The Detroit Pistons sit at 29-26 on the year, good for sixth in the Eastern Conference standings. They are on track to make the playoffs for the time since the 2018-19 season. One needs to go back all the way to 2008 to find the last time the franchise won a single playoff game, so it's fair to say that vibes have been less than ideal for a long, long time.
But that's all different this season. Cade Cunningham has taken another step, Jalen Duren can hang physically with any big you wish to throw out there, and the overall roster is entirely competent. There's a lot of young talent, but the front office has done a good job augmenting that with veterans—like Dennis Schroder, who joined the Pistons as part of the massive Jimmy Butler deal.
