The Detroit Pistons are in a really weird situation. Yes, seriously. After a 2022 season in which the Pistons won 17 games and posted the worst record in the league, fans expect a huge offseason from third-year General Manager Troy Weaver. With the third most money to spend and a top-five draft pick, there are many routes the Pistons could take for the remaining duration of the offseason. However, I expect Troy to be aggressive in the free-agent market and via trading. Although it definitely stings that the Pistons fell to the fifth pick and Victor Wembenyana, there are still reasons to be excited about what Troy is doing for this team.

What the Pistons have

The Pistons do have many young pieces and a lot of draft capital. Cade Cunningham will return in 2023 for his third season, and Jaden Ivey will look to have a massive sophomore season. Jalen Duren showed flashes of becoming the next Ben Wallace all last season. Killian Hayes, who is largely scrutinized by the fan base, will be playing in his fourth season and showed lots of improvement toward the end of last season. They scored the fifth pick in the lottery which was a disappointment, but nonetheless will help land this franchise a future starter.

What the Pistons need

First and foremost, this team needs a head coach. With the Phoenix Suns parting ways with Monty Williams, The Bucks with Mike Budenholzer, and the 76ers with Doc Rivers, this team has new options available to them. There are many reports that have linked the Pistons to Kevin Ollie, but nothing has been confirmed. I believe that Owner Tom Gores is looking for a coach who can develop the young talent that is already in place. This team needs a coach who can maximize the potential of Cade, Ivey, Duren, and Killian. With our fifth pick, this team is in need of a versatile wing. The player needs to be able to adapt well to this culture and play well alongside Cade and Ivey.

What could happen

I believe that the current Pistons roster will mostly stay the same. Free agents Cory Joseph, Hami Diallo, Alec Burks, and Rodney Mcgruder will have decisions to make, but I only expect Burks and Diallo to return. However, with how the lottery panned out, I expect Troy Weaver to look into trading the 5th overall pick for a more polished player. Adding a polished player could avoid more years of development. It will be interesting to see. If the Pistons decide to keep the fifth pick, a few good options would be Cam Whitmore from Villanova or Jarrace Walker from Houston. Whitmore averaged 12.5 points and 5.3 rebounds on 47.8% shooting. Walker averaged 11.2 points and 6.8 rebounds on 46.5% shooting. Either one of these young prospects would be a great addition to an already young team.