Pistons plan to lean on Cunningham to lead and young players to develop with higher expectations

COACH: J.B. Bickerstaff (2nd season with Pistons, 10th season overall, 299-328)

SEASON OPENER: Oct. 22 at Chicago.

DEPARTURES: Tim Hardaway Jr., Malik Beasley, Dennis Schroder, Simone Fontecchio.

ADDITIONS: Duncan Robinson, Caris LeVert, Javonte Green, Chaz Lanier.

BetMGM championship odds: 33-1.

What to expect

The Pistons may be good enough to earn home-court advantage in the first round, a year after earning the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference with one of the best turnarounds in NBA history. Cade Cunningham should be in better condition after dedicating his offseason to improve his shape, following his uneven performance in the first round against the New York Knicks and a third-team, All-NBA regular season. Former lottery picks Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey, coming back from a broken leg, will have a chance to earn long-term contract extensions. Robinson and LaVert should be able to replace Hardaway and Beasley.

Strengths and weaknesses

The good: Cunningham has established himself as one of the league's best players, validating Detroit's decision to draft him No. 1 in 2021. Team chemistry is a strength after players chose to spend a lot of time together in the offseason, working out in the Motor City and elsewhere in the country. The top three scorers (Cunningham, Tobias Harris and Ivey) are back from last season's team along with nine players from the rotation.

The not-so-good: Cunningham averaged 4.4 turnovers last season, second-worst in the NBA. He made just 33.9% of his career 3-pointers and is an average on-the-ball defender. The Pistons were among the worst 3-point shooting teams during the playoffs after being a middle-of-the-pack team beyond the arc during the regular season.

Players to watch

It's a big year for Ivey, who broke his left leg on Jan. 1, 2025, and is entering the last year of his contract. He was handed another setback before the season, having surgery on his right knee and is expected to be out for at least a month. Detroit drafted him with the No. 5 pick in 2022. If the lightning-quick guard can return to the form he had last season, averaging career highs in points (17.6) and rebounds (4.1) along with four assists per game, the franchise will likely want to keep him. Ron Holland and Marcus Sasser will also have opportunities to show they should be a part of Cunningham's surrounding cast for years to come. The franchise intentionally didn't make major moves in the offseason to create chances for young players such as them to develop and play. Robinson and LaVert, both 31 and former Michigan teammates, are pivotal players because the team needs them to take and make 3-pointers to spread the floor.

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