Pistons: Killian Hayes’ return and 4 things to watch in the second half

The Detroit Pistons have plenty of losses this season with a 10-26 record, but they’ve been an interesting team that shows some promise for the future nonetheless. Only the Minnesota Timberwolves have fewer wins, but the Pistons have positioned themselves as well as any team at the bottom tier of the league.

Their young core has flourished, with the exception of their first pick in this year’s draft, Killian Hayes, and they have a star in the making in Jerami Grant. For the first time in a long time, they have a general manager with vision and a bent towards aggression in team-building in Troy Weaver, and the future is fairly bright in spite of the dismal record.

What to watch for in the second half of the season for the Detroit Pistons

The next few years could be exciting for the Pistons, but they’ve got the second half of this season to get through first. That’s not a bad thing, mind you. Between Grant testing his limits and finding out where his true ceiling might be and the continued growth of the rookies on this team, in addition to Killian Hayes’s looming healthy return, they’re a squad worth watching even if you don’t have a rooting interest in them.

As their season gets back in action on Thursday night against LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward and the Charlotte Hornets, we’ll take a look at the four biggest storylines to keep an eye on going forward.