The Detroit Pistons have had a very impressive rise after having just won 14 games two seasons ago. By no means is the season a failure for the Pistons, given that they won 60 games and got to the second round. However, it is a bit disappointing for them that they went up 2-0 against the Cavs and could not advance despite a great Game 6 win on the road. As the Grizzlies rebuild progresses, they must learn two pivotal lessons from the Pistons' second-round exit this year.
The Grizzlies' situation is a bit different from Detroit's given how dominant the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are right now. They are also still multiple years away from the possibility of winning 50+ games and being in the discussion as a potential title contender. But once they reach that status, they must do two things differently from this year's Pistons squad.
1. The roster needs multiple reliable shot creators
Detroit had a tremendous defense all season, and it was fun to admire the effort they played with. The Pistons' defense was a driving force behind why they got so far, but they lacked the offense needed for a finals run. Unfortunately for the Pistons, as special as Cade Cunningham is, he had too much of an offensive workload, largely in part due to the offensive struggles of his teammates.
Jalen Duren struggled immensely throughout the whole playoff run, and Tobias Harris and Daniss Jenkins were inconsistent when factoring in both series. Ausar Thompson is one of the premier defenders in the entire league but will need to keep improving as a perimeter shooter as time goes on. Defense matters, but the Pistons had a lesser margin for error due to their offensive struggles.
The Grizzlies absolutely need to continue prioritizing hard-nosed defensive basketball. But one thing must not get lost as they continue to rebuild. They need multiple reliable shot creators and can't be too defensively slanted as a team. The "defense wins championships" mantra still applies, but a high-level halfcourt offense is also needed.
It will be crucial for Cedric Coward to make a leap as an on-ball offensive creator, and the Grizzlies should still tap into the shotmaking talent of players such as Cam Spencer and Ty Jerome. Most importantly, it will be essential for this year's #3 overall pick to be a major driving force in the Grizzlies having a strong playoff offense once that time comes.
2. There needs to be urgency to make trades for proven pieces
Going into the season, the Eastern Conference was seen as wide open, and it ended up being proven true throughout the season. Despite Detroit winning 60 games and earning the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference, they failed to make more noise at this year's trade deadline. Despite a strong regular season, it remained evident that the team needed another high-level scorer.
Acquiring another shot creator around Cade Cunningham such as Michael Porter Jr. could've been the type of move to have potentially led the Pistons to winning the Eastern Conference. In contrast, the Cavs traded for James Harden before the end of this year's trade deadline, which ended up leading the team to their first conference finals since LeBron James' final season in Cleveland.
One of the main failures of the Grizzlies' Next Gen Era was the fact the team did not get the required veterans to support their young core. Even though there was awful injury luck, the Grizzlies did not make the required impactful trades needed to be a championship contender. The franchise needs to look at this year's Pistons squad as a cautionary tale for not going all in with a promising young core.
With the Grizzlies landing the #3 pick in a stacked 2026 NBA Draft, they should have a fast track towards being a playoff team again. However, they must follow the two lessons listed above from this year's Pistons playoff exit.
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