Due to limited cap flexibility, it was expected to be a quiet summer in Motown. Let’s take a look and grade each offseason move for the Detroit Pistons.
The Detroit Pistons entered the 2018 NBA offseason and ended the Jeff Bower and Stan Van Gundy era. The former general manager and coach were brought in during the summer of 2014, and failed to achieve success. The tandem won more than 40 games only one of four seasons, and reached the playoffs once in 2015-16.
After being fired by the Toronto Raptors, the Pistons hired 2018 NBA Coach of the Year Dwane Casey. He inherits a team that ranked ninth in the Eastern Conference last year, and was four games back from earning a playoff spot.
With a roster that features All-Star Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson, Casey has a formidable trio to build around. CBS Sports preseason rankings have the Pistons ranked 19th overall, which places them as the 8-seed in the East.
The franchise was strapped financially coming into free agency, and entered the 2018 NBA Draft with only one second round pick. Due to limited resources, it was critical that management found players that fit the system and could help the team win immediately.
Let’s take a look at each offseason move and give it a grade.