Despite a loss against the Indiana Pacers Thursday night, Detroit remains one of the hottest teams in the league with a 10-3 record since Dec. 21. After the calendar flipped to 2025, Detroit has gone 7-2 during a season-high five-game winning streak. After 41 games last season, the Pistons stood at 4-37.
“I know how much this team means to the city, and to have the trust from the organization, as far as being the guy, it means a lot to me, and I don’t take that lightly,” Cunningham said on Oct. 22. “I think it’s going to be a great year for us. It’s been a great preseason, and I’m excited for the year to come.”
From the veterans who signed in the offseason to several players who have come off the bench to contribute to the team’s success, the first half of the season proves that the Pistons have finally entered phase two of their rebuild.
Pistons beat writer Coty M. Davis breaks down the first-half grades for the Pistons (players listed in alphabetical order):
BACKCOURT
Malik Beasley
Beasley has been the best offseason acquisition. He has been the Pistons’ primary sixth man, and with the third-highest scoring average on the team, Beasley should be considered for the league’s yearly award. He has also played an essential role in helping Cade Cunningham’s All-NBA-worthy campaign due to his ability to space the floor as a reliable 3-point shooter. He is currently third behind Anthony Edwards (167) and Tyler Herro (156) for the most made 3-point field goals (152) in the first half of the season. Given Beasley’s success and importance, he deserves an extension in a city he calls his second home. Grade: A
Cade Cunningham
Stats: 24.4 pts, 9.4 ast 6.5 rebs, 45.6% FG in 37 games. Age: 23. Salary: $13.9 million Tim Hardaway Jr. said it best: Cunningham has been one of the best guards in the entire NBA. In a season where several players from the 2021 NBA Draft are in the middle of a career year, the former No. 1 pick has taken the lead as the best player of his class. Cunningham has been beyond sensational on most nights, which includes recording the third-most triple-doubles in the league, with seven.
Cunningham is finally demonstrating the star potential he showed throughout his first three years. The only knock against him was the turnover issues he struggled with at the start of the season, but aside from committing eight against the Raptors on Jan. 11, Cunningham has done a solid job of taking care of the ball since December. While the top conversation has been that he is on the verge of receiving his first All-Star nod, Cunningham should be in consideration for an All-NBA honor come late May or early June. Grade: A+
Tim Hardaway Jr.
Stats: 11.3 pts, 38.4% FG in 37 games. Age: 32. Salary: $16.1 million Hardaway began the season on an impressive streak, on 45.7% 3-point shooting while averaging 12.5 points, before a head injury sidelined him for three games. He cooled off significantly amid his return and is currently experiencing his lowest scoring average since his rookie year, in 2014. However, Hardaway’s most significant contributions have come from his clutch play late in the fourth quarter.
In the Pistons’ win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Jan. 6, Hardaway helped Detroit avoid an embarrassing defeat by scoring 11 of his 26 points in the final period. His play down the stretch was similar to his performance against the Miami Heat on Dec. 16. He scored nine points in overtime, which led to the Pistons’ 125-124 victory. Grade: B-
Jaden Ivey
Stats: 17.6 pts, 4.0 ast, 4.1 rebs, 46.0% FG, 40.9% in 30 games. Age: 22. Salary ($7.9M) Cunningham has finally reached an All-Star caliber level, but Ivey took the most significant leap from an individual standpoint.
From his playmaking to 3-point shooting, Ivey’s career season was a testament to the growth and leap from the previous year. It is also worth noting that Ivey had taken a step into becoming Detroit’s go-to scorer down the stretch with the pair of game-winning baskets he made against the Raptors and Kings. Before suffering a potential season-ending injury, Ivey had averaged 2.5 points in clutch moments while leading the Pistons to a 7-5 record. Grade: A-
Marcus Sasser
Stats: 5.8 pts, 47.6% FG, 39.8% in 30 games. Age: 24. Salary: $2.7 million
Year 2 has been disappointing for Sasser, but not because of his own doing. Sasser has spent the first half of the season without a consistent role in Bickerstaff’s rotation. During the first quarter of the season, he received a handful of DNPs. However, when called upon, Sasser has produced off the bench as a dependable shot-creator and solid defender. His contributions have played a role in several wins Grade: C
Daniss Jenkins
Stats: N/A Age: 23. Salary: N/A Jenkins has only played three games with the Pistons and has logged a total of eight minutes. It’s unfair to grade a player who has played less than 10 minutes. However, Jenkins has been impressive during his G League outings. In seven games with the Motor City Cruise, Jenkins has averaged 19.7 points, 7.3 assists, and 1.9 steals — solidifying himself as Detroit’s top two-way prospect. Grade: Inc.
Wendell Moore Jr.
Stats: 3.5 pts, 2.6 rebs, 45.8% FG in 17 games. Age: 23. Salary: $2.5 million Moore hasn’t contributed much this season. Aside from a handful of moments, most of Moore’s minutes have come with the game already in hand. However, he has done a solid job of changing the team’s energy when called upon. His best game of the season came in an overtime loss to the Bucks, where he kept the short-handed Pistons in striking distance by accounting for nine points and four rebounds. Grade: C-
FRONTCOURT
Simone Fontecchio
Fontecchio’s play has been somewhat underwhelming. Perhaps it was the ongoing recovery from toe surgery that sidelined him until training camp. However, more often than not, Fontecchio has not looked like the promising reserve he showed in the 16 games he played last season. As someone who relies on creating more floor spacing, Fontecchio’s shot has been inconsistent for much of the year. Grade: D
Tobias Harris
Stats: 13.2 pts, 6.4 rebs, 44.8% FG, 34.8% in 39 games. Age: 32. Salary: $25.3 million Unless someone had unrealistic projections, Harris has met nearly all of the expectations he came into the season with. His on-court play has been essential in Detroit turning its franchise around, and with a handful of 20-point performances, Harris is still producing at a lofty level.
However, similar to Hardaway, Harris’ most significant impact goes beyond the box score. Before the start of the season, Bucks coach Doc Rivers described Harris as a “pro’s pro,” and he has lived up to his former coach’s praise. Jalen Duren recently told The Detroit News that Harris’ leadership has included him sharing advice about everything imaginable, from offcourt life to finances. Grade: B
Ron Holland II
Stats: 6.4 pts, 2.8 rebs, 47.7% FG in 41 games. Age: 19. Salary: $8.2 million
Holland will not be in the running for Rookie of the Year, but he is making a compelling case for All-Rookie Team honors. Since the preseason, Holland has always played with a ton of effort on both ends and has embodied the franchise’s heart and soul. He has most recently shown promising improvements in his shooting and decision-making. Since the Pistons’ western road trip in December, each night has become an indicator that the game for the rookie prospect is slowing down. Grade: B
Bobi Klintman
Stats: N/A Age: 21. Salary: $1.2 million
Similar to Jenkins, Klintman will get an incomplete grade because the rookie forward has not played enough games. In fact, if not for a calf injury, a successful training camp and preseason could have led to Klintman finding a minor role within Bickerstaff’s rotation. He has played just one game, appearing in four minutes while pulling down two rebounds against the Nets on Jan. 8. Grade: Inc.
Paul Reed
Stats: 4.8 pts, 55.9% FG in 22 games. Age: 25. Salary: $2.4 million Reed is another player who has not carved out a consistent role in Bickerstaff’s rotation but has been productive when given the opportunity. Each time Reed touches the floor, he gives the Pistons a boost due to his energy and hustle. Grade: C-
Ausar Thompson
Stats: 7.6 pts, 4.7 rebs, 50.0% FG in 19 games. Age: 21. Salary: $8.3 million
Thompson had a late start due to his ongoing recovery from a blood clot. He did not make his season debut until late November and has played the fewest number of games among the core players.
But each time Thompson touched the court, his play was worth the wait. He has been a versatile player on both ends, providing Detroit with a solid go-to player in transition while re-establishing himself as one of the team’s best defensive players. Conditioning has been the lone knock against Thompson at times during his long-awaited return, which was expected after he spent 262 days on the sideline. Grade: B
BIGS
Jalen Duren
Consistency has been Duren’s greatest flaw. As Detroit’s best rebounder, Duren can go from having a double-double in three consecutive games to being nonexistent in the next two. However, Duren’s inconsistencies have little to do with his talent.
Most of his issues have come from the foul trouble that has plagued his performances on several occasions. Duren currently leads the team by a wide margin of 3.3 fouls. His inability to avoid fouls has also been the reason for the slight decrease in his playing time, as Duren is averaging 24 minutes. Last season, he averaged 30. Grade: C+
Isaiah Stewart
Stats: 5.7 pts, 6.0 reb, 1.3 blks in 37 games. Age: 23. Salary: $15 million One of the best coaching modifications Bickerstaff made in his first season was changing Stewart’s role. In training camp, Bickerstaff revealed that Stewart would not have much of an offensive role despite his ability to shoot the 3-point shot. Instead of complaining, Stewart bought into Bickerstaff’s plans and is having the most impactful year of his career.
He has been the Pistons’ best defensive anchor and rim protector. He ranks second in the league for the most blocks off the bench. If not for Beasley, Stewart would not only be the Pistons’ most impactful player off the bench, but his performance would also merit consideration for Sixth Man of the Year. Grade: B+
Coaching
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff
He has the Pistons on the verge of their best record in six years, and the success could lead to a postseason or Play-In Tournament appearance come mid-April. In addition to leading the franchise to more wins, Bickerstaff has also changed a dreadful culture that made the team’s morale unpleasant the year prior. Grade: A+