3-on-3: Drafting Peyton Siva at No. 56

1. Which available player should the Pistons have chosen?

Patrick Hayes: This was just trolling, right? If it was, well done Joe Dumars. Not only did you piss off every Michigan fan in the state, you also drafted the guy Trey Burke fouled in the NCAA title game (I can hear the ‘IT WAS CLEAN!’ screams all the way from Ann Arbor). I don’t have a preference for this spot. Siva was fine. My hope would be that whoever they took, Siva included, would be willing to go play overseas for a year so the team doesn’t have to worry about the roster spot.

Dan Feldman: Bojan Dubljevic. OK, I totally cheated and picked between the two draft-and-stash players selected after the Pistons picked. I don’t know the difference between either of them or any other foreign player at that point in the draft. But as I wrote, the Pistons are getting tight on roster space, and a Siva is probably unlikely to warrant spending a spot on him.

Jameson Draper: Siva was a good choice. It depends on the method for choosing, best available or most needed. C.J. Leslie or Deshaun Thomas were probably the best players available. Going by most needed, Siva was the right pick. The Pistons need a point guard.

2. How do you grade the selection?

Patrick Hayes: C. If Siva goes to camp and isn’t a candidate to go play abroad, I like his defensive potential. He can run an offense and he can get after it on defense. You could do worse than that with a late second rounder.

Dan Feldman: C-. Siva is fine, but between Brandon Knight, Rodney Stuckey and free agents (including Jose Calderon and Will Bynum), the Pistons will likely have enough depth at point guard without needing Siva when next season begins. At least Joe Dumars learned picking Mateen Cleaves makes much more sense late in the second round than in the middle of the first.

Jameson Draper: B+. It’s close to an A, because the Pistons really need a point guard, but Siva is not a starter in the NBA. He’s quick and a good defender, but brings nothing to the table on offense and is very, very small.

3. Will he make the team next season?

Patrick Hayes: I doubt it. The Pistons have too many former second round picks on the roster for all of them to make it next season. I think Siva’s position helps him, and I like the idea of having his defense in camp to push the other guards, but he’s really bad offensively. Whether or not he makes it solely depends on trades Dumars makes. Right now, the Pistons have too many end-of-the-bench-type of players. If they all make the team, Detroit will have big problems next season.

Dan Feldman: Slightly more likely than not. The Pistons must know they’re tight on roster space, and they likely don’t want the embarrassment of immediately cutting a player they drafted. That was fine when they were contending, but it probably won’t fly now. I’d be pretty surprised if Siva didn’t at least get a chance as the season begins, but I hope the Pistons enter the offseason with an open mind and realize drafting Siva is a sunk cost.

Jameson Draper: Yes. He could be close enough to Will Bynum-when-he’s-not-going-off-for-30-points-on-random-nights level, and he’ll be way cheaper. Bynum will find his way into free agency and Siva will be wearing the red, white and blue come November. Siva probably won’t get many minutes, but he’ll make the team.