2000–01 Detroit Pistons season

The 2000–01 Detroit Pistons season was the 53rd season for the Detroit Pistons in the National Basketball Association, their 60th season as a franchise, and their 44th season in Detroit, Michigan. The Pistons had the 14th overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft, and selected point guard Mateen Cleaves out of Michigan State University. During the off-season, retired All-Star guard and Pistons legend Joe Dumars was hired as General Manager, as the team acquired Ben Wallace and second-year guard Chucky Atkins from the Orlando Magic, acquired Cedric Ceballos, Dana Barros and John Wallace from the Dallas Mavericks, and acquired Billy Owens from the Milwaukee Bucks. The team later on signed free agent Joe Smith during the first month of the regular season.

However, the Pistons traded Ceballos to the Miami Heat in late November after 13 games. At mid-season, the team traded Jerome Williams, and Eric Montross to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Corliss Williamson. The Pistons struggled losing four of their first five games of the regular season, then after a 13–15 start, they lost 13 of their next 15 games, holding a 19–31 record at the All-Star break, and finishing in fifth place in the Central Division with a 32–50 record.

Jerry Stackhouse finished second in the league in scoring, averaging 29.8 points and 5.1 assists per game, and leading the Pistons with 166 three-point field goals, despite shooting .402 in field-goal percentage. In addition, Smith averaged 12.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, while Atkins contributed 12.0 points and 4.1 assists per game, along with 121 three-point field goals, and Ben Wallace provided the team with 6.4 points, 13.2 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 2.3 blocks per game. Off the bench, Barros contributed 8.0 points per game, while John Wallace averaged 5.9 points per game, Cleaves contributed 5.4 points and 2.7 assists per game, and starting small forward Michael Curry provided with 5.2 points per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C., Stackhouse was selected for the 2001 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Eastern Conference All-Star team; it was his second and final All-Star appearance. Meanwhile, Cleaves was selected for the NBA Rookie Challenge Game, as a member of the Rookies team. Stackhouse also finished in 14th place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Ben Wallace finished tied in fifth place in Defensive Player of the Year voting, and also tied in ninth place in Most Improved Player voting.

The Pistons finished 22nd in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 607,323 at The Palace of Auburn Hills during the regular season. Following the season, Smith re-signed with his former team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, while head coach George Irvine was fired, Cleaves was traded to the Sacramento Kings, John Wallace was dealt along with Jud Buechler to the Phoenix Suns, and Owens retired.