NBA Power Rankings Preseason Edition: Lakers moves lead the way

Last Season: 20-52, 15th in Eastern Conference

The Detroit Pistons have fought tooth-and-nail to avoid a true rebuild, bringing in players such as Tobias Harris, Blake Griffin and Jerami Grant to keep the team afloat while it fought for the bottom of the playoff bracket. Last offseason they tried to walk a middle road, flipping a few veterans for draft picks while also adding some veteran talent to stay competitive. Instead, the wheels came off and Detroit fell all the way to last place, and they were rewarded with the first overall pick.

This offseason was about consolidating the youth movement, flipping Mason Plumlee on to bring in a stretch-5 in Kelly Olynyk, providing the perfect spacing center to open up the court for young perimeter players learning the NBA. This season will be about the growth of their young core, players such as Killian Hayes, Saddiq Bey, and of course Cade Cunningham.

Key Offseason Move: Drafting Cade Cunningham with the first pick. There were plenty of other options that swirled around the Pistons leading into draft night, from taking Jalen Green or Evan Mobley first overall, to trading down and getting a blue chip asset in addition to a top player. In the end the team drafted the consensus overall player in Cade Cunningham.

Cunningham was made for the modern NBA, with a strong outside shot, excellent passing ability and the size and willingness to mix it up on the defensive end. If the Pistons can get a co-star, either through development or the draft, this team could contend in the Eastern Conference in a handful of years. Cunningham should be that good.