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Detroit Pistons #DraftDreams: Miles Plumlee

ByPatrick Hayes|

Info

  • Measurables: 6-foot-10, 245 pounds, senior F/C from Duke
  • Key Stats: 6.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, 0.9 blocks per game, 61 percent shooting
  • Projected: Second round

Why I’m intrigued by this guy

* Note: This will be the last profile in this year’s Draft Dreams series — 51 prospects in all, a new record in the three years I’ve been doing this. Look for my mock draft tomorrow.

Plumlee was a role player at Duke, playing just 20 minutes per game as a senior. But he’s had a great summer in pre-draft workouts. From Fox Sports North:

"After the Minnesota workouts, Plumlee’s stock began to rise. He played well then, and he’s been exceeding expectations since, pushing his name as far up the draft ladder as late in the first round. At the combine, he measured 6-foot-11-3/4 with shoes, and his 7-foot-3/4 wingspan was better than Tyler Zeller’s. He’s been silencing critics who say he was inconsistent in college, not athletic enough, not NBA caliber."

Pros for the Pistons

Plumlee is one of several second round bigs the Pistons would probably consider. He’s an OK shot-blocker on a per-minute basis, though not an elite one, he runs the floor well and he’s much more athletic than he’s given credit for. He should at the very least be an effective rebounder and fundamentally sound backup big man in the NBA, and the Pistons could definitely use that.

Cons for the Pistons

Yesterday’s trade might change what we’ve assumed all along the Pistons are looking for in the draft. Yes, they still have frontcourt needs, but all of a sudden, they have little depth in the backcourt and no 3-point shooters to stretch the floor for their guards who love to drive and their big man who is great at finding shooters spotting up. There are certainly big men available in the second round that might help down the road, but there are also elite shooters like Doron Lamb or Darius Johnson-Odom who might fill more pressing needs now that Ben Gordon is gone.

What others are saying

Chad Ford:

"Plumlee’s stock has also risen dramatically over the course of the last month. Despite his pedestrian numbers at Duke, teams are intrigued with his elite athletic abilities and rebounding. Could be the next Jeff Foster."

DraftExpress:

"Outside of his offensive rebounding prowess, the another interesting wrinkle to Plumlee’s game are the brief flashes (just six attempts all season) that he has shown as a spot-up shooter from mid-range, particularly given his comfort operating out of the pick-and-roll. He already sets very good screens and rolls hard to the basket, which is an asset given the predominance of pick-and-roll sets in NBA playbooks. His shooting mechanics need significant work, as his shooting touch isn’t great and he spots a slow release with a bit of a hitch, but if he is able to develop in this area, he would have a much better chance of carving out a role in an NBA rotation."

Previously

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