Detroit Pistons: Embrace The Tank And Trust In Stan

Let’s get this straight: the Detroit Pistons are NOT making the playoffs this season. Even the most faithful of Pistons’ supporters must come to terms with this, especially after their recent 10-game losing streak.

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Since acquiring Reggie Jackson in a trade, the Pistons have gone 1-10, with the sole win coming when coach Stan Van Gundy chose to start Spencer Dinwiddie over Reggie Jackson in his first game as a Piston. They have since fallen to 20 games under .500, and are seven games behind the eighth seeded Charlotte Hornets.

As things stand, the Pistons would have the seventh-worst record in the NBA, and the lowest lottery pick they can have is the 10th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.

The Pistons are in an awkward phase – they aren’t rebuilding, nor are they competitive enough to be one or two players away from competing in the playoffs. When SVG took over, he knew the franchise had been run poorly in the past, and it would take at least a season before the organization could even think of being competitive again.

Dec 6, 2014; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Josh Smith (6) during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

The Josh Smith-era perfectly exemplifies this. Offering a four-year, $54 million contract to a player who would have trouble fitting into the roster is hands down one of the worst decisions they have made as a franchise. Buying out his contract just after one full season shows how doomed that relationship was from the start, and it might even cost them more if Greg Monroe chooses not to re-sign with the Pistons in the offseason.

Throw in the disappointing draft selections and you have one of the league’s most poorly-run franchises in recent history. The Pistons were once a great franchise, especially during the Bad Boys era, where they made five consecutive Conference Finals appearances, and even won it all twice. More recently, they had a six-season span where they made the Eastern Conference Finals every season, including two NBA Finals appearances.

In order for the Pistons to return to their former glory days, they must embrace the tank and allow Van Gundy to work his magic.

We already caught a glimpse of what he can do if he is given the right tools, as the Pistons went on a 11-2 run after cutting Smith from the roster. Monroe returned to the form that saw him listed as a possible All-Star two seasons ago, Brandon Jennings showed enough promise to give the impression that he could lead the Pistons, and Andre Drummond solidified his position as one of the league’s best young talents.

This team was considered a dark horse to make the playoffs after their impressive 11-2 run stretch. It’s not farfetched to suggest that they could have made it as the eighth seed if Jennings remained healthy. But with him out, Van Gundy chose to roll the dice with Reggie Jackson, giving up backups D.J. Augustin, Kyle Singler and two second-round draft picks.

Mar 10, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Jordan Hill (27) guards Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson (1) in the first half of the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Even if Jackson doesn’t have a future as a Piston, it was worth taking a gamble, and the move even wiped away $4 million in salaries (Singler, Augustin). Jackson could even have some value as a trade asset, as the Pistons can acquire picks in a sign-and-trade. Overall, the Pistons didn’t give up much, and might have even been a stealth tanking manoeuvre.

The Pistons will have $42.8 million in guaranteed salaries for next season, which leaves them with around $24 million in cap space (assuming the salary cap for next season is $66 million). If Monroe chooses to re-sign for the max, he is entitled to 25 percent of the salary cap ($16.5 million per season), and the team will still have some cap space left over to re-tool their roster.

Despite the fact that this could be the Pistons’ sixth season with a win-loss percentage under .400, fans can rest easy knowing that Stan Van Gundy is leading the team and they are on the long path back to their former glory days.

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