Detroit pistons have been eliminated eliminatory series Thursday by the New York Knicks, but it hardly matters in the big scheme of things.
For a team that won only 14 games last year to win the sixth seeded and avoid the game tournament, an early swimming defeat in any case this season, because the success of the playoffs has never been the point this year.
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(Of course, the pistons would have loved to move on and compete for a championship, but the striking contrast from last season to it allows them to focus on the process instead of immediate results.)
Detroit's investment in veterans Tobias Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley have borne fruit. Complete stop. Many were skeptical about the impact of Harris because his last seasons in Philadelphia were not particularly impressive and wondered if Hardaway could even play an influential role.
The two did it, and Beasley turned one of the sixth men in the league while establishing himself as one of his best shooters to start, overthrowing 319 3 points on a precision of 41.6%.
The veterinarians' game allowed the hearts of young people, led by Cade Cunningham, to develop at a faster rate and to reach new levels.
The future promises to be very good for Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons. (Photo by Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)
(Gregory Shamus via Getty Images)
Cunningham (26.1 points, 9.1 assists) has become one of the best leaders in the League. Jalen Duren (11.8 points, 10.3 rebounds) has made defensive progress. Ausar Thompson (10.1 points, 5.1 rebounds) turned out to be a long -term construction element with his wing game, where he is now one of the best defenders in the League.
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Oh, and the pistons did it mainly without the choice of first round in 2022, Jaden Ivey, who was limited to only 30 games due to a broken left peon.
Essentially, the future seems brilliant to Detroit, especially if Ivey returns entirely in good health next year.
Pistons should not only be an interesting place for free agents again, which means that they can perform external upgrades, but they can also rely on other internal improvements, which should put a new ceiling for next season.
Here is what you need to know about the pistons before the offseason:
2024-25 Finish
Save: 44-38, sixth of the eastern conference. Lost against New York Knicks in six games in the first round.
Presentation of the season
Can we just cheat and say Cunningham? There were a lot of questions about Cunningham as the main actor, and he spent the whole season to silence all. We do not yet know if he will reach the levels of MVP, but the fact that such a door is not closed is a huge development for pistons.
Players signed for next season
Tobias Harris
Isaiah Stewart
Cade Cunningham
Ausar Thompson
Ron Holland
Jaden Ivey
Simone Fontecchio
Jal
Marcus Sasser
Bobi Klintman
Key -free agents
Malik Beasley (UFA)
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Tim Hardaway Jr. (UFA)
Dennis Schröder (UFA)
Paul Reed (UFA)
Projected salary
$ 127,468,272 (planned salary ceiling of $ 154.6 million)
Draft choice
N ° 37
Focus on the project: Shooting. With the uncertainty of the imminent free agency, and the team could technically lose Hardaway and Beasley, it belonged to Detroit to look for a shot. When writing this late, there is a good chance that a solid shooter also aligns as BPA (best available player).
The extension of Cunningham starts this summer, which means that it will get a significant bump at 38.6 million dollars. That said, the team could in theory recover Hardaway at a much cheaper rate than its current price of $ 16.1 million, which should help compensate for some. The remaining question is Beasley, who obtained a major salary increase. Detroit can include space and use it to re-sign it, or it can work as a undergraduate team and use its Mle without tax to keep it, if it is so obliged.
Needs and objectives
Pistons must enter summer with the mentality of being buyers. This means an aggressive search for upgrades to have a better chance of getting out of the East in a few years. Filming remains a priority, and it would not hurt just a little more center depth, unless Paul Reed is ready to come back for cheap.
