The Eastern Conference is supposedly “wide open,” according to every basketball analyst or reporter with access to a social media platform of late. Several of the East's best teams last season, namely the Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, and Milwaukee Bucks, all lost critical pieces of their rotations for one reason or another, diminishing their outlook for 2025–2026.
This leaves the door open for a handful of teams, including the Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, and, perhaps most of all … the Detroit Pistons.
Detroit’s 2024–2025 season couldn’t have turned out better, as the Pistons jumped from 14 wins the previous year to 44 wins and the fifth seed in the East. Ausar Thompson took the next step, Cade Cunningham finished top-10 in MVP voting for the first time in his career and the emergence of Malik Beasley gave Detroit a glimmer of hope off the bench.
That run ultimately ended in a first-round exit at the hands of the New York Knicks, one in which Detroit was done in by two deciding factors. The first was a lack of playoff experience, as Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. were the only rotational players with postseason appearances under their belts. The second was a lack of depth: Jaden Ivey broke his fibula on Jan. 1, while Isaiah Stewart, already dealing with knee inflammation, re-aggravated the injury in Game 1 against New York and didn’t make another appearance.
Would the Knicks have lasted six games — let alone gone the distance — if Ivey and Stewart had been available? We’ll never know, but it’s fair to wonder if Detroit’s postseason run could’ve stretched one round further.
A successful offseason
Detroit’s offseason additions have seemingly flown under the radar, and while that may be due in part to ongoing investigations surrounding Beasley involvement in sports gambling, it’s undeniable the Pistons made improvements around their franchise star.
First was the acquisition of Duncan Robinson, who spent the last seven years in Miami coming off the bench as the Heat’s sixth man. Robinson’s elite 3-point shooting might’ve been the biggest band-aid Detroit could’ve applied amid Beasley’s uncertainty, and he could also find himself in late-game scenarios if the team needs a clutch shot.
Then there's Caris LeVert. The 30-year-old’s winding journey saw him split last season between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks. In 26 games off the bench with Atlanta, LeVert averaged 14.9 points on 48.2% shooting, boosting his value as a free agent. His nine years of NBA experience bring another level of leadership to a Pistons roster that lost Hardaway Jr. to the Denver Nuggets. Projected to be Detroit’s backup three, LeVert should also serve as a valuable mentor for the younger wings.
Wide open
“Wide open.” Those are the two words that will be referenced all season long. Detroit has the chance to climb at least two spots in the standings given the injuries to Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard. The last time the Pistons finished in the top four of the Eastern Conference was 2007–2008, when Chauncey Billups led them to the second seed.
If Cade Cunningham can follow in the footsteps of another legendary Pistons point guard, don’t be surprised if Detroit makes it past the first round this time.