The Pistons' losing streak should be a reminder to other rebuilding teams the risks of getting it wrong
Welcome to Layup Lines, For the Win’s basketball newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Have feedback for the Layup Lines Crew? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey. Now, here’s Prince J. Grimes.
You might be surprised to hear this, but the Detroit Pistons, who are in the middle of an NBA record 27-game losing streak, have just two fewer wins than the league’s next worst team.
That’s right. The same team that hasn’t won a game since improving to 2-1 on Oct. 28 (yes, that really happened), could climb out of the NBA’s basement with just three wins. A fourth win would catapult them past the third-worst team. The Pistons are simultaneously historically bad and not as bad as they might seem relative to other rebuilding teams. We’re more than a third of the way through the season, and four other teams also have single-digit wins.
In fact, the San Antonio Spurs might be even worse than Detroit. Aside from owning their own 18-game losing streak, they also have the league’s worst offensive rating and net rating this season. The Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards have the league’s bottom-two defensive ratings. The Portland Trail Blazers are the other team that has yet to crack 10 wins. So, yeah, the Pistons have company at the bottom of the standings.
Related: The Pistons may never win another game but you can’t blame Cade Cunningham
The problem for Detroit is it was supposed to be further along in its rebuild than almost all of those teams. Maybe the Pistons weren’t supposed to be a playoff team yet, but they certainly weren’t supposed to be in the running for the league’s worst record again. But here they are, in the middle of a historic losing streak, and those other teams better be taking notes. They might not be the story today, but they will be tomorrow if they don’t hit on whatever draft picks all this losing will net them. The Pistons should serve as an example for them and the rest of the league of the risks that come with stripping down a roster for a rebuild.
By now, you surely know Detroit’s story, so I don’t need to tell it in full again. Four straight years drafting in the lottery, three top-five picks in the last three years and they’ve only gotten worse. I’m not saying all of those players were busts, but something obviously went wrong. This is not how rebuilds are supposed to go, but without finding a generational prospect in the draft, they can drag on a lot longer than intended (just ask the Hornets).
The Spurs were lucky to find their guy in this year’s draft, lucking into Victor Wembanyama with the top pick in 2023. So, it’s hard to imagine their losing lasts much longer. The Blazers and Wizards may or may not have that guy yet. For their sake, they better find him soon if not. Otherwise, they could find themselves in the same spot as the Pistons in a couple years.
Related: Cade Cunningham’s leadership during Pistons’ historic losing streak is worth appreciating
KD has to be part of the solution in Phoenix
Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
All is not sunny in Phoenix right now, as the team dropped a third straight game on Christmas to fall to 14-15 and 11th place in the Western Conference. They’re woefully underperforming for a team that entered the season with championship expectations, and those around the organization can feel Kevin Durant’s frustration with the situation, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Durant refuted the report in a since-deleted Instagram response, but as my colleague Mike Sykes wrote, that hasn’t stopped fans from criticizing Durant’s own effort and body language on the court. So, until the Suns start winning consistently, this doesn’t seem like something that’s going away soon.
If Durant is frustrated, though, who could blame him? That isn’t to say he shouldn’t give it his all every time he steps on the floor, but he should be upset if he feels like the roster isn’t up to snuff. He’s an aging superstar still chasing titles. He has more good years behind him than ahead of him.
At the same time, hopefully that frustration doesn’t manifest itself into another trade demand. Wojnarowski said the Suns have to manage this with Durant, and the emphasis should be on “with Durant.” Nobody has suggested any type of upcoming trade, but that’s often where these conversations can go, so I’m getting ahead of it to say this one doesn’t need to end up there too. The season is long and teams struggle, but teams can also turn things around with the right pieces, better health and better leadership.
Whether the Suns are the type of team to do that remains to be seen. But if they’re going to get there, Durant has to be part of the solution and not the problem. I’d love to see him help this bunch get on track.
One to Watch
(All odds via BetMGM)
AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez
Cleveland Cavaliers (+125) at Dallas Mavericks (-2.5; -150), 8:40 p.m. ET
The Cavaliers have four wins in their last five games, but none of those wins were particularly impressive. They’ve struggled against good teams and that’s what they’re up against Wednesday in Dallas. If Luka Doncic is ruled out that obviously changes things, but assuming he plays, this spread is a steal. Give me the Mavs in a cover.
Shootaround
— Hot mics caught Devin Booker calling out his teammate for terrible defense
That’s it from me y’all. Check back Friday for more Layup Lines.