How the Detroit Pistons can become relevant again in 2018-19

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 17: Andre Drummond #0 of Team LeBron is interviewed for the upcoming 2018 NBA All-Star game during Media Day at the Verizon Up Arena at LACC on February 17, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

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Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images /

Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin play in the All-Star Game

The NBA recently released its 2018-19 schedule, serving another reminder of the Pistons’ place in the league’s hierarchy of franchises.

Detroit has four nationally televised games on ESPN, six on NBA TV and zero on TNT or ABC. By comparison, the Lakers have a league-high 43 national TV games.

Casual fans are not going to see much of the Pistons or their two best players, center Andre Drummond and power forward Blake Griffin. That means getting one or possibly both of them into the 2019 NBA All-Star Game (Feb. 17 in Charlotte) will do a lot to increase their exposure to the masses.

Drummond and Griffin have been there before, and have the talent and production to make it back there again. Drummond is a two-time All-Star with the Pistons and a former All-NBA selection who has led the league in rebounding twice in the past three seasons. Griffin, who came to Detroit via trade from the Clippers last season, was a five-time All-Star and four-time All-NBAer in L.A.

If Detroit shows significant improvement on the court by midseason, Drummond is leading the league in boards again and Griffin is getting 20-and-10 numbers, then the Pistons could send multiple players to the All-Star Game for the first time since Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace represented the team back in 2008.

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