What would drafting Jarrett Allen mean for the Pistons Future?
By Greg Tonge
After a disappointing 2016-17 campaign from the Detroit Pistons, could their draft pick be an indication of the direction they plan to take going into the future with their franchise player?
The answer may very well be yes, if the Detroit Pistons decide to draft a center in the upcoming draft on June 22nd.
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When Andre Drummond inked a five-year max deal and made his first All-Star game last year, the thought in Detroit was that he would be a staple of the franchise for years to come.
That optimism quickly regressed after a down year for Drummond in 2016-17. Now some experts are questioning if his limitations will ever allow him to grow into the perennial all-star center that was expected to lead the Pistons into a successful state.
Although the Pistons failed to make any moves at the trade deadline in 2017, the fact they were hearing offers about moving Drummond did become public.
Hearing more and more teams say today they believe Detroit will NOT discourage trade inquiries for center Andre Drummond this week.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 21, 2017
The uncertainty around Drummond, created by these rumors and his down numbers, is now carrying over into the offseason as multiple mock drafts including DraftExpress are projecting that the Pistons select Texas’ freshmen center Jarrett Allen.
The 6’11 center plays a fairly similar game to Drummond. He is a classic big man who doesn’t like to stray too far away from the basket but can occasionally step out and knock down a mid-range jumper. His offensive game is raw after one year in college, but scouts project that he could be a stable scorer if he is willing to expand his game and work on his shot as a pro.
Allen is also a solid rim protector who could with the addition of some mass be a strong defender.
The one area that Drummond has a major advantage over Allen, and the rest of the NBA for that matter, is in the rebounding category where he has proven he can perform at an elite level.
Assuming the Pistons stay put at the 12th pick in the draft, Detroit has to be looking to add at the minimum a role player that can contribute on a playoff team moving forward. If the Pistons do indeed take Allen, the front office will either have to move Drummond or justify using a lottery pick to add another center into the mix for the back-up center spot joining Boban Marjanović and potential free agent Aron Baynes.
With their similar styles of play, the Pistons may take Allen to simply have less money invested in Drummond and a center position that is becoming increasingly less important in today’s NBA.
Related Story: Pistons Prospects: point guard Frank Ntilikina
What do you think the Pistons should do regarding Drummond and their 2017 draft pick? From my point of view, moving on from a talent like Drummond after only one season would be the wrong move.
h/t: Longhorn Network, CBS Sports, Campus Insiders, Big 12 Conference, 40 Acre Films, University of Texas