The Detroit Pistons will host the Orlando Magic at Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday.

The Pistons prepare for another rebuilding season, but this time, they’ll do without one of their biggest trade chips from the 2021-22 campaign as Jerami Grant is no longer on the roster. Detroit added some decent veterans that can be flipped in the deadline such as Nerlens Noel, Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks, but for the most part, this will be a team led by young players. Cade Cunningham will carry the franchise, but Jaden Ivery and Jalen Duran figure to be steady contributors as well. The Pistons ended last season with a 23-59 record, good for 14th in the East.

It seems as if the Magic have been struck in a rebuilding process that has taken forever, but don’t be surprised if this is the year in which they finally take a step forward in that approach. Orlando didn’t a lot in free agency and focused on adding young players that can contribute right away, which is the case of the first-overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Paolo Banchero, and the 32nd overall pick, Caleb Houstan. No one says the Magic will make the playoffs this year, but at the very least, they should be more fun to watch and far more competitive. Starting the season with a win at Detroit would be an excellent starting point. The Magic ended last season with a 22-60 record, good for last in the East.