After a long wait, the Detroit Pistons have finalized their 15-man roster for the 2026-27 season. Jalen Duren's restricted free agency was the last remaining piece of the puzzle. Now that the All-Star center is back on a five-year, $200 million deal, the Pistons have their core from last season back as they hope to get over the hump and win the East.
That will be easier said than done. The Eastern Conference will be much stronger than last season. Not only did the contenders load up, but the new lottery rules also suggest that there will be fewer tanking teams. This means that wins will be harder to come by, making it difficult for the Pistons to repeat last season's 60-win success.
At the same time, the Pistons have one of the deepest teams in the league. The team makes a lot of sense now that Duren is officially back. What will the depth chart look like for the Pistons?
PG | SG | SF | PF | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cade Cunningham | Duncan Robinson | Ausar Thompson | John Collins | Jalen Duren |
Daniss Jenkins | Isaiah Joe | Ron Holland | Javonte Green | Paul Reed |
Ebuka Okorie | Kevin Huerter | Chaz Lanier | Taurean Prince | Tolu Smith |
Two-way players: Elijah Harkless, Ugonna Onyenso, Isaac Jones
Pistons' projected rotation: Who is in, who is on the outside looking in?
The starting lineup is all but decided. Sure, training camp and preseason could change things, but it's hard to imagine JB Bickerstaff veering away from the Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins, and Duren group.
This means that Collins is the only new face in the starting lineup, replacing Tobias Harris. This will give the Pistons a familiarity and continuity advantage over some of their East rivals. The Pistons hope that Collins will be an upgrade over Harris thanks to his athleticism and versatility, but whether that is the case remains to be seen.
Who will actually get regular minutes off the bench is a difficult question. Paul Reed, Ron Holland, and Isaiah Joe are likely the first three players off the bench. Reed will be the primary backup for Duren. Detroit expects a Year 3 leap from Holland as they continue to be invested in him. And Joe will provide much-needed shooting and spacing off the bench.
After those first eight, the rest of the rotation spots are up for grabs. Kevin Huerter, Javonte Green, Taurean Prince, and Daniss Jenkins all have reasonable arguments to be in the rotation.
Jenkins, as the only true ball-handler, is likely to get backup point guard minutes. Bickerstaff trusts Green, as he played in all 82 games last season. Unless he falls off a cliff in his age-33 season, Green may have the inside track for consistent minutes.
Bickerstaff likes to run a deep rotation, so we could see an 11-man rotation. But this still means that one of Prince or Huerter will be on the outside looking in. This will depend on how each player is shooting the ball. If either of their three-ball isn't falling, they could both be out of the rotation.
Tolu Smith, Chaz Lanier, and Ebuka Okorie will be emergency backups. But given the grueling NBA season and the inevitable injuries, they will all get their chances to impress. If they make the most of their opportunities, there is a chance any of them could crack the rotation.
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