In 2026, the Detroit Pistons completed one of the greatest turnarounds in league history. They finished their journey from a 28-game losing streak two years ago to a regular-season Eastern Conference title and the No. 1 seed.
Detroit built its ascension on a bully-ball approach centered around superstar point guard Cade Cunningham’s triple-threat ability coupled with big men dominating the paint. As a top-two statistical defense in the NBA this season, the Pistons will look to stay strong in locking down opponents’ inside game.
On offense, they’ll look to expand their horizons after relying on Cunningham for most of their production. 33-year-old Tobias Harris was solid, if not incredible, as a secondary offensive option, but the Pistons struggled to stay consistent going point-for-point with heavy firepower this year.
Detroit’s dream season ended early with a frustrating Game 7 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. With many of their core players entering free agency, the Pistons will look to replace depth and stay in contention through the NBA Draft.
Pistons Draft Picks:
- Round 1 — No. 21
Pistons Draft Needs:
Detroit’s future at point guard is locked down with Cunningham and resourceful backup Daniss Jenkins each thriving.
The Pistons will first look to lock down a contract for center Jalen Duren and retain their frontcourt depth. Elsewhere, their biggest needs are more shooting and more size and defensive chops along the wing. Finding a way to stretch the floor is critical to giving Cunningham space to operate. Additional shooting guard depth would keep Detroit’s pick-and-roll, paint-heavy offensive scheme humming.
Duncan Robinson isn’t necessarily a liability on either side of the ball as a starter, but adding a strong perimeter defender to their backcourt certainly wouldn’t hurt the Pistons.
Pistons Draft Targets:
Bennett Stirtz — G — Iowa
Stirtz is a smooth ball-screen specialist who excels at orchestrating pick-and-rolls. He makes things happen offensively as a confident shooter who can handle the ball in a pinch. His on-ball capabilities would help lessen the creation burden on Cunningham’s shoulders.
As a proficient transition passer who shot about 52% on catch-and-shoot threes against strong Big Ten competition at Iowa, Stirtz is the kind of offensive cog that would give Detroit a needed threat from beyond the arc.
Christian Anderson — G — Texas Tech
Another slick multi-level shooter, Anderson would provide a similar pop to Detroit’s outside shooting game. The former German youth international has drawn comparisons to Darius Garland for his silky dribbling and threatening firepower from deep.
Anderson attempted the fifth-most three-pointers off the bounce in Division 1 last season and hit nearly 43% of them. Additionally, he showed versatility by posting efficient floaters and mid-range looks. He’d likely be more of a help defender than a true on-ball menace, but he’d be the perfect punishment for teams that focus too much on stopping Detroit’s inside game.
Isaiah Evans — G — Duke
A 6-foot-5 wing with prototypical wingspan and hands, Evans could produce impact defensive plays the Pistons covet while also bringing the rain from beyond the arc. His off-ball movement is reminiscent of Detroit’s style of shooters like Robinson and Malik Beasley.
Evans’ steal and block numbers surged from nearly nonexistent to 0.7 apiece per game in 2026. The jump bodes well for his development as a see-ball, get-ball defender. He’s a streaky shooter, but with a 37% make rate from 3-point range, he’s no slouch in that department either.
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