Detroit Pistons: 5 Steps to Reclaiming Glory

Two brutal games down, 64 more to go.

A couple of things come to mind when I think about the state of the Detroit Pistons.

One, they are incredibly bad right now. I mean, they are No. 1-overall-draft-pick bad right now. They are post-Bad Boys bad right now, and maybe even worse than that.

The second thing that comes to mind is that this situation isn't nearly as hopeless as prior situations.

In the early 1990s, the Pistons were falling apart. Isiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer were done, and Dennis Rodman and Joe Dumars were all that remained of their title teams.

They had some high draft picks, but their future was still in doubt. What they had in abundance was scrap heap-level talent at all positions.

They also had a questionable front office, and that group blew the Pistons' rebuilding process. They dealt Rodman for Sean Elliott, and that was a huge bust. They made a series of bad draft picks (Doug Overton? Lance Blanks?), and they missed out on a number of good free agents.

It took some terrible basketball and the chance to draft Grant Hill to turn that team around, albeit they were far from title contention back then.

Following Hill's departure, we had our second era (albeit much shorter than the first) of bad Pistons basketball following the Bad Boys era.

That roster was arguably in worse shape.

They had some marginally talented players and one star in Jerry Stackhouse. Mostly though, they had guys that were not good enough to play on a good team. Mikki Moore and Don Reid should not be starting for anyone in any era.

That era was turned around by some masterful moves from the front office.

In fact, I would argue that Dumars' greatest accomplishment, including his playing years, was building the 2004 Pistons.

Obviously, that was then, and this is now.

This team is probably worse than either of those eras of Pistons basketball. However, they are in better shape than either as well.

Confused?

Here are five steps for the Pistons to reclaim their rightful spot atop the Eastern Conference standings.

Play the Youth, and Figure Out What You Have

I don't like Austin Daye.

Okay, I don't really have a problem with him as a person, but as a basketball player I think his talent is overrated, and I think he has a higher opinion of himself than he deserves.

That being said, I think the Pistons need to play him a ton this year.

For three years now, we have been hoping to see him realize his potential. So far he has mostly disappointed, and through two games he seems completely lost.

But he really has not had consistent minutes, and an argument can be made that he could produce if he received those minutes.

Either way, we need to see what we are working with.

Brandon Knight has star potential in most people's eyes. Last night against Cleveland, he looked fantastic. He needs to start for this team and take his lumps.

Rodney Stuckey is not a point guard. The only hope for him at this point is to develop as a shooting guard. Starting Knight solves both of those problems.

It also showcases Stuckey for potential suitors, but more on that later.

This needs to be a youth movement, regardless of the losses.

Listen, this is a bad team that is built to lose. They might as well get some development out of their young guys so that this season isn't wasted.

But this team is lottery-bound and will probably get a top-three pick depending on the lottery balls.

Deal the Farm If Necessary

This draft is going to be legendary.

You not only have all of the one-and-done players like Kentucky's Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers, but you will also have all of the players that stayed in college last year due to the looming lockout.

That means you have guys like Andre Drummond from UConn and Bradley Beal from Florida joining the ranks of Jared Sullinger, Harrison Barnes and Perry Jones, who are returning stars.

The Pistons are set up to get a top-three pick this year. But they need to get more picks.

That is why they need to offer whatever is needed in order to get more picks. Even if that means taking marginal talent in return, or even a bad contract or two—take it.

That means everyone needs to be on the trading block, except for Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight. But everyone else.

Ben Gordon probably doesn't have a ton of value right now, but if he starts heating up and finds his form like he did against Cleveland, you might find a willing partner.

As we get closer to the trade deadline, you could see a team like Atlanta looking to improve its bench scoring, and Gordon might look good to them. Maybe Memphis will be a player. Or even Oklahoma City.

There will be a feeling of all or nothing from some teams. The Heat are going to be tough to topple, and if you have a bullet on the bench like Gordon, you may just have a shot. He could fetch a late first-rounder.

Tayshaun Prince is also a guy that could be attractive to the right contender. He could fetch a late first-rounder.

But the Pistons need to sell off their veterans and accumulate at least two more picks.

If the Pistons this year have the same picks that the Cavs had last year, they could turn this franchise around quickly.

Say Detroit has two of the top five picks. That could lead to Davis/Drummond and Barnes.

That leads to a starting lineup of:

C-Davis/Drummond (both rebounders, both shot blockers)

PF-Monroe

SF-Barnes

SG-Stuckey

PG-Knight

Now Jonas Jerebko can come off the bench and provide energy, and you have a young, exciting team that Lawrence Frank can mold.

Find the Right Package for Rodney Stuckey

There are two things we need to get out of the way concerning Rodney Stuckey.

First, he is going to have a monster year this season.

Second, he should have no place on this team after this year.

This "team" is all about showing off for the future. Some players are showing that they can be a part of the Pistons' future, and some are showing that they can be a part of a contender's future.

But this will not be a season based on "team" basketball. The fans will not embrace this team, but that's okay. This team needs to get ripped down before it can be built right.

This kind of environment is perfect for Stuckey.

First off, he feels disrespected. He was majorly overlooked this offseason. True, the Pistons overpaid for him in my eyes, but he should have at least garnered some other offers. But nobody even bit on him.

That will fuel a fire in him.

Second, he is a selfish player. He wants to get his, and he doesn't care about setting up his teammates. They are just means for him to get his numbers. He does not have good court vision, and his feel for the game is marginal at best from a playmaking standpoint.

But that is perfect for this team. Stuckey can get his and improve his value.

That will lead to Detroit being able to field offers for him on their own time. Also, he is only signed for three years, so they should probably wait until the offseason unless they can get at least two No. 1 picks for him.

But they should be able to name their price on Stuckey and get size and youth in return. Or, they can go the other direction and get a true point guard. Or, they can get another shooting guard.

The options are limitless.

But here are some scenarios: (And remember, this is contingent on Stuckey's value skyrocketing due to his play this year.)

-Alec Burks fizzles in Utah, and the Jazz offer up Al Jefferson or Derrick Favors in a package for him, allowing the Pistons a big frontcourt with scoring and depth.

-Monta Ellis gets dealt from Golden State (to someone else, not us), and they need a big guard to pair with Stephen Curry and offer up one of their young bigs like David Lee or a package of Andris Biedrins and Ekpe Udoh.

-Boston decides to rebuild and offers up Rajon Rondo for Stuckey, giving Detroit a true point guard and allowing Brandon Knight to shift to the 2.

-Memphis underachieves and blames the back court. They deal a package of O.J. Mayo and Josh Selby for Stuckey. We keep Knight at the point and have a perimeter scorer that can shoot, and backcourt depth in Selby who can play both guard spots.

Any of these players added to a lineup that already has Davis/Drummond, Monroe, Barnes and Knight makes this not only an exciting team, but one that isn't saddled with the baggage of Stuckey. The fans will return and grow with this young team.

Find Some Good Role Models

There are a lot of knuckleheads in the NBA.

But there are also some true professionals left.

That's why the Pistons need to surround their young players with hard-working veterans.

I hoped Prince would be that guy, but I think he will be dealt before this team takes the court together.

Battier just signed a three-year deal, but the Pistons could overpay for him depending on how well Miami does this year. Given that Detroit will likely free up a lot of its money through prior deals, it can afford to overpay for some quality veterans.

That will allow them to compete with contenders for the services of these guys.

Bring in a Battier, an Eduardo Najera, a Brian Cardinal, a Shawn Marion.

These guys have been winners, but more importantly, they have been workers. They will push the young guys to get better in practice, and they will be Frank's assistant coaches, in a sense.

Be Prudent

Joe Dumars overreacted when he dealt Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson.

It was a bad move that backfired.

Dumars overreacted this draft when he drafted Kyle Singler, who is a good glue type of player, but will probably never be more than a marginal player. There was still a lot of talent left on the board, and at positions of need.

Dumars needs to be prudent and patient with his next few moves.

Let's go on the assumption that he makes the first few moves I suggested.

We have a starting lineup that consists of Davis/Drummond, Monroe, Barnes, Knight and Rondo. You have Jonas, Battier, Vernon Macklin, Jason Maxiell, Will Bynum and another swing man, such as a Rasual Butler or Willie Green, coming off the bench.

You probably have already dealt Charlie Villanueva and/or Austin Daye for another pick or a solid swing man. Daye is a follower, so he could still be salvaged in the right environment.

This is not a great lineup, but the law of averages suggests that at least one and perhaps two of the starters is a star. At the very least, you have an exciting group that puts butts in the seats and highlights on SportsCenter.

In a lot of ways, this is how Indiana built its current team.

You have your foundation, and the players are signed for a number of years. You have your glue players that shape the locker room.

Now, you solidify the talent around them. Draft based on talent and character. Even if it means trading down, keep your core and avoid making a major splash with the roster.

This team will grow into a winner, and that will lead free agents to want to play with it.

If Dumars follows these steps, this team will be a playoff team in three years and a title contender in five.