NBA.com analyst questions Pistons’ prospects of another 60-win season
Shaun Powell says Detroit faces a stronger Eastern Conference and will need Cade Cunningham to reach an MVP level to remain among the league’s top teams.
The Detroit Pistons’ path to another 60-win season is under scrutiny after NBA.com analyst Shaun Powell questioned whether the team did enough during the off-season to repeat its success in 2026–27.
Detroit finished 60–22 last season, the best record in the Eastern Conference according to the supplied source. The Pistons recovered from a 3–1 deficit against Orlando in the first round before losing a home Game 7 to Cleveland in the second round.
Powell identified John Collins, Gary Harris and Isaiah Joe as the key additions to Detroit’s roster. In his assessment, the changes largely amounted to an exchange of comparable talent, with Caris LeVert and Isaiah Stewart departing while Collins and Joe arrived. Harris joined Taurean Prince in the trade that sent LeVert to Milwaukee.
The analyst said the competition for the top of the Eastern Conference would be stronger this season, with the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics among the teams in the mix.
Cade Cunningham remains central to Detroit’s outlook. He averaged 23.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 9.9 assists in 64 games last season. Powell said Cunningham may need to perform at an MVP level while continuing to make his teammates better if the Pistons are to remain among the East’s leading teams.
