Just a year ago, the Detroit Pistons were in basketball purgatory. After enduring the worst record in the league for a second straight year and suffering the longest single-season losing streak in NBA history, the franchise hit an all-time low. But fast forward to today, and the Pistons are writing one of the most remarkable comeback stories the league has ever seen.
Led by rising star Cade Cunningham, Detroit has surged to a 44–38 finish—tripling their win total from last season’s dismal 14 victories. This 30-game leap marks an unprecedented turnaround, making the Pistons the first NBA team ever to triple their win count from one year to the next in a full 82-game season.
“I haven’t seen anything like it,” said former coach Dwane Casey, whose decades of NBA experience include a stint as Detroit’s head coach during the dark years.
The turnaround didn’t come cheap—or easy.
Pistons owner Tom Gores made bold, costly moves to change the team’s trajectory. Last May, Gores paid a staggering $65 million to part ways with head coach Monty Williams after just one season. He followed that with the dismissal of GM Troy Weaver and brought in Trajan Langdon, one of the most sought-after front office minds in basketball. Soon after, Langdon tapped former Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff to lead the team.
“Everyone thought it was crazy to let the coach go,” Casey admitted. “It took guts.”
But guts, grit, and smart decision-making are exactly what fueled this transformation.
Key to the Pistons’ resurgence has been Cade Cunningham, the former No. 1 overall pick who finally blossomed into an All-Star this season. After signing a five-year, $224 million extension, Cunningham silenced all doubters by averaging 26.1 points, 9.1 assists, and 6.1 rebounds, leading Detroit with confidence, durability, and flair.
“It means everything,” said veteran guard Tim Hardaway Jr., one of several smart offseason additions that also included Tobias Harris and Malik Beasley. “A lot of this would not be possible without him.”
The Pistons are now set to make their first playoff appearance since 2019, facing the New York Knicks on Saturday night. But Gores isn’t ready to take a victory lap just yet.
“It means a lot, but we’re not done,” he said. “The story has just started.”
What began as a desperate rebuild has now become a beacon of hope—not just for Detroit, but for every franchise searching for a spark. The Pistons have
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