The Detroit Pistons are playing for a record on Tuesday night. They hope they don’t achieve it.
Detroit will host the Brooklyn Nets, the same team that beat them on Saturday to give the Pistons their 26th straight loss, tying the NBA record for successive futility. Whether the Pistons make it 27 losses in a row or not, significant damage has already been done to franchise morale.
Pistons center Isaiah Stewart called the losing streak the “hardest thing” he and many others on the roster have ever dealt with professionally. “We had a lot of tough breaks this year,” said Monty Williams, the Pistons’ head coach, who this offseason signed a then-record $75.8 million contract.
Fans in Little Caesars Arena chanted on Pistons owner Tom Gores to sell the team during the most recent home game. According to Forbes, Gores paid $325 million for the Pistons in 2011, and they are currently worth $3 billion (ranked 23rd out of the NBA’s 30 franchises). While Gores conceded that guilt for the team’s losing record must lie on him “at some level,” he refused to sell the team.
“They can say what they want, but that’s ridiculous,” Gores was quoted as saying. “Aside from winning games—and we should win more games—we do a lot for the community.” Outside of [basketball], we’re undertaking multibillion-dollar projects. I understand why the supporters are outraged, but it’s a foolish idea.”
Hope for the Future?
Heading into Tuesday’s game, the Pistons are tied with the 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers and the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers, each of which also suffered 26-game losing streaks. Those 76ers ended up taking Joel Embiid, now the reigning NBA MVP, with the third pick in the 2014 draft, while the Cavs selected Kyrie Irving with the first choice in 2011. Both of those franchises still have the same ownership groups in place.
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