NBA
Pistons GM Trajan Langdon has belief in Detroit’s young core
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated1 hour ago on August 27, 2025
A 44-38 finish in 2024-25 was the Pistons’ best record since the 2015-16 season. Detroit tripled its number of wins from the previous season. They finished as the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Despite losing to the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs, the Pistons are optimistic about their future. General Manager Tajan Langdon recently spoke with Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. Langdon shared his belief in the young core that Detroit has built. He was not in favor of trading away multiple players to acquire all-star-level talent. Detroit wants to see its young players grow together.
What is the ceiling of the Pistons’ young core?
Trajan Langdon Says Pistons Are Being Patient With Young Core https://t.co/PRhdaxTqC1
— RealGM (@RealGM) August 27, 2025
Over the last four to five seasons, the Pistons have been building their roster through the NBA draft. They landed the foundational piece of their roster in the 2021 NBA draft. Detroit used the #1 overall pick to select Cade Cunningham out of Oklahoma State. In 2024-25, Cunningham was named a first-time all-star and third-team All-NBA. There’s no question who the star player on Detroit’s roster is. However, they have some exciting young talent playing alongside the all-star PG.
With the 5th pick in the 2022 NBA draft, the Pistons selected Jaden Ivey out of Purdue. Charlotte drafted Jalen Duren with the 13th pick, but he was traded on draft night to Detroit. Additionally, the team has Ron Holland, Ausar Thompson, Marcus Sasser, and Isaiah Stewart. Speaking with The Athletic, Pistons’ GM Trajan Langdon spoke about his belief in the young core Detroit has built. He had this to say to Hunter Patterson.
“I don’t think we truly understand who our players can be at this point. I just think it’s too early for us to truly understand what the best way to press the proverbial gas pedal is right now. So, we’re gonna try to be patient with that and let our young guys continue to develop.”
Detroit would love to see Jaden Ivey become a player who can average 20+ points per game. He has the potential to be that type of player for the Pistons. He only played 30 games in 2024-25 due to injury. If Ivey can take a few more shots per game, 20+ points per game could come easily. Another player the Pistons want to see develop is Jalen Duren. The big man has averaged a double-double in each of his last two seasons with Detroit.
However, his offensive skillset is lacking. Duren is a center, but he offers little to no floor spacing for Detroit. If he can develop a consistent jump shot, Duren could be a future all-star. Ausar Thompson is another young prospect the Pistons believe in. The SF showed growth in year two for Detroit. Finally, Ron Holland was a rookie in 2024-25 but was a real contributor off the bench for the Pistons. Detroit is in favor of keeping the young core together and being patient before they make a move.
