The Pistons have completed one of the NBA’s most surprising turnarounds, rising from the bottom of the Eastern Conference to first place in just two seasons.
Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff admitted the speed of the team’s ascent has exceeded expectations, though he felt confident about the organization’s direction after owner Tom Gores hired Trajan Langdon as president of basketball operations in 2024.
Not long after being dismissed by Cleveland, Bickerstaff was brought in by Langdon to lead Detroit’s rebuild.
“When you were with the group every day, you knew there was a ton of potential there. I couldn’t tell you that I would say that a year and a half later we’d be coaching the All-Star Game and be in first place, but I knew we were going to grow, I knew we were going to continue to get better and we had the pieces,” Bickerstaff told Marc J. Spears of Andscape.
“The biggest thing for me also I trust Trajan totally because Trajan is the type of person that understands team and how to construct a roster. I think the small, subtle moves that he made last [season] and then even this [season], that helped elevate this team and I trusted his vision and plan.”
Despite Detroit’s strong position, Bickerstaff said he avoids discussing championship expectations with the team, choosing instead to emphasize daily improvement and short-term goals.
“We’re all about the process. We talk about today every single day,” he said. “That helps control the emotional ups and downs. If you’re looking at big picture views of 10 games and all that, there’s so many different things that can vary. But if you can stay in the moment and focused on that, it helps your team continue to get better because you’re just attacking the problem that’s in front of you.”
Central Notes: Mitchell, Harden, Bickerstaff, Dillingham, Brown https://t.co/GLiU42S2Bx pic.twitter.com/W0YgAFWl03
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) February 18, 2026
