The Detroit Pistons already have some similarities between the two teams that will feature in the NBA Finals, and they should build upon them.
The Thunder and Pacers are both built around dynamic star guards in MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton, and the Pistons already have one of their own in Cade Cunningham, who made All-NBA this season and finished 7th in the MVP voting.
What comes next has gotten trickier under the new CBA, which penalizes teams that give max deals to the wrong guys or have too many highly-paid star players at the top of their cap sheet, which makes it difficult of fill out a deep and talented roster, something that has been a factor in these playoffs.
The Thunder and Pacers have gotten there in different ways, but both offer a similar blueprint for how to build a team in the Tax Apron era, one that the Pistons should follow.
The Pacers and Thunder are talented and deep
Both Finals teams (particularly the Thunder) can wear you down with relentless depth. In the case of the Thunder, they just keep coming at you with waves of defenders and 3-point shooters, while the Pacers do it with guys who can light it up in a hurry off the bench.
The Thunder are bringing Aaron Wiggins, Alex Caruso, Isaiah Joe and Cason Wallace off the bench, players who are disruptive defenders who can shoot the 3-ball, a group that has helped OKC enjoy a +10.8 net rating in the playoffs this season from their bench.
The Pacers’ bench isn't nearly as good but still has guys who can win a game for you in Bennedict Mathurin, TJ McConnell and even Obi Toppin, who had a big night in the close out game against the Knicks.
The days of the “Big 3” are over, as it is nearly impossible to build a deep roster the way the Suns tried to this season. You could debate which players even make up the “Big 3” of the two Finals teams, who have their star players, but then a bunch of quality role guys behind them.
Both Isaiah Stewart and Malik Beasley were impact players off the bench for the Pistons, and Ron Holland should evolve into more of an impact guy as well after a strong rookie campaign, but Detroit still needs more depth. They need to upgrade the Simone Fontecchio spot, preferably with a power forward who can shoot.
Depending on what happens with Paul Reed, the Pistons could use more depth at center, as they are vulnerable to an injury, as we saw in this year’s playoffs when Beef Stew went down.
Like the two Finals teams, the Pistons have a strong starting five, but the team could be better overall with a few tweaks and upgrades at certain spots. The key is doing it without disrupting what they have going for them, something both Finals teams did perfectly.
Making the right addition without a huge subtraction
Both the Pacers and Thunder made big additions that helped propel them to where they are.
The Pacers made the trade for Pascal Siakam back in January of 2024 and he has proven his star power and championship pedigree in this run to the Finals. Most importantly, the Pacers didn’t have to give up any key players to get him, something Pistons fans need to keep in mind when they are cooking up trades to get Devin Booker.
If you have to give up three rotation players to get one guy, it will take a serious toll on the depth, not to mention financial flexibility of the roster, as those players have to be replaced.
The Thunder jettisoned Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso, a move that has been the catalyst for their run to the Finals, as Caruso was huge defensively against Denver and the Thunder probably don’t win that series with Josh Giddey. OKC also got out of paying Giddey’s next contract, a burden put on the Bulls, as OKC recognized they need more complementary players and could eventually spread that money around for more depth.
They also added Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency last offseason in another move that has paid dividends. Caruso and Hartenstein are hardly superstars or household names, but they were perfect complementary role players who added veteran experience to a very young team. Like the Pacers, the Thunder didn’t have to give up any of their core guys to get these players, as they weren’t going to bring Giddey back anyway.
The Pistons worked this strategy well last offseason with Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr., but running it back with the exact same team and expecting those results again would be foolish.
The Pistons can expect improvements from their young players, but should be looking for their Siakam trade, their Caruso trade, a Hartenstein-like addition who can make an impact without costing them key players.
Until those situations arise, the Pistons should continue to be patient, as both Finals teams were, using continuity as means to improve while making upgrades around the fringes.
The Pistons are closer to these two teams than you might think and can fast-track that progress with the right moves. Quality role players. Depth. Value. These should be the focus for the Pistons.