DETROIT – The end of the season was disappointing. That said, the Detroit Pistons overdelivered in many ways in the 2024-25 season.
Detroit reached the playoffs for the first time in six years and snapped a 17-year-long skid without a playoff win.
Many people, from players to coaches, contributed to the season’s success.
At the center of that puzzle is Pistons President Trajan Langdon, who took over a 14-win team last year and turned it into a promising postseason team.
Langdon held his end-of-the-year press conference on Wednesday. Here are four things that stood out from his final media session of the season.
“Hell of a season for us,” said Langdon.
Langdon started his press conference by saying that it is the only way to describe what the team accomplished this year.
The turnaround is the best the team has ever had, and Langdon credited the group for creating a winner.
“I think our guys are really excited, not only by what we achieved but looking forward to getting better,” Langdon said.
Langdon said that in exit interviews with players, many described this as the best season of their careers.
Creating a foundation is something that often takes time, but the Pistons were able to do so in just one year with Langdon and head coach J.B. Bickerstaff leading the way.
“‘Culture’ is a word that’s used a lot. It’s not something that’s built, you have to sustain it.”
Free agency and future of the roster
The Pistons’ young players grew, but veterans helped get this team to the playoffs.
Malik Beasley, Dennis Schroder, and Tim Hardaway Jr. are all set to enter free agency this offseason.
Each one of those players played a key role on this team in the 2024-25 season. Now, the Pistons must sort out what to do for next year.
The Pistons are projected to have around $24 million in cap space (the second most in the NBA), and Langdon said that making the team better is the goal.
“We’re always going to look at opportunities to get better that we think make sense for us to improve,” Langdon said. “With everything that’s presented to us and the options that we have, we have to make the right decision for sustainable success.”
As far as adding another high-caliber player alongside Cade Cunningham, that could take some work.
Langdon was asked about (hypothetically) adding another All-Star to the team and said that he assumed it would have to happen through a trade.
“I don’t know how many All-Stars are going to come here in free agency right now,” Langdon said. “The amount of cap space that we have doesn’t allow that.”
Langdon also said they want to see their young players take steps over the summer to help add to the roster for next season.
Cade’s “Incredible” Season
The Pistons do have one All-Star on the team in Cunningham. Langdon praised his star player for leading the group, but also gave a preview of what we should expect from Cunningham moving forward.
“(Cade) was looking at other people and had targets on their backs. Now, he’s going to have a target on his,” Langdon said.
The Pistons guard finished the year averaging 26.1 points and 9.1 assists per game in the regular season. He has grown in his game and is gaining respect from the NBA.
“I don’t think that really started happening until Game 60 or 70 when people started looking at us and (Cade) in that manner,” Langdon said. “I think that’s going to start from the jump next season.”
Langdon also issuing a challenge for his star player, too. The Pistons president said that he’s had conversations with Cunningham about being in “elite” shape next year, come playoff time.
“If you’ve never experienced playoff basketball, you can’t understand the level you have to go to. Now, he understands that, and he’s felt that.”
“He should be training for the second round of the playoffs and not preparing for Game 45 anymore,” Langdon said.
Ivey getting healthy
The biggest “what if” of the season has to be Jaden Ivey.
The Pistons guard was playing great basketball until a season-ending leg injury in January.
Langdon praised the third-year guard for his early contributions that impacted the season.
“He’s an incredible human being and team being supportive, but it’s been hard watching our run and watching the playoffs knowing how competitive he is,” Langdon said. “He won two games for us. He had an incredible first two months of the season, and he helped this turnaround.”
Before his injury, Ivey averaged 17.6 points a game. In 10 of his 30 games played, Ivey scored 20 points or more.
“He’s a guy that impacts both ends of the floor and in between in transition,” Langdon said. “Adding him to the roster that we have I think will create an even more explosive dynamic. I think he will come back a better version than he was last year.”