The Detroit Pistons made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2026-27 season and they almost beat the Cleveland Cavaliers. But, then they dropped Game 7. It was a heartbreaker, and now that the team is without Tobias Harris, Caris LeVert and Isaiah Stewart, it's even a bit more nerve-wracking looking at the future.
But, the Pistons are still strong. They look nothing like the team they were a few seasons ago, in a good way. They still have Cade Cunningham and really have to continue to build this franchise around him.
Pistons receive high marks in NBA power rankings but also get a warning
ESPN has released its NBA power rankings going into the 2026 season. In it, they have the Pistons falling just one spot, from No. 5 to No. 6. That's still good.
"After leading the East in wins last season and making it to the second round of the playoffs, the Pistons made only modest moves this offseason," Jamal Collier notes in the feature. "They added some shooting in Joe and replaced the departing Harris with the versatile Collins. Detroit, however, is still waiting to resolve its situation with Jalen Duren, who is lingering as an unsigned restricted free agent."
So, the Duren issue is a big one. So is how the Pistons will continue to train and build up its young core, including Ausar Thompson. If they can get those two factors fixed, it should make a real difference.
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