Welcome to the inaugural edition of eDraft’s NBA Season Preview.  We turn our attention on to the Central Division, covering everyone from the pretenders to the contenders. Today we take a look at the Pistons, a storied franchise, but are Detroit’s best days behind it?

Key additions: Corey Maggette (G), Andre Drummond (9th overall, F/C), Kyle Singler (33rd overall, 2011 draft, F)

We all know from our high school driver ed classes that sometimes all it takes is one bad decision. In the case of Joe Dumars let’s call it two, and then let’s call them Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. In the summer of 2009, Joe Dumars was sitting atop his profession. The Pistons had just come off a remarkable half-decade, and there was no reason to think that the franchise couldn’t restock and continue their winning ways for years to come.

However, flush with cash Dumars gave the keys (and $90 million) to two young guns, Gordon and Villanueva, who proceeded to extinguish all prospects for hope for the foreseeable future. To his enduring credit, Dumars quickly recognized the mistake he had made, and tried, in vain, for years to cut his loses and unload both players. But it wasn’t until this past summer that Dumars was able to stick Michael Jordan’s Bobcats with the Gordon contract and then only in exchange for Corey Maggette’s big contract. But three years after that fateful summer there are indications that this story might have a happy ending after all. 

Brandon Knight (12.8 PPG-3.8 APG) showed that while not in the top-tier of NBA point guards he can be a solid starter in the league for a long time. Center Greg Monroe is already one of the best at his position (15.4 PPG- 9.7 RPG- 2.3 APG- 52 FG%) and should be a perennial lock for the All-Star game.

Rookie Andre Drummond is raw and has tremendous upside, meaning we have no idea if this was a wise pick, but Dumars has a mostly good track record in the draft and fans ought to give him the benefit of the doubt here. Given the size of Drummond’s talent no one can blame the GM for taking the risk here. The rewards are great: in a few years time Detroit could have their own version of the Twin Towers, two dominant big men in a league bereft of them.

Still lots of things will have to go right if Detroit is going to fully recover. First, Tayshaun Prince has to pretend that he still cares about basketball. His decline has been steep and, for those of us Prince fans watching at home, depressing. Next, Kyle Singler must prove that he can play in the NBA after spending his first year as a professional in the Spanish league.

If he continues to develop his three point game he could be a decent sixth-man. Finally, Maggette’s contract comes off the books in the summer (in total the Pistons hold $18 million in expiring contracts) and Dumars will once again have some financial flexibility. Detroit has a storied basketball past and it shouldn’t be difficult to get free agents to play come play there. Now the question is: will Dumars make the right choice?

Reason for optimism: Lawrence Frank is still a tremendous coach. Players respect his work ethic and his ability to teach the game. I cannot think of a better choice to lead this young team.

Reason for despair: I would not pay to see any of the players on this team. I don’t mind watching Monroe and Knight on T.V. but paying is a different story. 

Projected record: 20-62 (5th in the Central Division)