The Detroit Pistons were the turnaround team in the NBA last season.
Now comes the tough part: Maintaining that status as a playoff team.
The Pistons still have all the talent they need, and now it's about continuing to refine their approach to reach whatever their ceiling might be.
One small aspect they want to see growth in: Isaiah Stewart's shooting.
The high-energy center had already added 3-point shooting to his game once before. When you combine two and three seasons ago, Stewart shot 380 3-point attempts.
Last season, he took just 53 3-pointers, making 32%.
The Athletic's Hunter Patterson writes that the Pistons want Stewart rising to that higher volume. They need the floor spacing.
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Detroit doesn't have a lot of other shooting big men, so if Stewart can at least provide that in his minutes, it's a different look for opposing defenses.
In 2022-23, Stewart shot 32.7% from 3.
He improved that in 2023-24 to an impressive 38.3%.
Even if Stewart can split the difference there and be about 35%, that has value.
Stewart is entering his sixth NBA season and is still just 24 years old. He's proven to be a reliable and feisty force for the Pistons inside, whether starting or off the bench.
Now they're asking him to step outside just a bit more often again to improve their overall offensive efficiency.
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