Top News: Insights On 10 Bold Significant Predictions For The Pistons And NBA In 2024-25 Season
The Detroit Pistons kick off their 2024-25 season tonight at home against the Indiana Pacers.
There’s a muted excitement surrounding the team; fans want to believe in better days ahead, but past disappointments have made them cautious about getting their hopes up.
As the ultimate optimist, I’ve also tempered my predictions this season, but that’s about to change with some bold forecasts for what’s in store this year.
#10: The Detroit Pistons will be the surprise good team
Last season, I selected the Indiana Pacers as my surprise team in the Eastern Conference, and they reached the ECF, so I’m hoping some of that luck transfers to the Pistons. Although I don’t anticipate Detroit making the playoffs, I believe they’ll exceed many forecasts for their win total and finish with over 30 wins.
For most teams, that result would be disappointing, but for the Pistons, it would represent significant progress and indicate that Trajan Langdon won’t follow in Troy Weaver’s footsteps.
#9: The Philadelphia 76ers will be the surprise bad team
I also selected the 76ers in this position last season, and they ended up finishing 7th in the Eastern Conference. I pointed this out at the time of the trade, and I’ll reiterate: counting on two injury-prone players who are past 30, with little depth behind them, isn’t a winning strategy.
Embiid is already injured and will miss at least the first week of the season. Plus, he has stated that he won’t play in the second game of any back-to-back for the rest of his career.
Paul George is also unavailable for the season opener, and as a Philly fan, I’d be worried. He played 74 games last season, which he hadn’t done in the previous four years. Funny how that happened in a contract year… But are we likely to see that level of performance again? Probably not. Philly might be fortunate to get 100 total games from these two.
The team lacks quality depth, as opponents aren’t intimidated by players like Andre Drummond and Eric Gordon.
I believe Philly will finish even lower than last season and could potentially miss the playoffs.
#8: Cade Cunningham will make the All-Star team
This prediction may not be overly ambitious, considering Cade posted All-Star-caliber stats last year despite being on a struggling team. If the Pistons manage closer to 30 wins this season, he’ll likely gain some recognition, even though not much has changed this offseason.
I anticipate that Cade’s overall stats will remain consistent, but we should see an increase in his assists, placing him among the top five in the NBA in that category. Combined with a better win record, this will earn him his first All-Star selection.
#7: Jaden Ivey finishes top-5 in the Most Improved Player award
This would be significant for Ivey, indicating that the Pistons have likely experienced more victories and that he played a key role in that success.
While we might not see dramatic increases in his total stats, I expect him to approach 20 points per game. However, we should definitely notice a major improvement in both his efficiency and defense. Ivey could have a breakout season similar to Coby White’s last year, averaging 20 efficient points per game and establishing himself as the team’s second option.
#6: Someone other than the Boston Celtics will win the Eastern Conference
Man, NBA writers are so predictable. I understand that the Celtics are the reigning champions, but it seems like no one is picking anyone else to win this year. Defending a title is tough, even if Boston dominated the East last season.
While they might do well again, they managed to avoid significant injuries last year (aside from Porzingis, who is more of a bonus for them), and that might not be the case this time.
I believe this season will be more competitive, and someone will take them down in the playoffs. Either way, I can’t see myself ever picking the Celtics to win another championship.
#5: Someone other than OKC will win the Western Conference
The Western Conference is expected to be more competitive than the East, which makes it surprising that many have already labeled the Thunder as the clear frontrunner.
While they are likely to have the best regular season record again, history shows that teams typically face some playoff losses before reaching the Finals, so I’m hesitant to declare OKC the champions just yet.
They have ample opportunity to become the top team, as they already boast the deepest roster, are still quite young, and possess numerous draft assets to acquire another star if they choose to do so.
This might be optimistic thinking on my part, but I’m backing the entire field in both conferences.
#4: Ron Holland III will make the All-Rookie team
The Pistons didn’t receive much praise for their decision to select Holland II with the fifth pick, but that perception is likely to change this season as he’s poised to make an impact.
With Ausar Thompson out indefinitely, Holland II will get immediate playing time, and if he plays defensively as he did in the preseason, it will be tough to keep him out of the rotation.
While he may not post the same statistics as some of the other rookies, expect him to deliver notable dunks and steals that will draw national attention. I believe Holland has a strong chance of earning a spot on the All-Rookie second team.
#3: The Pistons will add talent at the trade deadline
Much of the chatter about the veterans has centered on which player will be traded at the deadline, especially since both Beasley and THJ are on expiring contracts and could attract interest from contenders.
This deadline, the Pistons are likely to take a different approach by utilizing THJ’s expiring contract along with their $ 10 million in cap space to acquire a player.
While it may not be a superstar, there could be players like Brandon Ingram and Michael Porter Jr. available if their teams decide to cut costs due to underperformance.
Another team to keep an eye on is the Houston Rockets, who have recently invested heavily in Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun. They might look to trade a player like Tari Eason or even Jabari Smith Jr. before they become extension-eligible.
Let’s hope the Pistons are aiming to enhance their roster at the deadline rather than trading away players for mere second-round picks.
#2: The MVP comes back to North America
The last six NBA MVP awards have gone to players born outside the United States, and while I don’t expect that trend to change, I believe it will return to the continent when Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander takes home the award.
Voter fatigue from selecting Jokic, along with concerns about Embiid’s playing time and Tatum and Brown dividing their votes, leaves Giannis, Luka, and SGA as the top contenders. If the Mavericks are among the top teams in the West, it could finally be Luka’s time to win, which seems likely. However, if the Thunder emerge as the best team, then the MVP could belong to SGA, especially if he finishes as the league’s leading scorer.
#1: The end of two eras
Despite both players being top performers, I predict that LeBron James and Stephen Curry will miss the playoffs this season.
The Lakers finished 8th last season, and that was with LeBron and Anthony Davis both playing over 70 games. What are the odds of that happening again? Without them, the Lakers would likely be a lottery team.
The Warriors have numerous uncertainties surrounding their roster and are relying on untested players, along with Andrew Wiggins and Buddy Hield, whom I don’t have much faith in.
While Hield might replicate Klay Thompson’s shooting ability, he struggles defensively. Wiggins is hoping for a bounce-back after a disappointing last season, but if he underperforms again, the team’s depth is very limited. They barely made the play-in tournament last year.
Granted, both teams could make significant trades that might change this outlook, but as things stand, it’s hard to envision either making it to the playoffs.