The Pistons are in the midst of the longest single-season losing streak in NBA history. And the man that built the team is nowhere to be found.
The Pistons lost their 27th straight game on Tuesday night vs. Brooklyn, extending a nightmare first half of the season that will surely not get much better, even if they do snap the streak soon.
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We’ve heard plenty from head coach Monty Williams, who continues to say, in every post game press conference, that’s it’s on him. We’ve heard from the team’s young star, Cade Cunningham, who said after the loss on Tuesday that he needs to be the face of it. He’s taking accountability.
We’ve even heard from Pistons owner Tom Gores, who did an interview with reporters last week. He said, at the time, that the front office would stay in place, but said change is needed.
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But from the architect of it all? General manager Troy Weaver has been missing in action. And as the losses pile up, with no clear direction forward or out of this mess, fans are wondering -- where is he?
Weaver was brought in four years ago after helping build the Oklahoma City Thunder franchise, including the drafting and/or developing of players like Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. The hire looked like a slam dunk around the league when it happened. He helped stock the Thunder with draft capital and cap space after they rebuilt post-Durant and Harden.
But in Detroit, Weaver hasn’t found much success at all, even with high draft picks. He’s accumulated a handful of role players, a few possible starters, and a lot of former lottery picks trying to prove themselves. He’s also built a team that doesn’t fit today’s NBA style of play. In a league dominated by three-point shooting, the Pistons are dead last from behind the arc.
It’s impossible to win without a three-point shooting threat. That’s just common sense, if you watch any NBA games.
After last season, Weaver posted an open letter to fans, pleading for patience, and telling fans that the future is bright and things were on track. “Make no mistake – we are all disappointed with our record this season but are confident that we continue to be on the right path to success,” Weaver said last year.
The path to future success is murky for the Pistons. Another season is lost. Player development is stifled. Cap space won’t save anything, and a trade would only do so much at this point. And the Pistons don’t have a stock of draft picks to depend on. Weaver reportedly turned down multiple first round picks last year for Bojan Bogdanovic.
Either way, Pistons fans want accountability. And the longer Weaver hides behind his new head coach, 22-year-old point guard and owner, the longer fans will wonder if his time here is running out.
Rightfully so.
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