutes if a team wants to compete. So, there’s likely a lot left to unfold this offseason and into the team’s training camp.
When the Bickerstaff-led Pistons do hit the court, immediate success lies in improvement. Bickerstaff explicitly stated that he and his staff want to go where development impacts winning. Music to Pistons’ fans ears.
The ups and downs will still be there. A team this young has to ride the rollercoaster. Bickerstaff hopes to develop and implement a style of play that all will be able to recognize as Pistons basketball.