{"id":94389,"date":"2024-09-05T22:10:22","date_gmt":"2024-09-06T02:10:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=94389"},"modified":"2024-09-05T22:10:22","modified_gmt":"2024-09-06T02:10:22","slug":"its-too-soon-for-pistons-to-pivot-away-from-plan-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/09\/05\/its-too-soon-for-pistons-to-pivot-away-from-plan-a\/","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s Too Soon For Pistons To Pivot Away From Plan A"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Detroit Pistons have shifted course since hiring Trajan Langdon as the president of basketball operations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Former head coach Monty Williams is out, as many hoped. In are head coach J.B. Bickerstaff \u2014who coached the Cleveland Cavaliers for the last four-plus seasons \u2014and shooting coach Fred Vinson<\/a>. Gone are the days when the Pistons were content with letting their shiny new toys crash into each other. Now Detroit is trying to add complementary veterans that add a necessary element to the offense: 3-point shooting.<\/p>\n

With all of these changes, it seems like Detroit could also pivot away from some of their development projects. New regimes are always thought to be open to moving players acquired before they got there anyways. For example, after former Brooklyn Nets assistant general manager Jeff Peterson was named the Charlotte Hornets\u2019 executive vice president this offseason, he many wondered if he would trade<\/a> 2020 No. 3 pick LaMelo Ball<\/a>. This despite Ball being among the best players in the NBA when healthy.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s Too Soon For Pistons To Pivot Away From Plan A<\/h2>\n

In the Pistons\u2019 case, 2022 No. 5 pick Jaden Ivey<\/a>, 2022 No. 13 pick Jalen Duren<\/a>, and 2023 No. 5 pick Ausar Thompson<\/a> are the holdovers who could be moved. They all have the potential to make a high impact in the NBA. However, their skillsets don\u2019t mesh well with one another and therein lies the problem.<\/p>\n

Face of the franchise Cade Cunningham<\/a>, selected first overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, is guaranteed to start. A do-it-all point guard, Cunningham is built in the mode of Oklahoma City Thunder MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander<\/a>. Both can take games over with their scoring ability and are reliable playmakers. Yet, neither are particularly trustworthy from beyond the arc. Furthermore, both prefer to get downhill using their size and craftiness.<\/p>\n