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Pistons Hit With Troubling 2026 Projection, But There's Hope
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. The Detroit Pistons have lots to feel good about heading into the fresh season.
According to ESPN's panel of experts , those expectations could make things difficult, for this season, at least.
The Pistons received 27 points in ESPN's voting for the team most likely to take a tumble this season, putting Detroit at No. 2 on the list. That's a notable spot for a team that just had its best season in two decades.
The Pistons won 60 games last season, marking the team's first 60-win season in 20 years. That's a massive step forward for a franchise that had been working its way back into contention.
But, then came the ending. Detroit's season came to a halt with a Game 7 loss at home in the second round. After winning 60 games, that's obviously not where the Pistons wanted things to end.
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So, can they do it again? Well, Detroit is expected to capitalize on its breakthrough season as Cade Cunningham enters his prime. That's a big expectation to carry into a new season, especially after the Pistons showed they could be one of the better teams in the league.
ESPN's projection doesn't necessarily mean the panel expects Detroit to completely collapse. It's more about the possibility that the Pistons won't be able to match what they just accomplished.
That's the tricky part about success. Once a team wins 60 games, the standard changes. A second-round exit that might've felt like progress at another point suddenly feels like a missed chance. The Pistons now have to prove that last season wasn't simply a great year, but the beginning of something bigger.
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Detroit received 27 points in the voting, trailing only the Los Angeles Lakers' 32. The Golden State Warriors were next with 26 points, followed by the Miami Heat with 22 and the Boston Celtics with 17.
So, yes, the Pistons have been put on notice. But, they have a young star entering his prime, a 60-win season behind them and lots of reasons to believe they can keep climbing. It's Detroit versus everybody.
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