X-FACTOR - Spacing
Last season's Detroit Pistons squad was one of the worst perimeter shooting teams you could ever imagine, both in terms of ability and shot selection. Beyond the simple fact that they did not possess a respectable array of shooting threats on the roster, some of it was due to Josh Smith being placed at the small forward position more than half the time he was on the floor all season. If
Stan Van Gundy's history is any indication, the experimentation of an oversized front line is going to come to an end, for the most part.
For this team to be more successful offensively, they are going to have to spread the floor roughly two billion times better than they did a year ago. Luckily for the Pistons, that's Van Gundy's M.O. You can expect a much more diverse offensive attack, less ball stopping and certainly a more efficient perimeter game, headed by free agent acquisition Jodie Meeks.
If Detroit is going to put themselves back in the conversation for a chance to compete in the playoffs, their spacing and offensive efficiency is going to have to improve by leaps and bounds.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2014-15
The 2014-15 Detroit Pistons will perform at a higher level than what transpired a season ago. How much they will ultimately improve remains to be seen, but it is safe to expect a much more watchable brand of basketball under Stan Van Gundy. That much I guarantee.
You can also expect the franchise, Andre Drummond, to continue his progression as one of the most promising young players the NBA has to offer. At age 21, the big fella hasn't even scratched the surface in terms of maximizing his jaw-dropping potential, which is scary considering how productive he already is.
With that said, it will probably still be tough for the Pistons to reach the postseason, even in the weakened Eastern Conference. Don't get me wrong, they have a chance. However, you might be getting a tad bit ahead of yourself if you're expecting a postseason berth, but they should definitely win more than 29 games and play much more balanced all-around basketball. Detroit actually has a draft pick this year, as well, so the sky won't fall quite as hard as last year even if they end up missing the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.
PREDICTED STANDINGS
3rd - Central Division
10th - Eastern Conference
