JB Bickerstaff, Cade Cunningham Leading Pistons Into Promising New Chapter

The Pistons won’t be moving on in the playoffs, but they may have already won something bigger — their identity back.

Detroit’s first postseason appearance in five years ended Thursday night with a hard-fought loss to the New York Knicks in Game 6 of their opening-round series.

But don’t let the early exit fool you. After finishing with a league-worst 14-68 record last season, the Pistons authored a stunning 30-win improvement and appear to have finally found a sustainable direction — and maybe even a long-term future.

“We felt good about this series,” guard Cade Cunningham told reporters after the loss. “So to not pull it out hurts, but that feeling will stick with us throughout the summer — in our workouts, conversations, and everything. We will be back and better.”

Cunningham was part of a young core that proved it belonged, pushing the Knicks to the brink. Ultimately, they couldn’t overcome Jalen Brunson’s dominant stretch — capped by a 40-point Game 6 — but the Pistons turned plenty of heads nonetheless.

The culture shift began with the hiring of head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who took over last summer, just weeks after being dismissed by the Cavaliers. His presence was immediately felt. Under Bickerstaff, Detroit rediscovered toughness, commitment to defense, and cohesion, trademarks of the franchise’s past.

“It’s great experience,” Bickerstaff said. “You don’t get playoff experience until you get playoff experience, but I thought the guys did a tremendous job of learning from moment to moment, game to game, and trying to figure out how you can have an impact on winning.”

Bickerstaff was named a finalist for NBA Coach of the Year — a reflection of the respect his peers and the league have for what he helped engineer in just one season.

Now, with newly appointed president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon taking the reins, the Pistons enter the offseason with momentum — and finally, some direction. They have a franchise player in Cunningham, a head coach with a clear voice, and a fairly young roster that believes it can compete.

No, the Pistons didn’t win the series. But they might’ve just won back their future.