CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 17: Head coach Monty Williams of the Detroit Pistons reacts during the ... [+]
Given the fact that the Detroit Pistons are currently 2-25, you'd be forgiven if you find yourself on an NBA trade machine, cooking up trades to improve the team.
Fact is, the Pistons are historically bad, and their current 24-game losing streak is - needless to say - not where the organization hoped to find themselves in Year 3 of the Cade Cunningham era.
However, while it may appear like lunacy to practice patience, it's crucial that Detroit does just that, for a multitude of reasons.
Head coach Monty Williams signed a six-year contract this summer worth $78.5 million, and looks increasingly joyless as he paces the sideline. It was never a good fit between the Pistons and him, particularly due to his lack of patience with young players, and his known preference of dealing with veterans.
Could Williams find himself handing in his notice by the end of the season? It shouldn't be dismissed out of hand. Williams used to coach the Suns, and helped them make the Finals in 2021. At 52, Williams is likely feeling a need to get back to his winning ways, which won't be in Detroit anytime soon.
Or, perhaps more simplist, the Pistons could simply look at the current record, the lack of development, and decide to make the decision for him by the end of the year.
The unknown status of Williams means it'd be premature to tinker with Detroit's group of young players. Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson, and Isaiah Stewart, are all in need of a young coach who is willing to invest time in building them up, as opposed to tearing them down, which has been the case with Ivey this season.
Of course, this leads to the question of Troy Weaver, general manager of the Pistons, and the architect of the current team. Is he going to remain with the club after this season?
If ownership is on the fence about his future, they need to make a call sooner than later, as the February 8th trade deadline is quickly approaching. If Weaver isn't their man going forward, it'd be illogical to have him make any roster related decisions during the deadline. Instead, it'd make more sense for the Pistons to hire someone new, and give that person the authority to lead the team through February 8th.
This isn't to say the roster mustn't be touched. This is on the players too. But until the Pistons have actual stability on the bench, and in the front office, the roster has to be considered less of a priority.
In part, it's due to the fact that the Pistons have individual talent of a fairly high quality. The pieces don't yet fit, but that doesn't mean a player like Cunningham can't turn into an All-Star. The same goes for Ivey and Duren.
Instead, the Pistons need to figure out which types of players are needed to make their overall product more cohesive.
For example, the team remains short on shooting, which isn't helping Cunningham nor Ivey establish themselves on drives, given the lack of available spacing around them.
Furthermore, they're in need of more assistance on the wing. They inexplicably traded away Saddiq Bey for James Wiseman last season, leaving the team with no real connective piece between their guards and big men.
Yes, it's a laundry list of items that need to get cleaned up, but before solving those problems, it's crucial the right people are in place to actually do it.
If ownership determines that Weaver and Williams are still the right men for the job, then onus is on them to change the culture, of which they've so far failed. That starts with accountability, and understanding the need for player development, something that hasn't been prioritized.
The Pistons weren't supposed to take a step back this year. And they've taken several. That doesn't just fall on the players, but also the people in charge.
Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
