Rarely has a team lost so much yet won more fans.
The Pistons, 8-19 heading into tonight's game with the Bulls, have been an exception.
They play hard. They play smart. They don't quit. Most importantly, the Pistons appear to have a bright future.
First-year general manager Troy Weaver acquired capital on NBA Draft night and flipped it into Isaiah Stewart and Saddiq Bey. Stewart has impressed with unrelenting aggressiveness, Bey by flashing the NBA's most-desired skill, draining 3-point shots.
Josh Jackson was a low-risk, potentially high-reward addition. So far, he is paying off as a possible future piece.
Eyes rolled when Weaver bypassed Christian Wood for less money to sign 26-year-old Jerami Grant. The third wheel in Denver behind Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, the 6-8 shooting forward has thrived as the main force in Detroit, doubling his scoring average while playing excellent defense.
Even the much-panned signing of center Mason Plumlee now makes sense given how his superior passing aids ball movement, along with the expected overall sound fundamental play.
What, honestly, did you think when the Pistons traded for Delon Wright? But he's a solid player, who will possibly be moved for more draft capital or another high-end reclamation project such as Dennis Smith Jr. The 76ers have already reportedly shown interest in Wright.
These aren't Stan Van Gundy's Pistons, that's for sure.
But it needs to be just a start.
The 2021 draft will be the most important for the Pistons in many years. They need lottery luck, and if they get into the Top 5, they need to hit big-time.
The beauty of this draft is its depth.
Oklahoma State freshman Cade Cunningham has been everything promised. The comparisons to Luka Donic are valid. Yet as well as Cunningham has played, it's impossible not to be intrigued by 7-0 Southern California freshman Evan Mobley. He is a sensational athlete and refined for his age, including the shooting form to develop into a stretch big.
The G League has started. Jalen Green, an athletic shooting guard, has performed well. Even better so far has been Green's teammate with G League Ignite, Jonathan Kuminga, a 6-8 forward. He already has an NBA body, an alpha presence and a relatively developed skill set.
It's difficult not to be similarly impressed by Gonzaga point guard Jalen Suggs, a jet in the open court.
These five players all would have gone No. 1 overall in last year's draft ahead of Anthony Edwards, who was selected by the Timberwolves.
With the return of seventh overall pick Killian Hayes, a generational player selected in the draft and some tweaking by Weaver, the Pistons may come along much faster than could have been anticipated.
It should be noted they also have a coach in Dwane Casey who has proven capable of developing a young nucleus and implementing an effective system which plays well in the current NBA.
It's promising, for sure.
