In Detroit sports, the talk of the city is clear. After their run to the NFC Championship last season and their status as early favorites to win the Super Bowl, the Detroit Lions have captured the city\u2019s attention. Close behind are the Detroit Red Wings, who nearly made the playoffs last season, sparking hope among their fans. Despite being labeled by some analysts as one of MLB\u2019s worst teams, the Detroit Tigers continue to compete with grit. But last on this list, surprisingly, are the Detroit Pistons\u2014a team that once dominated discussions in the Motor City.<\/p>\n
Since their return to Little Caesars Arena in 2017, the Pistons have given fans little to cheer about. With a record<\/a> of 174-374 over the last seven seasons, including a dismal 104-169 at home<\/a>, Pistons basketball has been more about frustration than excitement. Conversations around the team often focus on lackluster play, questionable coaching decisions<\/a>, and ownership issues. There\u2019s been little to look forward to.<\/p>\n Yet, something about this season has sparked a glimmer of optimism. Perhaps it’s because of the Lions\u2019 success last season that led them to the NFC Championship game. The foundations both teams have built feel strikingly similar. But how closely do their paths align? And what steps can propel the Pistons back into the spotlight in Detroit?<\/p>\n When Brad Holmes<\/a> was hired in 2021, the Detroit Lions\u2019 roster offered little to be excited about. Despite the optimism from Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia, the team had regressed since Jim Caldwell\u2019s<\/a> firing. Holmes inherited a blank canvas and began crafting a masterpiece. Of the players from the Quinn\/Patricia era, only four remain:<\/p>\n For a franchise known for its draft failures, Holmes has masterfully solidified the team\u2019s nucleus:<\/p>\n In any league, hitting on draft picks is essential. Success in the draft sets you up for the future, and Holmes has laid a strong foundation for the Lions. It also helps to have elite coaching. While many were skeptical, Dan Campbell<\/a> gave the Lions a fresh perspective they desperately needed. He\u2019s done a masterful job assembling a staff that maximizes the potential of its players.<\/p>\n Troy Weaver<\/a>, the Pistons\u2019 former<\/a> General Manager, had also done a solid job building a young core despite some missed opportunities:<\/p>\n These players have the potential to be the building blocks of the Pistons\u2019 success. Watching J.B. Bickerstaff\u2019s<\/a> coaching development<\/a> with this group will be intriguing. The potential is evident, but Monty Williams\u2019 tenure set back some players, particularly Ivey and Thompson. Now, with a coach who cares, we\u2019ll see if this remains one of the NBA\u2019s most promising young cores. Additionally, Trajan Langdon sought to strengthen<\/a> the foundation with his first<\/a> two picks<\/a>:<\/p>\n In Los Angeles, if anyone asks why the Rams couldn\u2019t win the Super Bowl, Jared Goff<\/a> often gets the blame. Despite being one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL and leading the Rams to a Super Bowl appearance in 2019, Goff was alienated by the fan base and the organization. When the opportunity came to acquire a perceived better quarterback, the Rams took it, sending Goff to Detroit in a trade for Matthew Stafford<\/a>\u2014a move that wasn\u2019t taken lightly.<\/p>\n In his three seasons with the Lions, Goff has gone from being a stop-gap to the franchise\u2019s $212 million man<\/a>. This transformation happens when a coaching staff and front office believe in you and a fan base buys into what you bring to the organization.<\/p>\n Langdon\u2019s moves have generally been met with positive feedback<\/a> for the Pistons. However, one move that has received mixed reactions<\/a> is the signing of Tobias Harris<\/a>. Some believe the money could have been better spent, while others see it as a solid short-term investment. It\u2019s interesting to consider a player who averaged 17.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists as a liability. Harris was a crucial pickup for a team that desperately needed veteran leadership.<\/p>\n The parallels between the Detroit Lions and Detroit Pistons highlight the power of strategic rebuilding and the importance of a strong foundation. Brad Holmes has transformed the Lions from a struggling franchise into a legitimate contender thanks to intelligent drafting and the right coaching staff.<\/p>\n The journey for the Pistons is far from over. Just as Jared Goff\u2019s resurgence in Detroit proves that belief and support can reignite a career, the Pistons\u2019 young stars need the right environment to reach their full potential. With Trajan Langdon and J.B. Bickerstaff at the helm, the pieces are in place for the Pistons to once again become the talk of the Motor City. It\u2019s now up to the organization to nurture this talent and guide them back to the top. Detroit fans have seen what a well-built foundation can do for their Lions\u2014now, they wait to see if the Pistons can follow suit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In Detroit sports, the talk of the city is clear. After their run to the NFC Championship last season and their status as early favorites to win the Super Bowl, the Detroit Lions have captured the city\u2019s attention. Close behind are the Detroit Red Wings, who nearly made the playoffs last season, sparking hope among […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5168,"featured_media":90351,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"1","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10,1608,62],"tags":[4704,49326,3965,2380,3109,4107,4432,4435,49172,343,49241],"class_list":["post-90321","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pistons","category-basketball","category-nba","tag-ausar-thompson","tag-bobi-klintman","tag-cade-cunningham","tag-isaiah-stewart","tag-j-b-bickerstaff","tag-jaden-ivey","tag-jalen-duren","tag-marcus-sasser","tag-ron-holland","tag-tobias-harris","tag-trajan-langdon"],"modified_by":"Eamon Cassels, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90321","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5168"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=90321"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90321\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/90351"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90321"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90321"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90321"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Strong Foundations: Comparing The Pistons and Lions\u2019 Strategies<\/h2>\n
Building A Strong Foundation<\/h3>\n
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The Pistons “Strong Foundation”<\/h4>\n
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That One Player With Something To Prove<\/h3>\n
The Last Word<\/h3>\n