1992–93 Detroit Pistons season

Last updated

1992–93   Detroit Pistons season
Head coach Ron Rothstein
General manager Billy McKinney
Owner William Davidson
Arena The Palace of Auburn Hills
Results
Record40–42 (.488)
PlaceDivision: 6th (Central)
Conference: 10th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
Television WKBD-TV
PASS Sports
Radio WWJ
< 1991–92 1993–94 >

The 1992–93 Detroit Pistons season was the 45th season for the Detroit Pistons in the National Basketball Association, and their 36th season in Detroit, Michigan. [1] During the off-season, the Pistons signed free agent Terry Mills, [2] [3] [4] and acquired Olden Polynice from the Los Angeles Clippers. [5] [6] [7] Under new head coach Ron Rothstein, [8] [9] [10] the Pistons years of battle would catch up with them, as they lost nine of their first eleven games of the regular season. However, they would win ten of their next eleven games to climb back into playoff connection, but then fall below .500 in winning percentage with a 21–29 record at the All-Star break. [11]

Contents

At mid-season, the team traded Orlando Woolridge to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for All-Star guard Alvin Robertson. [12] [13] [14] After posting many winning and losing streaks throughout the entire season, the Pistons missed the NBA playoffs for the first time in ten years, finishing in sixth place in the Central Division with a 40–42 record. [15]

Joe Dumars averaged 23.5 points and 4.0 assists per game, led the Pistons with 112 three-point field goals, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, while Isiah Thomas averaged 17.6 points, 8.5 assists and 1.6 steals per game, and Mills provided the team with 14.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. In addition, Mark Aguirre contributed 9.9 points per game off the bench, but only played 51 games due to injuries and weight problems, [16] [17] while Bill Laimbeer averaged 8.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, Polynice provided with 7.3 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, and Dennis Rodman contributed 7.5 points, and led the league with 18.3 rebounds per game. [18]

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, Dumars and Thomas were both selected for the 1993 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Eastern Conference All-Star team; it was Thomas's eleventh and final All-Star appearance, and his twelfth All-Star selection. [19] [20] [21]

Dumars and Rodman were both named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team; Dumars also finished tied in tenth place in Most Valuable Player voting, [22] [23] while Mills finished tied in eleventh place in Most Improved Player voting, [23] and Rodman finished in fourth place in Defensive Player of the Year voting. [24] [23] The Pistons finished second in the NBA in home-game attendance behind the Charlotte Hornets, with an attendance of 889,614 at The Palace of Auburn Hills during the regular season. [18] [25]

However, Rodman's bizarre behavior off the court was a great concern as he was involved in several off-the-court incidents, including a suicide attempt. [26] [27] [28] Following the season, he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs after seven seasons with the Pistons, [29] [30] [31] while Aguirre signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Clippers, [17] [32] [33] and Rothstein was fired as head coach after just one season with the Pistons. [34] [35] [36]

Draft picks

RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalityCollege
119 Don MacLean PFFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States UCLA

Roster

1992–93 Detroit Pistons roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.PlayerHeightWeightDOBFrom
G/F 24 Mark Aguirre 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)232 lb (105 kg)1959–12–10 DePaul
G 4 Joe Dumars 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)190 lb (86 kg)1963–05–24 McNeese State
G 25 Gerald Glass 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)221 lb (100 kg)1967–11–12 Mississippi
C 40 Bill Laimbeer 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)245 lb (111 kg)1957–05–19 Notre Dame
F 6 Terry Mills 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)230 lb (104 kg)1967–12–21 Michigan
F 35 Isaiah Morris 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)219 lb (99 kg)1969–04–02 Arkansas
G 23 Melvin Newbern 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)200 lb (91 kg)1967–06–11 Minnesota
C 34 Olden Polynice 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)220 lb (100 kg)1964–11–21 Virginia
F 42 Mark Randall 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)235 lb (107 kg)1967–09–30 Kansas
G/F 3 Alvin Robertson 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)185 lb (84 kg)1962–07–22 Arkansas
F 10 Dennis Rodman 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)210 lb (95 kg)1961–05–13 SE Oklahoma State
G 11 Isiah Thomas 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)180 lb (82 kg)1961–04–30 Indiana
G 20 Danny Young 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)175 lb (79 kg)1962–07–26 Wake Forest
Head coach
Assistant(s)
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injury icon 2.svg Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Central Division
W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y- Chicago Bulls 5725.695—31–1026–1519–9
x- Cleveland Cavaliers 5428.659335–619–2222–6
x- Charlotte Hornets 4438.5371322–1922–1912–16
x- Atlanta Hawks 4339.5241425–1618–2312–16
x- Indiana Pacers 4141.5001627–1414–2711–17
Detroit Pistons 4042.4881728–1312–2912–16
Milwaukee Bucks 2854.3412918–2310–3110–18
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1c-New York Knicks 6022.732–
2y-Chicago Bulls 5725.6953
3x-Cleveland Cavaliers 5428.6596
4x-Boston Celtics 4834.58512
5x-Charlotte Hornets 4438.53716
6x-New Jersey Nets 4339.52417
7x-Atlanta Hawks 4339.52417
8x-Indiana Pacers 4141.50019
9 Orlando Magic 4141.50019
10 Detroit Pistons 4042.48820
11 Miami Heat 3646.43924
12 Milwaukee Bucks 2854.34132
13 Philadelphia 76ers 2656.31736
14 Washington Bullets 2260.26838
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot

Game log

Player statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage 3P%  3-point field-goal percentage FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game PPG  Points per game
PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
Joe Dumars 777740.2.466.375.8641.94.01.00.123.5
Isiah Thomas 797937.0.418.308.7372.98.51.60.217.6
Terry Mills 814627.0.461.278.7915.81.40.50.614.8
Orlando Woolridge 504729.5.479.000.6733.52.20.50.513.1
Mark Aguirre 511520.7.443.361.7673.02.10.30.19.9
Alvin Robertson 302231.4.434.343.6904.43.62.20.39.3
Bill Laimbeer 794124.5.509.370.8945.31.60.60.58.7
Dennis Rodman 625538.9.427.205.53418.31.60.80.77.5
Olden Polynice 671819.4.490.000.4656.20.40.50.37.3
Gerald Glass 56513.9.429.226.6362.51.20.50.35.3
Melvin Newbern 3319.4.372.125.5671.11.70.70.03.6
Danny Young 65212.9.413.324.8750.71.80.50.12.9
Mark Randall 3506.9.506.143.6151.60.30.10.12.8
Isaiah Morris 2504.1.456.7500.50.20.10.02.2
Jeff Ruland 1105.0.455.5001.60.20.20.01.1
Darrell Walker 9216.0.158.000.3332.11.01.10.00.9

Player statistics citation: [18]

Awards and records

Transactions

References

  1. ↑ 1992-93 Detroit Pistons
  2. ↑ "Miscellany". Los Angeles Times. September 16, 1992. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Family Man Long Hopes Heat Shares Sense of Value". Sun Sentinel. September 20, 1992. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  4. ↑ "SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; A Summit Conference Between Nets and Mills". The New York Times. September 26, 1992. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  5. ↑ Araton, Harvey (June 25, 1992). "BASKETBALL; Draft Sticks to Program Until the 5th Pick, That Is". The New York Times. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  6. ↑ Howard-Cooper, Scott (June 25, 1992). "Clippers Go Forward to MacLean: NBA Draft: Polynice Is Traded to..." Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  7. ↑ Howard-Cooper, Scott (November 17, 1992). "Polynice's Mutual Admiration Society: Pro Basketball: The Former Clipper Returns as a Piston, and Will Be Received by a Fan Club That Gets as Much as It Gives". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Rothstein to Be Named Pistons' Head Coach". United Press International. May 20, 1992. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Three NBA Teams Decide on Coaches: Basketball: Pistons Expected to Hire Rothstein. Nuggets Take Issel, and Rockets Stay with Tomjanovich". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. May 21, 1992. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Around the NBA". The Washington Post. May 22, 1992. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  11. ↑ "NBA Games Played on February 18, 1993". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  12. ↑ Brown, Clifton (February 26, 1993). "PRO BASKETBALL; The Pistons Make a Deal, But It's Not for Rodman". The New York Times. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Pistons Trade Woolridge to Bucks for Robertson as Deadline Passes". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. February 26, 1993. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Rodman, Jackson Stay, But Two Trades Made". The Washington Post. February 26, 1993. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  15. ↑ "1992–93 Detroit Pistons Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  16. ↑ "PRO BASKETBALL; Hardaway's Magic Number Is 65 Million, as in Dollars". The New York Times. Associated Press. October 8, 1993. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  17. 1 2 Baker, Chris (October 25, 1993). "Clippers Sign Grant and Contact Aguirre: Pro Basketball: The Backup Guard Gets Two-Year Contract. Former Piston Forward Might Be the Next to Join the Team". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  18. 1 2 3 "1992–93 Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Manning Gets All-Star Berth: Pro Basketball: He Is Selected for the First Time. The Lakers and Celtics Are Shut Out for the First Time Since Game Began". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. February 10, 1993. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  20. ↑ "1993 NBA All-Star Recap". NBA.com. NBA.com Staff. September 13, 2021. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  21. ↑ "1993 NBA All-Star Game: West 135, East 132 (OT)". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  22. ↑ "MVP Voting". The Victoria Advocate. Associated Press. May 26, 1993. p. 4B. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  23. 1 2 3 "1992–93 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  24. ↑ "SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Hakeem for the Defense". The New York Times. May 15, 1993. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  25. ↑ "1992–93 NBA Season Summary". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  26. ↑ "BASKETBALL; A Troubled Rodman Visited by a Favored Ex-Coach". The New York Times. February 13, 1993. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  27. ↑ "PRO BASKETBALL; Rodman Gets One-Game Ban". The New York Times. Associated Press. March 11, 1993. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  28. ↑ "Bad As I Wanna Be; By Dennis Rodman with Tim Keown; Chapter One: New and Improved". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  29. ↑ "PRO BASKETBALL; Detroit Trades Rodman to San Antonio for Elliott". The New York Times. Associated Press. October 2, 1993. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
  30. ↑ Baker, Chris (October 2, 1993). "Spurs Give Rodman Fresh Start: Pro Basketball: Pistons Get Sean Elliott in Trade for the NBA Leader in Rebounds and Problems". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  31. ↑ "Pistons Deal Rodman to Spurs". The Washington Post. October 2, 1993. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  32. ↑ Baker, Chris (October 26, 1993). "Aguirre Becomes a Clipper Reserve: Pro Basketball: The Forward Says He Is Happy with New Role. Weiss Expects No Problems". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  33. ↑ Baker, Chris (November 6, 1993). "Aguirre Is on the Mark at the Buzzer: Pro Basketball: Newest Clipper Hits Wide-Open Three-Pointer to Give Los Angeles a 97-95 Victory Over Portland". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  34. ↑ "Pistons Fire Coach Rothstein". United Press International. April 26, 1993. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  35. ↑ "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Pistons Dismiss Rothstein as Coach". The New York Times. April 27, 1993. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  36. ↑ "Pistons Fire Rothstein After Missing Playoffs". Los Angeles Times. Staff and Wire Reports. April 27, 1993. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
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