The Detroit Pistons will go into the all-star break with a 27-30 record, placing them as the number 8th seed in the eastern conference playoffs standing. It’s a step back from where they were a year ago and what was expected of them for this season.
A year ago the Pistons finished the season 44-38 and the number 8th seed. They gave the eventual NBA champs Cavaliers a run for their money. With the young core of Andre Drummond, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Reggie Jackson, and Tobias, along with a competitive rookie in Stanley Johnson, the Pistons looked like a perennial playoff team for the future.
That has not been the case.
Starting point guard Reggie Jackson would miss the first 21 games of the season due to a knee injury. Newly acquired point guard Ish Smith would take the reigns and the team would start the season 5-0 at home, and would hold a 11-10 record. Once Jackson came back with his shoot first mentality, the team struggled, the chemistry wasn’t there, and they would drop as low as the number 13th seed in the conference.
It’s been a roller coaster so far.
Ish Smith caters to the team with his pass-first mentality, while Reggie is more of a scoring point guard. During those struggles teammate Marcus Morris held a team meeting allowing guys to vent. Morris went on to question the selfishness of certain guys. He said “we have to make a decision. Are we going to play for the team, or are we going to play for ourselves?”
One -time all-star center Andre Drummond is averaging 14.6 points, and 13.8 rebounds per contest. Starting shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is averaging 14.2 points, 2.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per contest. Jackson add 15.2 points and 5.6 assists, while Tobias Harris adds 16.3 points. The question is who is the real leader and who is untouchable trade wise?
The Pistons don’t have a superstar talent, they rely on collective efforts to win games, and they don’t have a legit go-to guy on the offensive end.
With Caldwell-Pope approaching free agency, and seeking 20 million per year, Jackson and Drummond not making the same impact they did a year ago, and Stanley taking a step back, the trade deadline is going to be very interesting.
Note, Caldwell-Pope and Drummond are the only players who weren’t hand picked by Stan Van Gundy. They are the only two remaining from the Joe Dumars era.
