Photo: Peter Baba

Despite falling short in the second round of the playoffs, the Detroit Pistons reportedly view this season as the beginning of their competitive window rather than the end of it.

Detroit exceeded expectations during the regular season and now enters the offseason with a strong collection of future assets, including all of its own first-round picks, five tradable first-rounders, and 15 future second-round selections.

The franchise also maintains significant financial flexibility compared to many other teams in the Eastern Conference.

“We’re still super young,” president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon said.

Langdon expressed confidence that the Pistons’ young core will continue improving naturally over the next several years.

“All of our guys are going to iterate and get better,” he said. “They’re going to all be better players next year than they were this year.”

Detroit’s front office plans to evaluate the roster carefully this offseason while continuing to focus on long-term growth rather than becoming satisfied with this season’s progress.

“We won’t look at us as a one seed,” Langdon said. “We look at us as, ‘How do we get better?’”

Although teams like the Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics are expected to return stronger next season, the Pistons believe they can continue improving both internally and through offseason additions.

Pistons Notes: Thompson, Langdon, Contention Window, Offseason Needs https://t.co/iQuqDStQSj