The Pistons' Next Step Is More Important Than Another 60-Win Season

The Detroit Pistons just completed the most successful regular season in franchise history in more than a decade. Detroit went 60–22, finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference and entered the playoffs as one of the NBA's strongest regular-season teams. The Pistons then defeated Orlando in seven games before losing to Cleveland in Game 7 of the second round.

That creates an interesting question heading into the 2026–27 season. Detroit has already demonstrated that this young core can become one of the best regular-season teams in the league. The next stage of the rebuild requires figuring out what that success actually means for the organization's championship potential.

The easiest question to ask is whether the Pistons can win 60 games again. I am less interested in that question. Detroit has already gone from 14 wins to 44 wins to 60 wins in just two seasons. The more important question is whether the players Detroit is building around can continue developing into a team that succeeds when the regular season is no longer enough.

The Pistons' next season should therefore be viewed as an evaluation of the 60-win team. Detroit needs to determine which parts of last year's success can carry into the playoffs, which weaknesses require outside help and how much of the next improvement can come from within the roster.

The Pistons Have Already Completed The First Part Of The Rebuild

The progression of Detroit's rebuild is remarkably clear. The Pistons went 14–68 with a -9.0 Net Rating in 2023–24. One season later, they improved to 44–38 with a +2.1 Net Rating and returned to the playoffs. Then Detroit won 60 games in 2025–26 while producing a +8.4 Net Rating, earning the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

That represents 46 additional wins in two seasons. The improvement also shows up in the team's underlying performance, with Detroit moving from a negative Net Rating to one of the league's strongest marks in a remarkably short period of time. Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson all played meaningful roles in that progression, while the organization improved the supporting cast around them.

The 60-win season was therefore a legitimate achievement. Detroit finished with a 117.3 Offensive Rating and a 108.9 Defensive Rating, producing a +8.4 Net Rating across 82 games. The team also posted a 35.4% Offensive Rebound Rate and a 64.1% Assist Rate, showing how Detroit consistently created additional value through its physical style and ball movement.

That matters when evaluating the upcoming season. The Pistons do not need to prove that they can become a good basketball team. They already did that. The next question is how much further this particular group can go.

The Playoffs Exposed A Different Version Of Detroit

The biggest lesson from the 2025–26 season came from the difference between Detroit's regular-season performance and its playoff performance. The Pistons' Offensive Rating dropped from 117.3 during the regular season to 110.4 in the playoffs. Their Defensive Rating actually improved slightly from 108.9 to 108.0.

That difference tells us something important about the team. Detroit's defensive identity traveled into the postseason. Its offensive system became much less consistent. The Pistons averaged 27.8 assists during the regular season and 22.4 during the playoffs, while their Assist-to-Turnover Ratio fell from 1.84 to 1.40.

The Cleveland series provides an even better example of the problem. Detroit produced Offensive Ratings of 116.5, 118.9, 114.7, 110.8, 114.7 and 122.3 across the first six games of the series. The Pistons were capable of generating enough offense against Cleveland to win games and eventually force a seventh game.

Then Game 7 produced a 94.0 Offensive Rating and a 31-point loss.

The issue was therefore not a simple inability to score against elite competition. Detroit showed several times that it could produce efficient offense in the playoffs. The larger concern was the team's offensive floor when an opponent successfully disrupted its preferred actions. That is the part of last season Detroit needs to address.

Detroit's 60 Wins Were Built On More Than Shooting

One of the more interesting parts of Detroit's development is that the team did not suddenly become an elite shooting team when it jumped from 44 wins to 60. The Pistons' three-point percentage actually declined from 36.2% to 35.6%. Their effective field goal percentage stayed almost identical at 54.7% and 54.6%, while their True Shooting percentage moved from 58.0% to 58.3%.

The Offensive Rating still improved from 114.6 to 117.3. The biggest structural change came from how Detroit generated value from its possessions. The team's Offensive Rebound Rate jumped from 30.6% to 35.4%, while its Assist Rate increased from 61.8% to 64.1%.

Detroit became better at creating second chances, moving the ball and making more of its possessions productive. That formula helped produce 60 wins and became a major part of the team's identity.

Much of that identity remained during the playoffs. Detroit's Offensive Rebound Rate was 34.5%, barely below the regular-season figure, while its Defensive Rating improved. The foundation of the team was still there.

The offense simply became harder to sustain. That leads to a more useful question than asking whether Detroit needs another star. The Pistons need to know who creates the next advantage when the first advantage disappears.

If Cade Cunningham gets cut off, who attacks the defense? If Jalen Duren is no longer getting easy finishes, where does the offense go? If a defender ignores Ausar Thompson on the perimeter, how does Detroit punish that decision? Those questions will determine how much the Pistons can improve without making a major trade.

The Offseason Added Useful Pieces Without Changing The Core

Detroit made several changes to the roster this offseason. John Collins brings another athletic frontcourt scorer and has shot roughly 40% from three over the previous two seasons. His best season in Atlanta came alongside Trae Young, when Collins averaged 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.

Isaiah Joe also gives Detroit another shooting option after making 41.0% of his three-point attempts during the 2025–26 season. Gary Harris and Taurean Prince add veteran wing depth, while Paul Reed remains an interesting insurance option behind Duren after producing efficient numbers in limited playoff minutes.

There were also meaningful departures. Tobias Harris is gone after averaging 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds during the regular season, followed by an increase to 18.1 points and 7.2 rebounds in the playoffs. Isaiah Stewart and Caris LeVert also left the roster.

The biggest thing Detroit did not add was an obvious secondary creator. There was no major acquisition that immediately changed the way opponents would have to defend Cade Cunningham.

That leaves the Pistons with a roster that looks deeper and somewhat different while maintaining the same fundamental structure. Cade remains the offensive engine. Ausar remains one of the team's most important defensive pieces. Duren remains a major part of the frontcourt. Detroit remains dependent on its defense, physicality, rebounding and ability to create offense around Cade. That makes internal development one of the most important parts of the upcoming season.

The Next Improvement May Have To Come From Within

ESPN's Dean Oliver estimated that Detroit improved by roughly 17 points of Net Rating between 2024 and 2026. His analysis attributed approximately six points to the development of Cade, Duren and Ausar, another six points to removing poor players from the roster and the remainder to improvements among the supporting cast.

That is important because Detroit's previous leap was not created by one massive acquisition. The organization found value through player development, roster construction and a better overall environment around its young core.

There is a reasonable argument for continuing that approach. Ausar can become a more dangerous offensive player. Cade can become better at using his scoring gravity to create opportunities for teammates. Duren can develop more defensive and offensive counters. Collins can become a meaningful offensive multiplier. One of Detroit's younger guards could also provide another source of creation.

If several of those developments happen, the Pistons could look significantly better without making a blockbuster trade. The problem is that many of those same players are being asked to improve in areas that became weaknesses during the playoffs. Detroit therefore needs to learn whether its internal development plan can solve the specific problems that emerged against Orlando and Cleveland.

Cade Cunningham Needs A Better Offensive Ecosystem

Cade's playoff performance does not suggest that he disappeared when the competition became tougher. He actually increased his scoring from 23.9 points per game during the regular season to 28.1 points per game in the playoffs while improving his three-point shooting from 34.2% to 40.2%.

The problem was the workload required to produce that offense. Cade's turnovers increased from 3.7 to 5.6 per game, while his assists fell from 9.9 to 7.5. His playoff Net Rating was +3.5 compared with +11.4 during the regular season.

Detroit increasingly needed Cade to solve possessions himself when the offense became difficult. The next stage of his development may therefore have less to do with becoming a higher-volume scorer. Cade already creates enough offensive gravity to force defenses to react. The opportunity is learning how to use that gravity even when he does not have the ball.

Detroit can have Cade initiate an action, give the ball up earlier, relocate and attack again after the defense shifts. Collins can create pressure around the rim and stretch the floor. Ausar can attack closeouts. Shooters can force defenders to stay attached. If Detroit can make those connections work, Cade becomes even more difficult to defend without requiring him to control every possession.

Ausar Thompson Is A Major Swing Piece

Ausar Thompson remains one of the most interesting players on the roster because his defensive value is already clear. He averaged 2.0 steals and 0.9 blocks during the regular season, then increased his playoff production to 2.0 steals and 1.8 blocks per game.

His offensive development remains the question. Ausar averaged 9.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists during the regular season while shooting 25.0% from three. In the playoffs, his three-point percentage fell to 14.3%.

Detroit does not need Ausar to become a traditional second scorer for his development to change the team's ceiling. He needs to become dangerous enough offensively that defenders cannot simply ignore him.

The ideal version of the offense is fairly simple. Cade creates the initial advantage, shooters occupy the defense and Ausar attacks the space created by that movement. He can finish, pass or create something inside the arc.

That would allow Detroit to preserve Ausar's defensive impact while reducing the offensive cost of playing a player who does not currently command much perimeter attention.

Ron Holland creates a similar question. Detroit needs to determine whether Holland can become trustworthy enough offensively to play alongside Ausar without creating excessive spacing problems.

Jalen Duren May Be The Most Important Decision

Duren is already one of the most productive young centers in the NBA. He averaged 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists during the regular season while shooting 65.0% from the field. His 68.8% True Shooting percentage and +11.8 Net Rating reflected just how efficient and productive he was. He also made the All-Star team and earned Third-Team All-NBA honors.

Then the playoffs produced a dramatically different version of his game. Duren averaged 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 51.4% from the field. His True Shooting percentage dropped to 55.3%, his usage fell from 23.1% to 16.4% and his Net Rating was -0.3.

The most important part of that decline is the change in role. Detroit stopped using Duren as a major offensive option once opponents were able to take away his preferred opportunities. That creates a much bigger question than whether he had a bad postseason. Detroit needs to determine whether Duren can develop a game that survives different playoff matchups.

That question also matters because of his contract. Detroit has reportedly discussed a long-term deal around $35 million annually, while Duren's camp has sought more than $40 million annually. His qualifying offer is approximately $9.6 million, which would give him a path to unrestricted free agency in 2027.

The decision therefore goes beyond determining whether Duren is a good player. Detroit needs to decide what it expects him to become. He could justify a major investment through a defensive leap, becoming a genuine defensive anchor who remains playable against different opponents. He could also justify it through offensive development, maintaining his efficiency while adding counters that make him more difficult to remove from the game.

The regular season has already established Duren's value. The playoffs still need to establish his long-term fit.

The Eastern Conference Also Got Better

This is where Detroit's decision becomes more complicated. The Pistons are evaluating their own roster while the rest of the Eastern Conference has also changed significantly.

Philadelphia added Jaylen Brown and LeBron James around Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. Miami added Giannis Antetokounmpo. Boston enters the season with Jayson Tatum available after his injury while adding Paul George following the departure of Jaylen Brown. Cleveland retained Donovan Mitchell and James Harden while adding Peyton Watson.

Indiana also gets Tyrese Haliburton back after he missed the entire 2025–26 season, while New York enters the season as the defending champion with most of its core intact.

That means Detroit is entering a more difficult environment even if its own roster improves. A 52-win season would not automatically represent regression if the Pistons were better equipped to handle playoff basketball. A 55-win season followed by a more convincing postseason could be more valuable than another 60-win regular season followed by the same questions. 

Detroit Should Be Patient, With A Deadline In Mind

I would keep the core together for now. Detroit has enough young talent and enough internal questions to justify giving this group a real opportunity to develop before sacrificing major assets for another star.

That includes Duren. I would prefer to keep him long-term, although I would be careful about paying a premium simply because the organization is afraid of losing him. His regular-season production is extremely valuable, while his playoff translation remains unresolved.

The same principle should apply to the trade market. Detroit should not begin the trade deadline by asking which star it can acquire. The better question is what problem the roster actually needs to solve.

If the answer is secondary creation, Detroit should pursue secondary creation. If the answer is shooting, it should pursue shooting. If Duren's defensive fit becomes the larger concern, that would require a much broader evaluation of the roster.

The Pistons should have enough information by February to make that decision. By then, the organization should know whether Ausar has developed offensively, whether Duren remains playable against different matchups, whether Collins fits alongside Cade and whether another young player can provide meaningful creation. Detroit needs to earn the right to know what its big move should be.

What Success Should Look Like

The worst outcome for Detroit would not necessarily be another 50-win season. A regular-season decline could happen because of a stronger Eastern Conference, injuries or normal regression.

The genuinely concerning outcome would be another season in which the same questions remain. If Cade still has to create everything, Duren remains matchup-dependent, Ausar and Holland remain difficult to play together and Detroit's half-court offense continues to collapse against playoff defenses, then the organization will have learned that internal development has not solved enough of the problem.

An acceptable season would look something like 50 to 55 wins, another playoff appearance and clear development from at least two of the young players. The record could fall from 60 while the team becomes more prepared for postseason basketball.

A successful season would include winning a playoff series while becoming significantly more effective against playoff-level defenses. Cade would look more comfortable operating within a diversified offense, Duren would remain playable across multiple matchups and Ausar would become a legitimate offensive threat. At least one of Collins, Holland or Okorie would also emerge as a meaningful secondary answer.

The best outcome would be a second-round team that looks capable of beating elite opponents. The goal would be to reach a point where it is possible to explain how Detroit can win four playoff series rather than simply pointing to another strong regular-season record.

The Pistons' Next Stage Starts Now

The Pistons have already answered several important questions during this rebuild. They went from 14 wins to 44 wins and then to 60 wins. They built an elite defense, developed a physical identity and established Cade Cunningham as the central piece of their offense.

The 2025–26 season proved that Detroit could become an elite regular-season team. The playoffs showed that there is another level the organization still needs to reach.

That makes 2026–27 one of the most important seasons of this rebuild. Detroit needs to learn whether Cade, Ausar, Duren and the supporting cast can solve the problems that appeared when opponents had seven games to prepare for them.

The final win total will still matter. The playoff performance will matter more. A team that wins 55 games and looks capable of handling elite opponents will have answered more important questions than a team that wins 60 and exits the playoffs with the same weaknesses.

The progression of this rebuild has been straightforward. Fourteen wins asked whether Detroit could become respectable. Forty-four wins asked whether the Pistons could return to the playoffs. Sixty wins established that Detroit could become an elite regular-season team.