Detroit Pistons: 5 goals following 2019 NBA All-Star break

1. Make the playoffs

This has been the goal from the moment Detroit traded for Griffin last February, then parted ways with coach/team president Stan Van Gundy in May, hired Casey in June, and used much of what little free agency money it had on vets with playoff experience.

It’s probably also why the Pistons didn’t trade Drummond, Griffin or Jackson ahead of the 2019 deadline, despite some rumors that they could’ve been moved to create future salary cap space. Team owner Tom Gores has been clear that the Pistons are trying to make the playoffs this year, not trying to tank for a better draft pick.

One thing working in Detroit’s favor is that even though the East is more competitive this year than it was during the bulk of LeBron James‘ reign over the conference, it’s still top-heavy.

The teams likely to compete with the Pistons for the bottom playoff seeds include the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat and Orlando Magic — teams that Detroit arguably has advantages over in talent and coaching.

The Pistons have two All-Star caliber players in Griffin and Drummond, while those aforementioned teams have either one or zero. Casey was last season’s NBA Coach of the Year, who also guided the Toronto Raptors to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2016.

Finishing above .500 would be nice, and a seed higher than No. 8 would be great. Most important, however, is the Pistons simply getting back to the postseason. That would do much more for the morale of the franchise and its fanbase than a slightly higher pick in the draft.