Detroit Pistons hire Troy Weaver to lead the franchise’s next chapter

The Detroit Pistons have entered a new chapter of their history after hiring Troy Weaver as their next general manager. He has a challenging task ahead, but there’s room for optimism.

The Detroit Pistons are a franchise that has actively eschewed tanking but have one of the worst records in the NBA over the last decade to show for this noble stance. They haven’t won a playoff game since Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince and Rip Hamilton were together as teammates in the latter stages of the 2000s.

That’s the situation former Troy Weaver finds himself signing up for after signing a four-year deal with the Pistons as their new general manager. It seems bleak at a glance, but there may be more reason for optimism in Detroit than there has been in quite some time.

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For the first time since Stan Van Gundy had gobs of cap space at his disposal in 2016, the Pistons have some room under the salary cap. How much room remains to be seen, considering the financial straits the NBA finds itself in, but it’s cap space regardless, and it’ll be more than most teams have. Even though the top of the free agent class this coming offseason isn’t strong, there are always gems to find in the middle, and Weaver will have the financial wherewithal to be able to attract that talent.

Beyond cap space, a big reason the Detroit Pistons were willing to trade Andre Drummond at the trade deadline to the Cleveland Cavaliers was the ability to hit the reset button and fully embrace their youth movement and long-overdue rebuild. No longer required to structure around Drummond, Weaver will have the opportunity to build a team in his own image, one unconstrained by a big man who doesn’t naturally fit into a modern system in today’s NBA.

The Pistons also have a shot at a high draft pick when the NBA draft lottery takes place on August 25th. Much like the 2020 free agent class, this draft class isn’t strong at the top, but the trick for Weaver will be to find the gem in their drafting range.

They do have tools at their disposal which they simply haven’t had in years, and Weaver is an accomplished executive with more than a decade’s experience at Sam Presti’s side with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Unlike Stan Van Gundy, who was in over his head with the dual role of president of basketball operations and head coach, and Ed Stefanski, who was essentially a placeholder after striking out in their last general manager search two years ago, Weaver can stand on his own.

There hasn’t been much to be happy about in a long time in Detroit. Two brief playoff appearances in the past decade haven’t been much relief to a fanbase bereft of winning and competitiveness, let alone title contention. After the fortune of Sekou Doumbouya dropping to them last season, they may have the opportunity to finally make their own luck thanks to the Troy Weaver’s expertise.

The Pistons are long overdue to make a competent general manager hire, and of course that’s the man who ultimately builds the team and sets the culture. If there’s a competitive culture to emulate, it’s likely that of the Oklahoma City Thunder that Weaver departs.

It’s finally, at long last, time for Detroit Pistons fans to feel a bit of optimism. With a great hire in the form of Troy Weaver, they’re positioning themselves to rebuild back to relevance.