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5 Worst Moments from the Detroit Pistons 2023-24 Season

Five members of Palce of Pistons shared some of the worst moments from what has been a disastrous season for the Detroit Pistons.

Aaron Johnson, Tim Forkin, Jasper Apollonia, Donovan Collins, and Dylan Edenfield

Apr 10

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The 2023-24 campaign has been filled with lowlights for the Detroit Pistons.

Today, we gathered five members of the Palace of Pistons team to share their worst moments from one of the darkest times in franchise history.

Tim Forkin

There’s nearly an unlimited amount of answers to this question. Some might say it’s the 28-game losing streak, which feels like a distant memory now. Others could point to the deadline in which Killian Hayes — still 7th on the team in total minutes — was waived and got a second chance with… nobody. Some may even point to the fact that 31 different players have suited up for Detroit in a single season.

For me, the lowest point of the Pistons season was this quote right here:

Yes, Monty. That is who you are. I just checked Isaiah Livers's game log and his last five games were… January Pistons losses, four of which he started in. I shouldn’t need to remind you that the Pistons traded Livers to the Wizards alongside Marvin Bagley and two second-round picks in exchange for the right to buy out two veteran bigs — and that Livers has not played a single second of NBA basketball since the deal. If you want to chalk it up to his injury as the main reason, go ahead. If you want to say the Pistons were showcasing him for the upcoming trade, even worse.

My point remains — Monty Williams “didn’t even think about it” when deciding to start a career 6.2 point-per-game scorer in a loss that gave the Pistons a 3-31 record.

Jasper Apollonia

The lowest moment of the Pistons season for me won’t go down as a devastating blowout, a record-setting loss, or even one of the many, MANY embarrassing quotes and actions from across what is clearly the most broken organization in the NBA.

In fact, this was one of the Pistons' most competitive games in their still almost impossible-to-believe 28-game losing streak. But there was something about Detroit’s loss to the Denver Nuggets on November 20th that finally broke me.

Denver came into the game playing without Jamal Murray and then lost perennial MVP candidate Nikola Jokic to double technical fouls during a very competitive first half. If there was a game that a young, struggling team needed to take advantage of to break a then “only” 11-game losing streak, this was it.

But they didn’t.

Instead, they were ripped apart defensively by Nuggets 6th man Christian Bruan, as well as former Pistons Reggie Jackson and Kentavious Caldwell Pope who seemingly were able to score at will every time Detroit needed to get a stop in order to give themselves a real chance at winning the game.

Halfway through what appeared to be a tightly contested back and forth 4th quarter, it became abundantly clear that the Pistons had zero chance of winning.

Something about that realization changed my outlook on the season from “tough start that they might be able to yank themselves out of” to “oh my god they are going to lose 20+ games in a row.” And boy howdy, did they sure ever. It was obvious at that point that not only was this team going to be bad, but historically bad. It was a feeling I hope to never experience again in my time as a sports fan.

I’m not sure I’ll ever forget it.

Donovan Collins

You know what really bugs me about this Pistons season? Nothing seems to have changed, even after that crazy 28-game losing streak. Sure, they shook up the roster a bit, but somehow managed to make things even worse. I'm talking about the folks in charge, especially those who've been around since the so-called "Restore" era began. How come nobody got the boot?

Look, I am not in the business of launching people into a canon just because. I think everyone deserves a chance to right a ship that has sailed in a different direction. The fact that this rebuild is heading into its fifth season though, proves this organization needs just more than a lifeboat to save them. Everything feels too safe for a team that is on the verge of setting the franchise record for the worst record in a full season.

Where is the accountability? If I, or anyone who reads this performed this inadequately at our jobs, where would we end up?

There needs to be a standard here. People in this organization are too comfortable. This isn't just about Troy Weaver getting canned, although he's definitely part of the problem. It's about the whole crew.

If the Pistons want fans to take them seriously again, they need to shake things up big time. Clean house, set some new expectations — start winning games instead of just showing up for all 82.

Dylan Edenfield

The season was over by this point, but James Wiseman’s first three starts of the season (March 22-25) were a good summation of his impact in the NBA so far. Finishing minus-23, minus-1, and minus-22 in three games that were blowouts from the jump. Wiseman has become the definition of an empty stats player.

Some people may notice the flashy box scores first: “Oh, 24 points? Two double-doubles? Impressive stuff!” That’s just simply not the case with Wiseman, who puts together one solid offensive possession for every five defensive lapses.

In his short stint as a starter, this pattern was put under a microscope and it was — ugly. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to turn his career around in Detroit, but Wiseman has replaced Killian Hayes as the new failed NBA prospect that the Pistons need to cut ties with.

Aaron Johnson

Am I a jerk?

Malachi Flynn’s 50-point game against the Atlanta Hawks was more of a slap in the face than it was a bright spot in a season full of dark moments.

Yes, Flynn scored 50 points in a game. He did so with great efficiency, too.

In Detroit’s 63rd loss of the season.

As Bally Sports’ broadcast crew lauded Flynn, ~~everyone else~~ most saw the performance for what it was — a fluke.

Following the Hawks game, Flynn would miss his next 15 shots over the next two games.

At least when Saddiq Bey scored 50, it was in a win, and he was a “core piece” at the time.

Flynn isn’t going to be a Piston next year. At least he shouldn’t be if the organization is serious about building a winning team.

No one will remember this game for anything more than what it was — one of the final losses on the way to setting a new record — the most losses in a season in Piston history.

Go ahead and call me a grouch.

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