DETROIT —
Detroit Pistons
Last season: NBA-worst 14-68, including single-season record 28-game losing streak.
COACH: J.B. Bickerstaff (first season with team; eighth overall 255-290)
SEASON OPENER: Oct. 23 vs. Indiana at home.
DEPARTURES: GM Troy Weaver, coach Monty Williams, C Marvin Bagley III, C James Wiseman, G Evan Fournier.
ADDITIONS: President of basketball operations Trajan Langdon, Bickerstaff, F Tobias Harris, G Malik Beasley, G Tim Hardaway Jr. and rookie G Ron Holland, the No. 5 pick overall.
BetMGM championship odds: +100,000
What to expect
A lot of losing. It's difficult to see how the team is much better than the last two seasons when it combined to win just 31 games. Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 pick overall in 2021, signed a $224 million, five-year contract extension to stay and will likely put up good numbers. The Pistons will probably stick with Bickerstaff no matter how the season shakes out after having two coaches — Williams and Dwane Casey — the previous two years.
Strengths and weaknesses
The good: Youth is on the team's side with the 23-year-old Cunningham, 22-year-old Jaden Ivey and 20-year-old Jalen Duren. The Pistons can potentially play fast, taking advantage of having a young and athletic team.
The not-so-good: Detroit struggled to shoot from the outside, play defense and take care of the basketball and those may be problems again this season.
Players to watch
Malik Beasley, a 27-year-old shooting guard, will have a chance to put up a lot of shots and the team desperately hopes he can make some from the outside after signing a $6 million, one-year contract. Ivey's outside shooting is a key because if the third-year pro can't make teams respect him on the perimeter, they will continue to dare him to shoot.
