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The worst draft picks in Detroit Pistons’ history

By Brenden Welper

Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /
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3. Austin Daye – 2009 – Forward – Round 1, Pick 15 (15th overall)

Speaking of over-sized wings who never panned out, Austin Daye actually surpasses Rodney White on my list. Now hear me out. I know that Daye played more than 16 games as a Piston. I know that he wasn’t a top ten pick and that his career numbers are better than White’s.

But I also know that the Pistons created a logjam on the perimeter shortly after settling on Daye. Detroit grabbed two forwards (Jonas Jerebko and DaJuan Summers) late in that same draft. I’ll get to who they passed up in a minute.

Less than a month later they signed shooting guard Ben Gordon and power forward Charlie Villanueva to a pair of lucrative contracts.  Both mainly came off the bench that season. All of this occurring while Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince were still the focal points on offense.

Daye was presumably brought in to be the backup small forward. Yet he only averaged 13.3 minutes per game his rookie season. They perked up to 20.1 minutes his second year, but he eventually had to compete for playing time with Damien Wilkins in 2011-12.

Detroit added two more small forwards prior to the 2012-13 season. Veteran Corey Maggette and rookie Kyle Singler cut into his minutes even more. Now he was expendable, and Daye was traded to Memphis at the deadline that same year.

A plethora of point guards

What’s upsetting is that the Detroit Pistons passed up some very serviceable point guards at No. 15. They entered the draft with Will Bynum as the back up point guard to Rodney Stuckey. Bynum served his role, but a younger point guard would’ve been a much better option long-term.

Jrue Holiday, Ty Lawson, Jeff Teague and Darren Collison were still on the board when the Daye selection was made. Defensive specialist Patrick Beverly wasn’t taken until pick No. 42! Detroit overlooked him three straight times.

Austin Daye may not have had the worst career on this list. But the decisions Detroit made after they chose him make this pick one of the worst.