Unfortunately for Detroit Pistons fans, this season was a case of been there, done that. The team finished with a win/loss record of 39-43 and missed out on the playoffs for the second year running.
They definitely weren’t terrible, but on the other hand, they were far from great. Just four more wins would’ve seen them make the cut for the postseason, with the Washington Wizards scraping in just above them with a record of 43-39.
The Houston Rockets set the benchmark during this campaign, with an extremely impressive 65-17 win/loss record, and even managed to get the better of Golden State, who were just behind them with 58-24.
Despite losing in the Western Conference Finals, Houston will be looking to break the hold that the Warriors have had over the league in recent years, but Golden State are still favorites to win the trophy again at -120 according to NBA betting on bet365.
For Detroit though, the 2017-18 season is in the past now and the organization has to move forward and focus their efforts on their next campaign.
The major question that Pistons supporters are asking now is, can this team improve with the roster that they have, or is it time to look at a possible rebuild?
Obviously, if a team is looking to build something around the big names that are already with the organization, one of the best ways to improve the squad is through the draft and especially with a quality first-round pick.
This, however, is a luxury that Detroit will not have heading into the 2018 NBA Draft, after giving up their first-round pick earlier this year in the Blake Griffin trade.
If the Pistons wanted to secure a first-round pick, they would have to let go one of the big guns in their starting lineup and look to pick up a draft pick in the trade.
Detroit has a lot of money tied up in their major stars, with 65% of their payroll taken up by just three players. This means there is huge potential for a major deal with another organization if the team feels that bringing in some fresh young talent is the best way for the side to move forward.
The biggest contract is held by Griffin who will be earning $31.8 million next season, with Andre Drummond not too far behind him with $25.4 million.
The third-largest contract is Reggie Jackson, and he’ll be taking home $17 million despite the fact he’s only played in just 97 games out of a potential 164 over the past two years.
The team has two options for next season: have another shot with the current lineup or opt for a rebuild and bring in some fresh talent.
If they decide to go for the rebuild they will have to look at moving the three major contracts mentioned earlier, and using them to acquire as many draft picks as possible. It may be the better option for the team who needs a radical change after sitting idle for the past two seasons.
Drummond could be a decent option with the center not quite living up to the standards of a modern day big man on the court.
Jackson can’t seem to stay fit and his injury concerns are definitely something the team will have to take into account. Although, when he is playing he is one of the better point guards in the competition, which could be an advantage if they wanted to use him in a trade.
Detroit would undoubtedly get the most value out of Griffin, and the player surely has the potential to get them back in the mix for a first-round pick. He seems the most unlikely to go, though, with the star being the kind of player that the Pistons could use to build a new team around.
Even though a rebuild may sound drastic for a team that only just missed out on the playoffs, they currently lack the firepower to make a serious charge at the Finals next season.
A rebuild could be just what the doctor ordered and give them a new direction as they head into the 2018-19 season.
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