Detroit Pistons: 3 reasons to be excited about this team

3. Good coaching

The Pistons have had just one winning season since Flip Saunders left after the 2007-08 season. They have a strong chance to finish 41-41 this year, but the arrow is pointing up with Dwane Casey at the helm. Casey gradually turned the Toronto Raptors into a perennial Eastern Conference power, and he’s going to do the same with the Pistons. The team showed flashes under him this year, and it’ll be more consistent as Detroit gets players to better fit his system.

The Pistons lucked out when the Raptors decided to part ways with Casey despite the Coach of the Year campaign he put together last year. Casey chose to come to Motown because of the talent they had in place, and they can develop a team to fit what he wants to do on the floor. He likes to spread the floor with shooting, and the Pistons have been trying to add shooters wherever they can over the last couple of years.

The team underwhelmed this year, and there is no way around that. However, that was more due to the players underperforming than Casey’s shortcomings as a coach. When they were playing together within the system, they were one of the top teams in the conference this year. As long as ownership remains patient enough to allow Casey to develop this team into what he likes to do, he will move this team up the tiers of the Eastern Conference.