Van Gundy: Pistons Have 'A Core That We Can Keep Together'

By Ashley Scoby
@AshleyScoby

Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy is happy with his core of players, even if they're young and not very good offensively yet.

Detroit has started out the season 2-0, and has already earned the reputation of being a grinding, competitive team that will fight to stay in games, even if the talent isn't always equal.

And that core, Van Gundy says, could be the foundation of something more long-term than an improved season this year.

"We've got a group of guys, a core that we can keep together if you just look at the contracts for a long period of time," he said. "Even in the preseason (we were) starting to see what we really want here, which is a real hard-working, competitive team. We've got a long way to go to improve, but I'm seeing guys willing to battle very, very hard."

The Pistons haven't exactly been lighting it up this season, shooting 39 and 41 percent in their first two games. The hustle that this team is purported to have helps mostly on the defensive end of the floor. But more cohesiveness on the offensive side is what Van Gundy is focusing on.

"We're gonna have to get better offensively, there's no question about that," Van Gundy said. "Play a little faster, get better ball movement, all of that's going to have to happen for us to be good. … That learning to grind and just staying with games is not an easy thing to learn."

Improving offensively as a team may at least partially run through how much Andre Drummond has improved his individual offensive game. He reportedly has been working on several post moves in the offseason, and has improved his free throw shooting (he made 8 of 11 Wednesday night).

And with contract negotiations off the table until next year – Drummond's own decision – the big man will have more energy to devote to that.

That decision by Drummond has been praised repeatedly leading up to the season, especially by his coach.

"Andre wants to be here," Van Gundy said. "He loves the city. He loves the people here, but he wants to win, and giving us every tool he can to improve the roster is something he wanted to do. Really was a selfless act, really was all about winning, and I think he deserves all the praise for that."