Open thread: Who’s your first overall pick in the NBA draft?

The Detroit Pistons do not have a first round pick in this year’s NBA draft. We’re still going to have some fun. If you were an NBA GM, who are you selecting with the number one overall pick?

The 2018 NBA draft is less than a week away. It’s hard to believe. When your favorite team doesn’t have a first-round pick, there’s not a whole lot of excitement around it.

Pistons fans from all over, it’s time to put on your GM hats for a moment and pretend that your team is taking the first overall pick in the NBA draft.

Now that’s exciting. An opportunity to take a player that could drastically change your team’s franchise for years to come. The Phoenix Suns will have the opportunity to do that next Thursday.

There’s a lot of good options to go with. Who’s the best? Let’s take a look at some of the prospects.

Deandre Ayton

Let’s get this straight. Ayton is a 7’1, 250 lb big man that can dominate around the rim and stretch the defense with a respectable jump shot.

Any kind of footage you can find on Ayton features him dunking the ball on anyone and everyone. That speaks to his elite athleticism. This along with his fine-tuned offensive approach made for 20 points per game as a freshman in college.

He plays on both ends of the floor. He averaged nearly two blocks a game in his only season at the university of Arizona. Ayton averaged 11 rebounds a game as well.

Ayton is a sure bet going into the NBA. He can score, be a rim protector and has the body of an NBA player already. What more can you say about the guy?

He seems to be very confident about where he’s going in the draft. It’s mentioned in an Associated Press article that Ayton “knows” he’s going number one overall to Phoenix.

Marvin Bagley III

Bagley III played just one season under coach K at the university of Duke. He made his presence known very early on in the season and established himself as a potential top five pick.

Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated had this to say about Bagley III making the jump to the NBA:

"“Bagley has enough of a skill level that he could eventually help stretch the floor as a four-man as he grows.”"

This continues to be the trend in today’s era of basketball. Teams want to find an athletic big man that they can help develop a jump shot to add to their game. Bagley fits the description.

He’s 6’10 and 235 lbs so he has the body of a developed NBA player already.

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Bagley averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds per game during his freshman season at Duke. With everything that’s been said about his offensive game, he still needs to fine-tune his defensive abilities.

Overall, he’s a great option for a team looking for their franchise guy to build around.

Luka Doncic

Doncic is the talk of European basketball as we approach the NBA draft. Some analysts were talking early on about how he could go first in the draft.

Doncic is a unique physical specimen. He’s 6’8, 220 pounds and has the ability to play as a combo guard. Let’s not forget that he’s only 19 as well.

When you think about potential, Doncic has the ability to be one of the best players in the league with the right guidance by a willing NBA franchise.

He does it all. Doncic moves the ball well, thrives in transition, and has out-of-the-gym range with his jump shot. He puts it all on display in the video above.

Others in the NBA draft

Jaren Jackson Jr. and Michael Porter Jr. are two other guys that could potentially be the top pick. Right now, it looks like Ayton is going to be that guy. Come draft day, things could change.

We’d like to take some time to hear from the PistonPowered fans. Who would you take with the number one overall pick in the NBA draft if you had the chance? Go down to the comments section with your selections!