After a very successful 60-win season, the Detroit Pistons are hoping to get over the hump in the playoffs in the 2026-27 campaign. They have proven themselves as an excellent regular-season team, but they still have ways to go before becoming a Tier 1 title contender.
They have made some offseason moves with the hopes of establishing themselves as a championship contender. The splashy, blockbuster acquisition some Pistons fans were hoping for never came, but there will still be new faces in Detroit's rotation.
There are five newcomers to the Pistons: John Collins, Isaiah Joe, Taurean Prince, Gary Harris, and rookie Ebuka Okorie. Who will make the most impact right away?
Isaiah Joe, not John Collins, should be the biggest difference-maker among new Pistons
The most popular answer to this question will be Collins. He is the only sure-fire starter out of this group, and he makes the most money. The Pistons chose him over Tobias Harris, who had an excellent postseason. The expectations are high for the former Clippers power forward.
Once the season starts, however, the answer to this question may become Isaiah Joe. The addition of the veteran shooting guard has gone under the radar because he is not a household name, and it took Detroit only two second-round picks to acquire him. But he is exactly the type of player the Pistons needed.
Joe fills an immediate need for the Pistons. They were overly reliant on Duncan Robinson last season as their only elite shooter. The Pistons had to play Robinson despite his defensive shortcomings because he was the only perimeter threat who could space the floor. Joe gives them a second shooting weapon.
The former OKC sharpshooter has hit over 40% from downtown for four straight seasons. His three-point volume is even more impressive than his accuracy. Joe is one of only two players in the league (Klay Thompson is the other) who have taken over ten threes per 36 minutes in each of the last two seasons.
In comparison to Robinson, the 27-year-old shooting guard is a better defender. He is not a plus on that end, either, but he can hold his own against most backcourt players. Pistons fans should see Joe close a lot more games than they think.
The rest of the newcomers are unlikely to have a big role for most of the season. Okorie is very young and raw. He will get some chances throughout the season, but it's difficult to imagine him being an efficient player in his rookie season. Taurean Prince has a chance to crack the rotation, but he will be a deep bench option at best. Gary Harris is the most likely cut candidate on the roster once Jalen Duren re-signs in Detroit.
The Pistons haven't made the radical changes some were hoping for, but the front office is counting on the additions of Joe and Collins to make a big difference. If the Pistons are a more dangerous team this season than they were last, Joe's emergence could be a big reason.
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