Detroit Pistons 2026-2027 guide
After a few moves in and out through free agency and the Draft, the Pistons, with another year of experience under their belt, are ready to repeat their success while avoiding another playoff collapse
Coming off a Regular Season near the top of the league and a playoff run that sparked plenty of discussion, the Detroit Pistons made a few interesting moves, but it will be the impact of the new additions above all that determines this team’s ceiling.
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Key players
Cade Cunningham (G, 21.0 cr) once again stands out as one of those players who can fill every category: he scores, passes, defends and rebounds, also thanks to his impressive physical frame. Double-doubles have become routine for him, and he often threatens a triple-double. It is no coincidence that he is the third-most expensive guard on the Dunkest list, behind only Doncic and SGA.
One of the main stories of the summer, Jalen Duren (C, 14.5 cr) had a season with two very different sides between the Regular Season and the Playoffs. In the former, we saw an important and at times dominant player capable of averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per game; in the latter, his offensive production was practically cut in half. Still, it is worth remembering that he is only 22 years old, younger than many players who were just drafted, and therefore still has plenty of room to improve.
Potential surprises
Keep an eye on what could be the missing piece off the bench for these Pistons. Ebuka Okorie (G, 6.0 cr) has all the tools to become the secondary ball-handler and creator behind Cunningham. Despite a three-point shot that still needs refinement, he already showed at Stanford and in Summer League that he has the skills needed to run, facilitate and finish an offense, averaging 23.2 points in the former and 18.2 in the latter.
Players to avoid
Despite being projected as part of the starting lineup, Duncan Robinson (G, 7.5 cr) risks being overtaken by the younger newcomer Isaiah Joe (G, 6.0 cr). Detroit will want to give Joe the minutes he deserves, and a one-dimensional player like Robinson, who is approaching 33 years old, is unlikely to sustain the level he showed last season despite a solid year. Above all, at a price of 7.5 credits, there are plenty of other opportunities worth considering.
Projected Starting Five
PG: Cade Cunningham (G, 21.0 Credits)
SG: Duncan Robinson (G, 7.5 Credits)
SF: Ausar Thompson (F, 10.0 Credits)
PF: John Collins (F, 9.5 Credits)
C: Jalen Duren (C, 14.5 Credits)
Power Ranking
Detroit loses Tobias Harris and brings in John Collins, loses LeVert and adds Joe and Okorie. On paper, these are certainly not moves that suddenly make the team one of the favorites, but we are still talking about a group that reached 60 wins last season. The biggest difference, beyond the integration of the new pieces, will come from how much Duren can impact and deliver in the Playoffs as well, because give this team 10 more points and a little more security, and it will be very difficult to knock them out of the top three in the Eastern Conference.
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