It was made official today that the Detroit Pistons would receive Brandon Jennings from the Bucks in a sign-and-trade, and the Pistons would send Brandon Knight to the Bucks. So, what happens with the Pistons from here? Are they a legit playoff team? Let’s look at the pieces they have.
It’s safe to say that the Detroit Pistons have quietly had a solid off-season. They were able to sign their main target, Josh Smith. Josh Smith is one of the better power forwards in the league. He has a solid offensive game, but he’s mainly known for his defensive play. If he can work on his jump shot and knock down shots on a consistent basis, he can finally be considered a star in the NBA. When they signed Smith, there was hope in Detroit. Many people felt they could finally get over the hump and reach the playoffs.
What Detroit is trying to do is to get back to the days when they were one of the best teams in the NBA. Let’s not forget they won a championship when they had players such as Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, and Ben Wallace. Luckily, they were able to sign Billups again for a return to Detroit. Billups may be nearing the end of his career, but he can still help the Pistons. The city loves him, and he’s happy to be back. He brings a sense of leadership to this team. And with Richard Hamilton recently being released by the Chicago Bulls, the Pistons should try to sign him.
And now, the Pistons have Brandon Jennings, a solid player, but his decision-making has been questioned. It was the right time for him to leave Milwaukee -it wasn’t the right place for him. He has a new start in Detroit, and he may be able to finally find his game. He has a great offensive game, but both he and Smith both could use some help on their jump shots. Signing Smith, Jennings, and Billups was huge for the Pistons.
Let’s not forget about the role players the Pistons have. Andre Drummond was one of the best rookies last year, and is expected to have a huge season for the Pistons. Will Bynum, Greg Monroe, Rodney Stuckey, and Kyle Singler are also great role players for the Pistons. Also, they drafted point guard Peyton Siva, who is coming off a championship season at Louisville.
So with all this being said, it’s safe to say that the Detroit Pistons will make the playoffs this upcoming season. They may not be a top 5 team in the Eastern Conference, but they’ll still be in the postseason, which is huge for them. If everything works out for this team and there isn’t any chemistry problems, the future is very bright in Detroit.
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