How Do the Detroit Pistons Navigate the 2020 Off-Season?

The Detroit Pistons are one of the most successful Eastern Conference teams of this millennium. They went to 6 consecutive Eastern Conference Finals from 2003 to 2008 and won a championship in 2004.

However, they have been stuck in middle-of-the-road purgatory for a long time now. While teams like Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, and Cleveland Cavaliers built dynasties, the Pistons have struggled.

To combat this, they traded for LA Clippers superstar Blake Griffin to put alongside Andre Drummond. However, in 2020, Griffin seems bogged down by injury and Drummond has left the team.

The Pistons will look to make themselves competitive in the Conference yet again. The last time we saw Blake Griffin healthy, he was an All-Star in the Pistons jersey and made the All-NBA team.

Last season, we saw the re-emergence of Derrick Rose and the rise of Christian Wood. So what should the Pistons do this off-season to improve for the season ahead?

Detroit Pistons: The roadmap to a successful off-season

To start off, what do the Pistons do with their seventh overall pick? Get one of the many guards atop this draft class. They have young wings like Sekou Doumbouya who may do better with an increased role.

Along with that, the big situation is also sorted if they can retain Christian Wood and keep Blake Griffin healthy. However, Derrick Rose needs a running-mate and this draft may provide the point-guard of the future.

A host of players ranging from Tyrese Haliburton to Cole Anthony should be available at that range.

One of the priorities has to be re-signing Christian Wood. The Pistons have almost $30 million in cap, so that shouldn’t be a problem unless Wood forces his way out.

Even if that happens, the Pistons can look to snag some of the top free agents this year. This includes Fred VanVleet, who may add to the point guard depth. If they can get him long-term, the Pistons will have a contingency for D-Rose, who is a free agent after this season.

Considering only 9 players from last season’s roster will be returning, the Pistons will have to fill their roster out. Some back-up bigs and depth at the wing positions will also be prioritized.

Hopefully, the Piston can become competitive enough to fight for a playoff spot in the East. While they are a long way from competing atop the conference, they can take some big steps forward this year.