The season is right around the corner and the Detroit Pistons have opened with +40000 odds for the 2020-21 NBA Championship. The experts here at SportsTips have taken the time to review every single NBA team and offer up their opinion on how each team is expected to perform in the 2020-21 season, meaning you can place your best NBA bets with confidence.
So, without further ado, have a read on below at all our NBA betting stats and information on the Detroit Pistons:
Detroit Pistons’ 2019-20 Season Review
After making the playoffs in 2019, Detroit were a complete disappointment this last season. With just a 20-46 record, the Pistons finished 13th in the Eastern Conference and never looked like competing.
Coming off an All Star season, Blake Griffin managed just 18 games before being sidelined with injury, and was a big reason why the team was unable to live up to their heights of previous seasons.
The decreased performance saw the team trade star center Andre Drummond just before the deadline, not getting much in return which seemed to be more of a salary dump rather than positive basketball trade for the team.
The highlights on the season were the emergence of Christian Wood and Luke Kennard as pieces to build around for the future.
Detroit ranked 21st and 23rd respectively in offensive and defensive ratings, with their lackluster play on both ends of the court resulting in a 26-39-1 record against the spread, second worst in the league.
Their terrible defense allowed opposing teams to score in waves against them, seeing their record in totals betting sit at 39-27, sixth best in the league.
While their play last season was terrible, Detroit picked up the seventh pick in the draft and will start building towards the future.
Detroit Pistons’ Offseason Changes
The Detroit Pistons entered the 2020 NBA Draft with just pick 6. With the pick they selected Killian Hayes, a guard who played professionally in Germany for Ratiopharm.
On draft night Detroit traded a future first round pick to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Trevor Ariza and pick 16, which was used on Isaiah Stewart, a center out of the University of Washington.
The Pistons were involved in another trade involving both the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers. Detroit sent Bruce Brown, Luke Kennard, Justin Patton and multiple future second round selections for Dzanan Musa, pick 19 and future selections. Pick 19 was used to draft Villanova forward Saddiq Bey.
Players In: Saddiq Bey, Wayne Ellington, Jerami Grant, Killian Hayes, Josh Jackson, Saben Lee, Rodney McGruder, Dzanan Musa, Jahlil Okafor, Mason Plumlee, Deividas Sirvydis, Isaiah Stewart, Delon Wright
Players Out: Jordan Bone, Bruce Brown, Langston Galloway, John Henson, Luke Kennard, Brandon Knight, Thon Maker, Jordan McRae, Justin Patton, Tony Snell, Khyri Thomas, Christian Wood
Detroit Pistons’ 2020-21 Season Preview
Having not had a pick of seventh or higher in the NBA Draft since 2010, Detroit will be looking for their young talent to lead the way in the 2020/21 season.
Hustle and Motivate 🤝@blakegriffin23 @JeramiGrant pic.twitter.com/nTKcVHaHxj
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) December 11, 2020
After choosing Killian Hayes with the seventh pick, Isaiah Stewart with the 16th pick and Saddiq Bey with the 19th pick, the Pistons have reloaded and rejuvenated their roster with a number of promising prospects, all of whom can play different positions.
Detroit’s performance at the draft was a great step forward in their rebuild, however forking out a combined $89 million for Jerami Grant, Mason Plumlee and Jahlil Okafor is not the blueprint for a rebuild in terms of salary cap management.
Despite being overpaid, both Plumlee and Grant will bring valuable playoff experience to Detroit, with Grant being one of the most valuable players in Denver’s run to the 2020 Western Conference finals.
However, young talent and solid role players can only get you so far in the NBA, and with ageing All-Stars Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose taking up valuable cap space on the Pistons roster, it is going to be tough to bring in an All-NBA talent.
In the penultimate year of the five-year contract he signed with the Clippers, Griffin has not been the same since he injured his knee at the end of the 2018-19 regular season.
Given his injury history and the moves that GM Troy Weaver made this offseason, it would be no surprise if the Pistons looked to move on from Griffin sooner rather than later, especially with the addition of big-men duo of Mason Plumlee and Jahlil Okafor.
Detroit have taken the first step towards a solid rebuild, bolstering their roster at the draft and bringing in players that have started on playoff teams. However, the 2020/21 season will be another step in the rebuild for Detroit, with a return to the playoffs still a long way down the road.
Will the Detroit Pistons Make the Playoffs?
Having only made two trips to the postseason since 2008/09, the 2020 Pistons are still not a playoff team in the Eastern Conference, currently at +750 to return to the postseason.
Detroit made a lot of positive moves at the draft this offseason, with Killian Hayes (19 years of age, pick 7), Isaiah Stewart (19 years of age, pick 16) and Saddiq Bey (21 years of age, pick 19) looking like a promising core group for the future.
However, given their lack of experience, they will not be leading this team to the playoffs in 2021. With Blake Griffin’s health also a looming concern.
Detroit Pistons’ Key Games
December 23: @ Minnesota Timberwolves: Season tipoff against a young, up and coming Timberwolves team
December 26: vs Cleveland Cavaliers: Matchup between the two bottom teams in 2019-20 Central Division
January 4: @ Milwaukee Bucks: Matchup against the 2019-20 Central Division winners
January 22: vs Houston Rockets: Christian Wood returns to Detroit
January 28: vs Los Angeles Lakers: A test against the benchmark of the league, the reigning NBA champions
February 1: @ Denver Nuggets: Jerami Grant and Mason Plumlee return to Denver
March 2: @ Toronto Raptors: Piston’s head coach Dwayne Casey currently 3-3 against his former team
Detroit Pistons’ Betting Summary
Currently with the second worst odds to win both the Eastern Conference (+15000) and the NBA title (+40000), Detroit will not be a playoff team in 2021, let alone a chance of winning the East or the NBA championship. Not worth a wager, even as an outside chance.
At +750 to make the playoffs and -1334 to miss, Detroit’s safest bet for the 2020-21 season is backing them to miss the playoff (-1334), despite the lack of value. Having gone 20-46 in the Covid-19 shortened season in 2019/20, the Pistons have been given a regular season line of 24.0 wins for the 2020/21 season.
Given that the upcoming season will only be 72 games and that Detroit will be playing without their most successful player from 2019/20 (Christian Wood, 5.1 win shares), the Pistons will likely finish Under 24 wins (-110), allowing them to once again top up at the draft.
Killian Hayes will enter the 2020/21 season with the fourth best odds to take out the Rookie of the Year award at +1000. Despite the fanfare surrounding Edwards, Wiseman, and Ball, Killian Hayes sat at the top of numerous mock draft boards prior to the NBA draft.
Hayes will enter the league with the valuable experience of three years of professional basketball in Europe, while also having the opportunity to play alongside/learn from former MVP Derrick Rose.
Of all the top prospects in his draft class, Hayes is arguably the most ‘NBA ready’ to contribute right away and will have the opportunity to play big minutes and learn from experienced veteran around him.
*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of PointsBet.
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