The Detroit Pistons underwent a massive facelift during the 2020 offseason with new general manager Troy Weaver at the helm. Among the array of new faces in the Motor City include Jerami Grant and center Mason Plumlee, guard Josh Jackson and center Jahlil Okafor.
Meanwhile, Christian Wood, Bruce Brown and Luke Kennard all have new addresses this season.
Weaver also stocked up in this year’s NBA Draft, selecting Killian Hayes with the 7th overall pick, followed by Isaiah Stewart and Saddiq Bey in Round 1.
However, not everyone is impressed with the roster overhaul. In fact, in an ESPN survey of eight scouts and executives about offseason moves, Detroit tied with Houston for the most votes of “worst offseason”.
“The team that had the most confusing offseason for rivals was Detroit,” ESPN’s Tim Bontemps wrote. “While some understood passing on re-signing Christian Wood, the decision to instead sign several other centers was seen as odd. So too was the process of stretching contracts essentially to be able to sign Mason Plumlee, who in the eyes of most executives is simply a good backup.”
One unnamed Eastern Conference executive went so far as to say that he had no idea what their plan moving forward was.
“[The Pistons], to me, were the worst offseason by far,” an Eastern Conference executive said. “I don’t know what they are doing at all. I know they want to build long term, but I have no concept of what they are doing. If they hit on [seventh overall pick Killian] Hayes, and [other first-rounders Isaiah] Stewart and [Saddiq] Bey are good, none of this other s— matters that much. But I don’t know what their plan is.”
That’s quite a bold assessment. Are these NBA figures being unfair to Detroit?
– – Quotes via Tim Bontemps of ESPN Link – –