Detroit Pistons head coach Dwane Casey outlines his expectations for the season - “There is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow”

The Detroit Pistons have not been to the NBA playoffs since 2019. The team has only been to the postseason twice since 2010. The team is beginning to show promise after a few years of struggling. Coach Dwane Casey is optimistic about his team and where they are heading. He sat down with Sirius XM’s NBA Radio, to speak with Vincent Goodwill and former Piston Rick Mahorn to talk about the team.

“There is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow” - Dwane Casey

Coach Casey believes after 2 years of growth and the players they have added in the offseason should help the team take a step forward and start contending in the Eastern Conference. The team is young and has added a few veterans who can help facilitate the team’s growth.

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The Pistons have had two Good Drafts

In 2021 the Pistons had the number one pick in the draft, and they selected Cade Cunningham out of Oklahoma State. Cunningham finished his rookie campaign averaging 17.4 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game and 5.6 assists per contest, earning him an All-Rookie selection. He finished third in Rookie of the Year voting.

This season, the team drafted Jaden Ivey out of Purdue, who is currently averaging 17.7 points per game, 6.0 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per game. The young and athletic Ivey can play both guard positions and was compared to Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards during draft evaluations.

The team also added Jalen Duren this year with the 13th pick in the most recent draft. The 6-foot 10-inch center from Memphis helps give the team some inside presence. He currently plays 21 minutes per game, providing 9.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. He has drawn comparisons to a young Dwight Howard and comes into the league with an NBA-ready body. He will provide some athleticism and can be a good rim protector for the young team.

If these three young players can continue to grow and learn under Coach Casey the team’s future is very bright.

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Pistons Adding Veteran Presence

The team has 8 players listed on the roster that have less than 3 years of NBA experience. Four of the teams starting five players fit into this category. Last season, the team added Marvin Bagley III via trade and acquired Bojan Bogdanovic this summer in a trade with the Utah Jazz. Bogdanovic has been an immediate contributor, scoring 19.3 points per game.

The team is awaiting Bagley to come off injury. Last season, in 18 games with the Pistons, he averaged 14.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. The team also acquired 11-year veteran Alec Burks, who they are awaiting to return from injury. That experience mixed with this young line-up will make the team interesting to watch.