EAST LANSING >> The 2023-24 season was difficult for everyone associated with the Detroit Pistons, but perhaps no one found it more problematic than Tom Gores. In his 13th season as team owner, Gores watched as the Pistons put together their worst season in franchise history, finishing with a horrendous 14-68 record.

The dreadful season led Gores to make several significant changes. In late May, he hired Trajan Langdon as the team’s president of basketball operations. In early July, Gores signed off on the hiring of coach J.B. Bickerstaff.

Two weeks before the start of his 14th season at the helm of his hometown team, Gores feels the Pistons have finally turned the page amid their grueling rebuild.

“We’re really running like a business, not just a business of basketball,” Gores said during the Pistons’ 105-97 preseason loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night at Michigan State’s Breslin Center. “I feel very good about it. But Trajan and I know there’s still a lot of work to do. We have to do the work and hope the results come. But I feel like the right work’s getting done.”

Since he bought the Pistons in September 2011, Gores has always expressed his desire to bring a championship to the organization. However, the Pistons have only qualified for the playoffs twice under his ownership (2015-16 and 2018-2019). Gores still yearns to add a fourth Larry O’Brien trophy within the team’s history. But entering the 2024-25 season, growth and development are his primary aspirations.

He spent the offseason working closely with Langdon, holding several meetings on how to improve the Pistons’ roster. They entered the summer with the most salary cap space to spend in free agency, a projected $72 million. With the flexibility, they identified two essential characteristics to seek — leadership and 3-point shooting.

Their strategy led to the Pistons signing Malik Beasley, Tobias Harris, and Paul Reed while trading for Tim Hardaway Jr. The roster’s construction has added to Gores’ optimistic view of the upcoming season.

“I feel really good about the veterans we’ve added,” Gores said. “Tobias, whom I’ve known for a long time. We’ve got Beasley, Hardaway, and Reed coming in. I feel very good about the offseason with the veterans. I think Trajan did a good job bringing the right people in, but still keeping flexibility.”

With a 1-1 start to the preseason, Gores believes his young core has already made noticeable strides. He has been impressed with Jaden Ivey’s outing during the first two exhibition games, averaging a team-best 19.0 points on 57.1% on 3-point shooting.

Although Cade Cunningham struggled during the first two games, Gores was encouraged by Cunningham’s leadership ahead of his fourth season. In July, Cunningham signed a five-year, $224 million rookie max extension.

Gores understands the work his players put in throughout the offseason and has observed several of their summer training sessions. However, when it comes to his team’s progression, Gores is highly impressed by the work Bickerstaff has done in his short time as coach.

“J.B. is doing an incredible job communicating with the players and getting us organized,” Gores said. “He is really good at communication, which helps the players execute. … We knew these young men were good. They have a lot of potential — all of them. We needed to compliment them with the right thing so they could grow and grow properly. So, I’m pretty excited. We have a core that we believe in.”

The Pistons hired Bickerstaff following his departure from the Cleveland Cavaliers in May. Bickerstaff has a proven track record of leading a franchise out of basketball agony. He spent five seasons in Cleveland and led them to their most successful period in the post-LeBron-James era.

A three-hour Zoom call during the interview process led to Gores’ belief in Bickerstaff. Gores discovered that he and Bickerstaff share the same core values when it comes to helping the people they serve — a conversation that took place outside the X’s and O’s of basketball.

“He and I are like-minded — players aren’t just pieces we move around on the board; they’re human beings, and how do we help establish real, genuine relationships with them and then do what’s best for them, individually and collectively,” Bickerstaff said…

“Whether it’s text messages, phone calls, or those things, he just lets me know that he’s here and that he’s an asset for me again, not just with the game of basketball, but whatever I need.”

Despite several years of heartache, Gores remains a proud owner of the Pistons. He dwelled on this fondness at his Alma mater, Michigan State University. Although there are no lofty expectations ahead of the upcoming season, Gores is optimistic that the Pistons will regain their esteem as one of the NBA’s most prominent franchises.

“We gotta compete — no limits,” Gores said. “Sometimes you get places in life where you don’t set limits; you just gotta do all the work. I’m not going to put any limits on this team. They’re working hard.”