The Detroit Pistons are in a great spot as a franchise following the jump the team made during the 2024-25 campaign.
With a young core in place, there is reason for optimism in the Motor City. They have a finalist for Coach of the Year calling the shots on the sidelines, a franchise cornerstone in Cade Cunningham, and a new front office to carry this organization to the next level after years of being a team bound for the draft lottery.
With as promising as things look for the Pistons, this is a team that is still very young and could be without some of the veterans who took on leadership roles this past season to help end their playoff drought. While it remains to be seen how Trajan Langdon and the brain trust in Detroit address this, one potential reunion is officially off the table.
Pistons' Chances to Reunite with Andre Drummond Officially Squashed
The Pistons have two promising young big men on the roster in Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, but, despite their obvious talents, both are still under the age of 25. There is only so much they have seen and lived through as NBA players to this point, and if Detroit is as serious as they should be about pushing deeper into the postseason, these two will be depended on even more than they already are.
This is where veteran leadership in the locker room and on the practice floor pays dividends. Following Friday's news from NBA insider Michael Scotto, Detroit will have to fill this role with someone other than former Pistons center Andre Drummond, as he has reportedly picked up his $5 million player option with the Philadelphia 76ers for the 2025-26 season.
JUST IN: Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond will exercise his $5 million player option for the 2025-26 season, league sources told @hoopshype. During his career, Drummond has been an All-NBA selection in 2016, a two-time All-Star, and a four-time rebounding champion. pic.twitter.com/Ymg4vEdbxK
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 27, 2025
Drummond began his professional career in Detroit at the age of 19 and enjoyed plenty of success as a member of the franchise. The former University of Connecticut big man made two All-Star appearances while with the Pistons, averaging 14.4 points and 13.9 rebounds over his eight seasons with the organization.
While Drummond has proven he's still capable of cleaning up the glass on both ends of the floor, what he would have provided the young big men in Detroit as a mentor would have paid major dividends. Drummond enjoyed success with the Pistons at a young age. Having that experience would make life immensely easier for Duren and Stewart whenever they needed guidance from a peer rather than a coach.
One way or another, Detroit will need to bring in some veterans who have played at the highest level before to set the tone for the youngsters on the roster if they hope to become a bigger threat to every team in the Eastern Conference.