Good morning Pistons fans, and welcome back to the Palace of Pistons Weekly Drive. The temperature is dropping, football is frustratingly back on my television, and the new iPhones just launched.
It must almost be time for the NBA to make its return.
It’s been a while, and by that I mean a long while, since this newsletter graced your inboxes. A lot has changed in the NBA since then, and much of it impacts Detroit. Let’s get into it.
Extension SZN
No, not you, Jalen Duren.
The Pistons’ actual second-most important player, Ausar Thompson, has reportedly signed a 5-year, $155 million extension to remain in Detroit, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. That locks up the perennial All-Defense-caliber wing for the early prime of Cade Cunningham’s career, and gives the Pistons still enough room to remain flexible into those years—a good piece of business for both sides.
Thompson is a special defensive player, finishing first team All-Defense and third in Defensive Player of the Year voting last year. He had the third-most combined steals and blocks last season at 215, and is one of three players with at least 300 steals and 150 blocks since entering the NBA as the No. 5 pick in the 2023 draft. Those are wrecking-crew numbers in a league that is getting faster and where wing defenders are becoming scarcer. Thompson is a weapon on that end of the floor who can swing possessions, games, and a playoff series.
But what about Duren? Detroit’s front office has continuously made what they believe to be good-faith offers to Duren and his representation in the $190 million range, with no luck. At this point, it is fair to wonder if the All-Star center, who disappeared in the playoffs, will play on the qualifying offer and bet on himself for next summer. That is a huge, huge gamble.
A Spectacular Specter?
Do you like jerseys? How about another jersey promotion, followed by a special jersey for the promotion? Sure, I guess.
The Pistons will be one of a handful of teams to wear “specter” jerseys this upcoming season, a ghostly (and ghastly, in my opinion) color-gradient uniform that looks like a mix of the Aurora Borealis and paint thrown onto a canvas. Detroit doesn’t look awful with a mix of the teal and orange colors from the turn of the century and a very dark night sky base.
The teams getting these special editions are mostly the ones with playoff aspirations, and somehow, the Sacramento Kings, who made Russell Westbrook actually decide to retire rather than play there for another season.
A Bron-d New World
While the Pistons’ offseason was fairly quiet, most of the Eastern Conference got better in some fashion.
The Philadelphia 76ers had the best offseason of any team in the league, stealing Jaylen Brown from the rival Boston Celtics and then signing LeBron James to a contract worth less than what a few college players will make from their NIL deals. Then they paid Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Dean Wade to round out the bench. A starting lineup with Tyrese Maxey, Brown, James, and Joel Embiid is awfully good.
Those pesky Toronto Raptors traded their dead weight for Kawhi Leonard, making a very tough two-headed wing monster with Scottie Barnes. The Miami Heat will be annoying, too, with Giannis Antetokounmpo, even if the rest of the roster is clunky and weird. Indiana will get Tyrese Haliburton back as well, and that team finds ways to win games.
Cleveland and Orlando gave Detroit all they could handle in the playoffs, and will return with mostly the same rosters. Boston is always lingering and will get a full year of Jayson Tatum. Oh, and the New York Knicks are the defending NBA Champions. Hard to remember the Pistons’ rolling theme from last season, given they hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy in June.
This is a brand new conference, and Detroit’s ability to get back to the top spot will be even more difficult than it was last season. There is a world in which they are a five, six, or even a seven seed if things don’t fall right. I don't think that's likely, but the point is the East is a different beast.
Where do you think the Pistons will finish? Nobody thought they would be the number one seed in the Eastern Conference last season, and look what happened. Let us know in the comments or on social media, or tell Aaron and Jasper in the YouTube comment section. Definitely not the worst way to spend some time.
Thanks for reading, and see you next week.