The National Basketball Association is less than two weeks away, and it is once again time to preview every NBA franchise. I will be covering the teams in the Eastern Conference and my colleague, Joel Beatton, will feature teams in the Western Conference. Today we are featuring the Detroit Pistons.
Key Acquisitions
When you have the worst team in the NBA, changes come, and it is no surprise the Pistons made several changes to try and be respectable in 2024-25. Among the acquisitions in the offseason were shooting guard Malik Beasley of Atlanta, Georgia, forward Tobias Harris of Islip, New York, and small forward Tim Hardaway Jr. of Orinda, California, along with 2024 NBA first round pick (fifth overall) and small forward Ron Holland of Duncanville, Texas and head coach J.B. Bickerstaff of Denver, Colorado.
Beasley, who has had legal issues in the past, is joining his sixth NBA franchise. He signed a one year deal worth $6 million on July 11. Beasley was previously with the Denver Nuggets from 2016 to 2020, the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2020 to 2022, the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers during the 2022 to 2023 season, and the Milwaukee Bucks in 2023 to 2024. This past season, he averaged 11.3 points per game, 3.7 rebounds per game, and 1.4 assists per game, with a field goal percentage of .443, three point percentage of .413, and a free throw percentage of .714.
Harris signed a two year deal with the Pistons worth $52 million. He is returning to the Pistons after playing there from 2016 to 2018. Harris has played 13 NBA seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, Orlando Magic, Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers. He was with the Bucks from 2011 to 2013, the Magic from 2013 to 2016, the Clippers from 2018 to 2019, and the last six seasons in Philadelphia. This past season in Philly, Harris averaged 17.2 points per game, 6.5 rebounds per game, 3.1 assists per game, and one steal per game. He had a free throw percentage of .487, three point percentage of .353, and free throw percentage of .878.
Hardaway Jr. was traded to the Pistons with three draft picks from the Dallas Mavericks for for Quentin Grimes of Houston, Texas on July 6. Hardaway Jr. is joining his fourth NBA franchise. He was previously with the New York Knicks for four seasons (2013 to 2015, and again from 2017 to 2019), two seasons with the Atlanta Hawks (2015 to 2017), and six seasons with the Dallas Mavericks (2019 to 2024). In 2023-24, Hardaway Jr. averaged 14.4 points per game, 3.2 rebounds per game, and 1.8 assists per game. He had a field goal percentage of .402, three point percentage of .353 and free throw percentage of .852.
Holland played this past season with NBA G League Ignite, while Bickerstaff coached the Cleveland Cavaliers. Bickerstaff is coaching his fourth NBA franchise after previously being with the Houston Rockets (2015 to 2016), Memphis Grizzlies (2017 to 2019), and the Cavaliers (2020 to 2024). In 545 games as a NBA head coach, Bickerstaff has a record of 255 wins and 290 losses for a winning percentage of .468.
Fantasy Stars
There are no Pistons ranked in the top 10 in any of the five positions in the NBA.
Projected Finish
The Pistons are expected to be last in the Central Division in the NBA. Even with some intriguing acquisitions through the draft, trade, and free agency, the Pistons have a long ways to go to improve.
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