On Jan. 2, with the Detroit Pistons reeling from accidents and within the throes of a shedding stretch, proprietor Tom Gores entertained the opportunity of a rebuild.

It was a notable shift for Gores, who has been open about his want to place collectively a contending roster since he bought the franchise in 2011. Just a few weeks later, the Pistons traded Andre Drummond and purchased out Reggie Jackson and Markieff Morris — signaling that the youth motion was underway.

Contemplating the Pistons haven’t received a playoff recreation since 2008 — with three first-round sweeps since then — there was a lot hypothesis over their path again to rivalry, in addition to whether or not they’re keen to take a step again to construct one thing extra sustainable. Crew officers have preached the significance of getting the draft proper and persevering with to develop the younger expertise already on the roster.

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Detroit Pistons basic supervisor Troy Weaver was launched throughout a video convention on Zoom on Monday, June 22, 2020.

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However the extra the Pistons’ brass talks concerning the future, the much less it sounds as if they’re occupied with tearing the roster right down to the studs and trying to construct a contender from scratch.

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After being employed as basic supervisor in June, Troy Weaver rejected the time period “rebuild,” as a substitute referring to it as a “restoring.” Final month, Blake Griffin mentioned his conversations with head coach Dwane Casey gave him the impression that the Pistons need to compete subsequent season. Casey mentioned one thing related a day earlier than the draft lottery, noting that the Pistons will “compete to win” in 2020-21.

On Wednesday, Casey gave an even bigger trace as to what the Pistons are planning.

“We’re probably not rebuilding right here in Detroit,” Casey instructed reporters. “I feel our basketball followers deserve lots. We like to make use of the phrase ‘retooling,’ ‘restoring’ as a lot as ‘rebuilding.’ It does not need to take a very long time as a result of if our younger guys are making the progress we anticipate them to make, it shouldn’t be a long-term restoring.”

How the Pistons will go about “retooling” the roster stays to be seen. The group hasn’t had a lot luck with the “rebuild-on-the-fly” technique this previous decade, producing simply two playoff berths and nil playoff wins regardless of a number of lottery picks and massive contracts.

It may be accomplished, although. This season’s playoffs have been a testomony to how sensible drafting, trades and free company signings can repay in a brief period of time.

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Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, drafted in 2014 and 2017, respectively, have led the Nuggets to their second consecutive playoff berth and first Western Convention finals since 2009. Their third-highest scorer within the playoffs, Michael Porter Jr., was drafted in 2018, sat out the 2018-19 season with a again damage and began simply eight video games this yr as a rookie. The Raptors, who got here inside moments of constructing their second-straight Jap Convention finals, have been led by Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet, who entered the league in 2016. (Siakam was taken 27th general by Toronto, whereas VanVleet was an undrafted free agent.)

Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet is defended by Detroit Pistons guard Derrick Rose through the first half Friday, Jan. 31, 2020, in Detroit.

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Story continues

Weaver, who spent greater than a decade with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder earlier than coming to Detroit, preached the deserves of “retooling” throughout his introductory press convention. The Thunder have made the playoffs 10 of 11 seasons whereas biking via stars. Final summer time, they turned Russell Westbrook and Paul George into an assortment of property, together with an up-and-coming guard (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), proficient veterans with commerce worth (Chris Paul and Danilo Gallinari) and a number of first-round picks.

“In Oklahoma Metropolis, we retooled the staff a couple of instances,” Weaver mentioned. “Simply having flexibility and turning nice gamers into extra gamers, extra picks. Simply having the flexibleness and having the ability to transfer on the fly with an amazing entrance workplace led by Sam (Presti), plenty of good individuals there. We have been in a mode that we’ve to be extraordinarily versatile and open minded.”

When wholesome, Blake Griffin is an All Star-caliber ahead. Considerig Griffin’s improved well being, additional improvement from the younger gamers and round $30 million in accessible cap house, it’s logical that the Pistons might be aggressive subsequent season.

As without cost company, Casey mentioned that the Pistons need to be sensible and aggressive. They’re one in every of simply six groups projected to have cap house, positioning them as gamers in free company and the commerce market. It’s not a marquee free agent class, however gamers equivalent to VanVleet and 2019-20 Sixth Man of the 12 months Montrezl Harrel would definitely enhance the Pistons’ general expertise.

However what’s the plan past subsequent season? Even when Griffin places collectively one other All-Star marketing campaign in 2020-21, he has a participant choice for 2021-22, price $36.6 million, earlier than changing into an unrestricted free agent. Derrick Rose will likely be an unrestricted free agent after the 2020-21 season. The Pistons’ vets and their creating younger gamers are on mismatched timelines.

Pistons coach Dwane Casey on the bench through the Pistons’ 117-110 extra time loss to the Pelicans on Monday, Jan.13, 2020, at Little Caesars Enviornment.

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Casey famous that the entrance workplace desires to construct one thing that can final. Their cap house supplies loads of methods to prioritize the current, future or each, although that plan will likely be clearer when free company begins.

“We need to be aggressive and if the chance is there, speaking to Troy and Tom and Arn and Ed, we need to be opportunistic if one thing presents itself,” Casey mentioned. “We by no means need to flip away from that. We need to be sensible. We need to construct one thing that’s going to final and will likely be constant, will likely be sustainable, with our cap house. As I inform my children on a regular basis, ‘don’t let the cash burn your pockets.’ “

“Now we have to ensure we’re actually sensible in what we’re doing and never get off target. We need to construct with the younger staff and add to Blake and Derrick and our older guys, but nonetheless be sure we’re very prudent in what we’re doing and be strategic in how we choose these guys so far as free brokers and that form of factor, as a result of once more, simply because we’ve it does not imply we’ve to spend it proper now.”

Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Comply with him on Twitter @omarisankofa. The Free Press has began a new digital subscription mannequin. Here is how one can acquire entry to our most unique Pistons content material. Learn extra on the Detroit Pistons and join our Pistons e-newsletter.

This text initially appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons ‘retooling,’ not rebuilding, Dwane Casey says