The Detroit Pistons are a storied franchise, with some great teams under their belt. Lately, the Pistons have struggled to make the playoffs, With Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond leading the team, the Pistons are hoping to make it further into the playoffs this year and set a standard for future teams. The Pistons have had past success, winning three championships in 1989, 1990, and 2004. Pistons fans are hungry for another championship, the question is, can the Pistons do it?
All-Time Detroit Pistons
Starting Five
Point Guard – Isiah Thomas
Being a 12-time all-star, a Hall of Fame member, and a two-time NBA champion, Isiah Thomas is an all-time great, and undoubtedly deserves a spot on this roster. Thomas made the all-star team in every one of his seasons in the NBA besides his last one.
Thomas is arguably the greatest Piston ever, and at times he can be forgotten. In 1996, he was chosen to the NBA’s top 50 list and is ninth on the NBA’s all-time assist list. Thomas averaged 19.2 points, 1.9 steals, and 9.3 assists.
Thomas played his heart out for the Detroit Pistons, putting up 25 points in a single quarter on an injured ankle in the 1988 NBA Finals.
Shooting Guard – Joe Dumars
Being a part of the dynamic duo with Isiah Thomas, no one fits better here than Joe Dumars. Dumars was a quality player next to Thomas, he was a good shooter and a helpful defender. In the 1989 NBA finals, Dumars averaged 27.3 ppg, and because of this, he won the Finals MVP award.
In 2006, Dumars was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Small Forward – Grant Hill
Grant Hill was a great player with the Pistons, and before the ankle injury, he was a very explosive player. Hill was a seven-time all-star, four-time All-NBA Second Team selection, one-time All-NBA First Team, and an NBA Hall of Famer. He was drafted third overall by the Detroit Pistons and won Rookie of The Year.
Throughout his time in Detroit, Hill had per-game averages of 21.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.6 steals.
Power Forward – Blake Griffin
Blake Griffin has only spent a season and a half on the Pistons, but during his time there, he has taken control of the team and willed them to the playoffs. During the 2019 playoffs, Griffin was injured, and basically playing on one leg, but that didn’t stop him from putting up 24.5 points per game and shooting 46.2 percent from three-point range.
In his short time in Detroit, Griffin has transformed his game into the modern-day big man role. Griffin hoisted seven three-point attempts per game last season and made 36 percent of them, which is a drastic change compared to the 2016-17 season in which Griffin only had 1.9 three-point attempts per game and only connected on 33 percent of those.
Center – Bill Laimbeer
One of the original “Bad Boys”, Bill Laimbeer was a quality big man that you would love to have on your team but would hate to play against. Laimbeer was one of the best defenders of his time. He was also a great rebounder as he averaged 9.7 rebounds per game for his career.
Laimbeer may not have shot the ball much, but for his time, he was a decent shooter. He shot 32 percent from three for his career, and in Game 2 of the 1990 NBA finals, Laimbeer made six threes to try to help the Pistons win the game. They may have lost at the buzzer, but it was a historic night for Bill Laimbeer.
Bench
Guard – Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Billups must be included on any Detroit Pistons all-time team. After a rocky start to his career, Billups signed with the Detroit Pistons in 2002. Billups led the Pistons to the best record in the Eastern Conference. In 2004, the Detroit Pistons defied all odds and won the NBA championship over the reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers, with Billups being named the Finals MVP.
Billups was a great player for the Pistons, and he hit many clutch shots, such as the game-winning three over The Golden State Warriors on March 9th, 2003.
Guard – Richard “Rip” Hamilton
Richard Hamilton was a centerpiece for the Detroit Pistons. Hamilton is known for many things, whether it’s his good defense, his scoring, or his famous face mask, but one thing reigns true when you think of Hamilton, you think of the Detroit Pistons. He was an OK shooter from deep, shooting 34 percent for his career, and 45 percent in the 2006 season.
Hamilton was a quality player that helped the Pistons win their third NBA championship. During his 9 years with the Pistons, he put averaged 18.4 points and 3.4 assists on 44.9 precent shooting.
Forward – Dennis Rodman
Dennis Rodman was truly a “Bad Boy”. Being a bully on the court, Rodman truly did the dirty work on the court. Rodman won Defensive Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons with the Detroit Pistons.
He was drafted 27th overall as a second-round pick in 1986. He soon showed his true ability by playing 15 minutes per game his first season, and 26 minutes per game his next season. Rodman was also a rebounding machine. He is considered by some as the best rebounder ever. He averaged 13 boards a game for his career and 18.7 per game during the 1991-92 season.
Forward – John Salley
John Salley was drafted 11th overall in 1986 by the Detroit Pistons and was a big part of the Detroit Pistons playoff runs and championships. Salley was a great defensive player. He helped the Pistons win their first two championships in 1989 and 1990.
Salley is currently fifth for most blocks for the Detroit Pistons, and is one of two players (the other being Tim Duncan) to win a championship in 3 different decades.
Center – Ben Wallace
After going undrafted in the 1996 NBA draft, Ben Wallace had a rough start to his career. After playing for the Washington Bullets and the Orlando Magic, Wallace was traded to the Detroit Pistons in a sign and trade deal for Grant Hill. Soon after, Wallace would become one of the league’s best defenders.
Wallace would win Defensive Player of the Year after the 2001-02 season, and then again after the 2002-03 season. Two years later Wallace would again win the Defensive Player of the Year back-to-back after the 2004-05 and the 2005-06 seasons. Wallace is widely considered one of the best undrafted players of all time, and one of the best defensive players of all time. He still leads the Detroit Pistons all-time blocks list with 1,486 blocks.
Main Photo
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