Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
After the Detroit Pistons’ coaching prayers were answered, the time to seriously revamp the roster and start winning is now.
Once again, the Detroit Pistons played a gruesome, less-than-photogenic 82-game season. They finished 17-65, holding the worst record in the entire league. It’s tough to ask for a team to perform when the player you want to build around is injured most of the season. As was the case with the Pistons and Cade Cunningham this year.
“Oh. That’s too bad. At least they must’ve got a top-three pick in exchange for their troubles.”
Nope! They lost this season, might as well lose the lottery too. Now, with the No. 5 pick in this year’s NBA draft, the Pistons must find a way to change their culture and trajectory without any help from a top-three draft pick.
Signing Monty Williams in the offseason was a step in the right direction, but, if you’re the Detroit Pistons, there’s still plenty more work to be done. With Cade returning healthy, let’s cue the clean-up song, tidy up this roster, and start winning some games again.
Detroit Pistons won’t be back next season: 3. Killian Hayes
Considering Cade’s injury, Killian’s role increased last season. The 21-year-old showed capability, proving that a bright future in this league is possible. However, Killian’s future is not going to be spent with Detroit. Killian was the worst shooter in the NBA last season and now enters the last year of his contract.
It seemed like the Pistons have tried to let Killian play through it. Yet, with a new coach comes new expectations. In his third NBA season, the former seventh-overall-pick only averaged 8.4 points, 5.3 assists and 3.0 rebounds. These conservative numbers, paired with Cade Cunningham’s plan to return, make it in the team’s best interest to ship Killian elsewhere this summer.
Get some value out of him while you can Detroit! Let another team make a project out of him. At 6-foot-5, Hayes’ path to major minutes in the NBA will be forged by his defensive effort. Rumors of him being traded to the Spurs have already started circulating.