Earlier this week, ESPN anonymously interviewed eight NBA scouts and executives during the off-season. In “who had the worst low-season category,” the Detroit Pistons tied the Houston Rockets with number one on the list.
The FiveThirtyEight political and sports statistics research site is also not a fan of the Pistons’ off-season, and on Thursday unveiled its forecasts and projections for the 2020-2021 season based on statistics.
The Pistons took last place in all areas.
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FiveThirtyEight’s RAPTOR projection indicates that Detroit will end the 2020-2021 season with an 18-54 record, the worst in the league, with a 1% chance of reaching the playoffs. His projection Elo much better, predicting an overall record of 24-48. (tied in the worst place in the league with the Cleveland Cavaliers) and a 13% chance of reaching the playoffs.
FiveThirtyEight’s RAPTOR and Elo picks are in 100,000 simulations for the season. RAPTOR only takes into account the projections of NBA players on the site, while Elo is “a measure of the team’s strength in the face-to-face results, margin of victory and quality of the opponent,” according to the website.
The Pistons have had an active off-season and will bring only four players from last year’s list. Jerami Grant appeared on the cover of his loose and firm harvest, while Killian Hayes was the highest draft of his four rookies decided in the 2020 draft.
Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose, who returned from last season and take on mentoring roles, can give the Pistons the chance to surpass the five-thirty-eight projection.
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress. com. Follow him on Twitter @omarisankofa.