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Detroit Pistons revel in moment after clinching playoffs: ‘It’s a big deal’
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TORONTO — All season, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff and the Detroit Pistons have taken a game-by-game approach. They have stacked milestone win after milestone win amid one of the best rebuilding seasons in NBA history, and haven’t taken much time to acknowledge it.
The celebrations, for the most part, have been muted.
“Our guys are focused on night in and night out,” Bickerstaff said on March 28, after his team snapped a 12-game losing streak to the Cleveland Cavaliers to clinch the franchise’s first winning record since 2015-16. It has been a common refrain for him, whenever he’s been asked about the team’s success: “I did not know that was a thing. I don’t know if our guys did or not. Our guys just focus on the task at hand and that’s where we’ve been able to find consistency.”
Friday was different, though. The Pistons (43-34) pulled off their most significant regular-season win in nearly two decades, clinching a top-six playoff seed for the first time since 2008 with a 117-105 road win over the Toronto Raptors.
The magnitude of this moment almost defies description. Last season, the Pistons had a franchise-worst 14 wins, suffered an NBA-record 28-game losing streak and seemingly suffered from an incurable sense of low morale and an unclear vision of when, and how, the team would get back-on-track.
There was no denying it after Friday’s victory, though — it’s an amazing, surreal, accomplishment, and one they took a moment to relish with only five games remaining in the season.
“It’s a big deal for the group,” Bickerstaff said. “I’ll be honest with you. We typically don’t take time to reflect on where we are, but this is an opportunity for this group to reflect on where it is, where it’s come from and what they’ve been able to accomplish together. To turn it around the way that they have, to put themselves in this position to play in the postseason, it’s a big deal.
“Whatever it is that we’ve asked them to do, they just go out there and try to get it done. Finding the consistency, the belief in one another. It’s a big deal for this group for sure.”
This is, perhaps, the Pistons team that has embraced the franchise’s blue-collar attitude in recent memory. Their strong chemistry has been evident since early in the season. They’ve become devoted to physical play. Since Jan. 1, they’ve been a top-three defensive team. All the core tenants of every great Pistons team has been present in this group.
They have a long road ahead to live up to the Bad Boys and Goin’ To Work eras, though.
And they know it, as Jalen Duren said after Friday’s win.
“It’s just grit,” he said. “We say grit all the time, we say togetherness, we’ve got a lot of key words that built our culture from day one that we say every time we break the huddle. I feel like we just locked in on those and got us to this point. We’re not done yet. We’re going to take a moment to enjoy what we accomplished, but it’s so many milestones and the real goal is obviously to bring a championship back to the city. It’s a milestone. First step.”
Malik Beasley called this group’s potential early in the season. After they fell to 0-3 with a loss to the Boston Celtics on Oct. 26, the well-traveled guard, who signed a one-year deal in the offseason, said the team was “right there” as far as figuring out how to consistently win games.
The season began to turn around in December. After falling to 11-17 in mid-December, the Pistons won three consecutive road games out west (over the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings). They went on to win eight of nine, and 10 of 12, to pull two games above .500 (21-19) with a road win over the New York Knicks.
Beasley and the team’s other veterans — Tobias Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Paul Reed — have given this team a higher floor. Cade Cunningham’s leap to superstardom, along with Bickerstaff’s Coach of the Year-caliber work and improvements from the rest of the young core, have enabled this group to surpass all expectations.
“I’ve been on lots of teams on both ends of the spectrum,” Beasley said on Oct. 26. “Championship teams, growing and building teams. My main role is to show the guys every day that if we got the win tonight, it matters but we’ve got a lot of work to do. Rome wasn’t built in one day. I just look to continue to keep building.
“It might seem like we’re 0-3, but I feel like we’re right there. I’m not just saying that because I’m here. I’ve been through struggles in the NBA, and we’re right there. The chemistry is really good, the camaraderie is really good, we still have a lot of energy.”
The Pistons are playoff-bound. The goal posts will now shift toward winning a championship — the ultimate goal of any franchise. It no longer seems like a pipe dream.
“Coach has done a great job with us,” Beasley said Friday. “For some reason, whatever happened in Cleveland, we’re thankful for that because it gave him an opportunity to help us out. Everything happens for a reason. I could’ve signed back in Milwaukee, Tim did it in Dallas. Everything happens for a reason.
“It’s given me vibes of like an OKC, Cleveland team. The NBA is turning back to full teams. We’ve got one superstar on our team. That’s the type of basketball that we love and have each other’s back, and that’s what we’re doing.”
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A new mixed-use, mixed-income apartment building proposed for Detroit’s Brush Park is expected to bring 37 units of housing to the neighborhood, according to the project’s lead developer.
The $12 million project at 205 Watson St., known as Wallace Estates, is owned by Detroit rapper Tee Grizzley, whose legal name is Terry Wallace. The 30,000-square-foot development is expected to go before the Detroit Historic District Commission on Wednesday for review. Because the quarter-acre site sits within a historic district, the commission must approve elements such as windows, brickwork, facade materials and other architectural features.
Wallace Estates is planned to be a five-story building with the residential units across the first four floors. The ground floor is expected to include a lobby, a walk-up apartment, commercial space and tuck-under parking. A partial fifth floor will house indoor and outdoor amenities for residents. The building is designed with a masonry facade and large, offset windows, according to the project application.
“Detroit raised me — I’m a west side kid, and I’m passionate about bringing mixed-income housing to my city,” Wallace said in a statement Thursday. “The 205 Watson project is about building safe, quality housing for everybody; that respects longtime residents and welcomes new neighbors — building opportunity without pushing people out.”
The project was the winning bid of a City of Detroit request for proposals for the site, said Nevan Shokar, principal of Shokar Group and the day-to-day development lead. McIntosh Poris Architects is the designer.
“It’s an infill site that’s bringing high-quality housing, both for affordable and market-rate renters,” Shokar said. “And I think it complements the neighborhood nicely with the brick aesthetic, as well as the brass inlays in the windows.”
Construction could begin this summer and be finished in 18 months, Shokar said, placing completion at late 2027.
Wallace Estates will join a wave of new residential development in Brush Park, a neighborhood that has seen nearly a decade of revitalization. Last summer, Bedrock celebrated the completion of City Modern, a nearly 10-year effort to transform a once-neglected area of the historic district.
Shokar said the building would primarily include studios and one-bedroom units, with a few two-bedroom apartments. About 20% of the units will be designated affordable at 80% of area median income, with the remainder rented at market rates.
“The highest demand that you have within this neighborhood and across the city as a whole, is to produce more studio and one-bedroom units,” Shokar said. “The two-bedroom units sometimes and larger sometimes have a hard time filling up, leasing up within buildings, and that’s why you typically see units generally smaller in size.”
Shokar said estimated rents for the new building could range from $1,800 per month for a 450-square-foot studio to $2,700 per month for an 800-square-foot two-bedroom unit.
Shokar said the team will pursue incentives including a Neighborhood Enterprise Zone tax abatement and a housing tax increment financing package.
cwilliams@detroitnews.com
LAKELAND, FL – Opening Day is 21 days away.
The Detroit Tigers are deep into spring training in TigerTown. Pitchers and catchers reported Feb. 11, position players arrived Feb. 15, and the first game took place Feb. 21.
After three weeks of camp, including one and a half weeks of games, leaders have emerged in the battles for roster spots among pitchers and position players – but nothing is guaranteed.
Here’s a look at our second version of how the Tigers should fill their 26-man 2026 Opening Day roster, with exactly three weeks until the first game of the regular season.
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Right elbow arthroscopy in late January has limited Dingler in the early weeks of spring training, but he is expected to be fully healthy by Opening Day as the starting catcher.
The only question is how the Tigers will deploy their two catchers.
It could make sense for backup catcher Jake Rogers to catch left-handers Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez, even though Dingler caught 25 of Skubal’s 31 starts last season. The reasoning is simple: The Tigers will need more offense from their catcher when their other three starters are pitching – and Dingler is the better hitter.
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Torkelson is locked into the Opening Day roster after hitting .240 with 31 home runs in 155 games last season, ranking 14th among 25 first basemen with a .789 OPS.
He has experienced ups and downs in his four-year MLB career, including two demotions to Triple-A Toledo and two seasons with 31 home runs. The next step is becoming an All-Star-caliber player.
This spring, Torkelson is hitting .250 (3-for-12) with four strikeouts in five games. He also went 1-for-2 with one walk (and two hit by pitches) in two games against Team Dominican Republic in a two-game exhibition series.
The Tigers retained Torres when he received and accepted the one-year, $22.03 million qualifying offer. He will be relied upon as the everyday second baseman in the lineup and a reliable on-base presence near the top of the batting order.
In 2025, Torres hit .256 with 16 home runs, 85 walks and 101 strikeouts across 145 games.
This spring, Torres is hitting .286 (4-for-14) with one walk and three strikeouts in five games. He left the Tigers to represent Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, which runs from March 5-17.
McGonigle hasn’t played above Double-A Erie, but his performance against Team Dominican Republic in the first game of the exhibition series showed why he belongs on the Opening Day roster.
The 21-year-old shortstop hit a first-pitch 98.1 mph fastball from right-hander Luis Severino for a leadoff home run in the first inning, pulling it 461 feet to right field with a 110.4 mph exit velocity – making noise in a new environment at the electric Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal in Santo Domingo. After the homer, he added a two-run single, five-pitch walk and leadoff single to finish his four plate appearances.
McGonigle has passed every on-field test in camp.
He also looks comfortable around big leaguers behind the scenes.
This spring, McGonigle is hitting .400 (6-for-15) with two walks and four strikeouts across seven games. He also went 3-for-5 with two walks and two strikeouts in two games against Team Dominican Republic.
The Tigers are prepared for Keith to serve as the primary third baseman.
In 2024-25, Keith hit .237 with a .660 OPS during the months of March/April and May, then improved to .269 with a .744 OPS during the months of June, July, August and September/October.
If Keith starts slowly again, utility player Zach McKinstry could handle third base until he heats up. McGonigle could also slide over to third while McKinstry handles shortstop.
This spring, Keith is hitting .154 (2-for-13) with two walks and seven strikeouts across six games. He also went 3-for-6 with one strikeout in two games against Team Dominican Republic.
If McGonigle secures an Opening Day spot, the Tigers will need to cut one of four outfielders: Vierling, Wenceel Pérez, Jahmai Jones or Parker Meadows.
Among them, Vierling has performed the best in spring training (with a track record of success when healthy), Pérez provides value off the bench as the only switch-hitter (with experience at all three outfield positions) and Jones is the top option against left-handed pitchers (without any minor-league options remaining).
That leaves Meadows on the outside looking in.
Last season, Meadows hit .215 in 58 games while posting minus-1 defensive runs saved over more than 450 innings in center field. This spring, he is hitting .059 (1-for-17) with one walk and five strikeouts in six games. He also went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts against Team Panama in an exhibition game.
The Tigers plan to use Greene at designated hitter more often after just 21 starts there last season. As a result, Carpenter has spent more time in left field this spring, in addition to his primary position in right field.
Even so, Carpenter should still receive most of the starts at designated hitter. Injuries have limited him from completing a full season during his four-year MLB career, and the designated hitter role helps keep his bat in the lineup while reducing wear and tear on his body.
This spring, Carpenter is hitting .235 (4-for-17) with six strikeouts in six games, making three starts in right field, two in left field and one at designated hitter. He also went 1-for-3 with one home run against Team Panama, starting in left field.
If McGonigle starts at shortstop, Meadows gets demoted to Triple-A Toledo and Báez takes over in center field, the Tigers would have McKinstry, Pérez and Jones as their three position players on the bench, not including Rogers as the backup catcher.
Who is next in line?
McKinstry and Rogers should be secure, but Pérez and Jones could find themselves on the hot seat if they struggle early in the season because neither has an established track record of success.
Pérez could be replaced by Trei Cruz, a switch-hitter who plays center field and shortstop, offering more defensive versatility than anyone else in the organization. Jones could be replaced by Hao-Yu Lee, a right-handed-hitting infielder who crushes left-handed pitchers, balancing the roster with above-average defense at second and third base.
Both Cruz and Lee joined the Tigers’ 40-man roster in mid-November, protecting them from the Rule 5 draft.
This spring, Cruz is hitting .308 (4-for-13) with three walks and one strikeout in seven games. He also went 0-for-3 with one strikeout against Team Panama, starting at shortstop.
The Big Five is locked in.
The Tigers bolstered their rotation by signing Valdez and Verlander in the 10 days leading up to spring training, helping offset the loss of right-hander Reese Olson to season-ending shoulder surgery. Right-hander Troy Melton could also miss significant time after being shut down from throwing with right elbow inflammation.
Moving from Olson to Verlander is a downgrade, but the Tigers still boast the best one-two punch in baseball with Skubal and Valdez at the top of the rotation. If another injury occurs, right-hander Drew Anderson is expected to shift from the bullpen into the rotation.
Five relievers are locked in with Jansen, Finnegan, Vest, Holton and Anderson, leaving three openings.
The Tigers already thinned the competition by optioning right-handers Keider Montero, Ty Madden and Dylan Smith to Triple-A Toledo, with Montero and Madden providing starting depth. The Tigers also lost right-handed reliever Beau Brieske to right ribcage tightness this spring, though the severity of the injury remains unknown.
Both Hurter and Hanifee have been key bullpen pieces in the past, making them top candidates for two of the three openings. But Hanifee has a notable flaw: He has thrived against right-handed hitters as a ground-ball specialist with his sinker-slider approach, but left-handers have hit .307 with an .857 OPS.
If the Tigers carry three left-handed relievers, Sommers could have the inside track on the final spot in the bullpen, especially with Bailey Horn still rehabbing from left elbow arthroscopy.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
The Detroit Lions are starting to take care of their own ahead of free agency, and it begins with one of the easier decisions to make. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, the Lions have tendered kicker Jake Bates an exclusive rights free agent offer. What that means is Bates now has a one-year contract offer at the minimum salary ($1,075,000 for Bates). He can choose to sign it or sit out the season.
The reason the Lions can offer this ERFA tender is because Bates’ contract is expiring after just two accrued seasons in the NFL. All players with fewer than three years of experience who are on expiring contracts could be offered these ERFA tenders. In fact, the Lions did so with three other ERFAs earlier this offseason, all of whom already signed the deals: OL Michael Niese, RB Jacob Saylors, and CB Nick Whiteside.
Bates is coming off a season where he took a step back after an outstanding 2024. After making 89.7% of his field goals in his first year with the Lions, Bates slid back to just 79.4% accuracy. That said, five of his seven misses all season were from 50+ yards, and he was a perfect 14-of-14 from 39 yards or shorter. Additionally, he increased his extra point accuracy from 95.5% to 96.4%. He also steadily improved at the new NFL kickoff, which requires a lot more precision from kickers to boot the ball as close to the goal line without going into the end zone.
It’s unclear if the Lions intend on bringing in competition for Bates this offseason, but special teams coordinator Dave Fipp made it abundantly clear all last season that they value Bates, despite some struggles in 2025.
“Clearly, we have a very, very good player,” Fipp said in December. “If you put him on the streets, there would be a bunch of teams claiming him right away. And the truth is, we’d have a really hard time finding a guy even near the same player as him.”
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