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Detroit Pistons Mock Offseason 2.0

By Richard Davisson

DETROIT, MI - APRIL 22: Ish Smith #14 of the Detroit Pistons warms up before Game Four of Round One against the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2019 NBA Playoffs on April 22, 2019 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - APRIL 22: Ish Smith #14 of the Detroit Pistons warms up before Game Four of Round One against the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2019 NBA Playoffs on April 22, 2019 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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JACKSONVILLE, FL – MARCH 21: Naz Reid #0 of the LSU Tigers dribbles around Jordan Bruner #23 of the Yale Bulldogs during the First Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on March 21, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FL – MARCH 21: Naz Reid #0 of the LSU Tigers dribbles around Jordan Bruner #23 of the Yale Bulldogs during the First Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on March 21, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

With the 31st Pick in the 2019 NBA Draft…

The Pistons look to go in one of two directions. The team could go after someone who could take over some third string point guard duties such as Carsen Edwards or Ty Jerome. Or they could go for a backup big man to come off the bench such as Naz Reid, Daniel Gafford or Jontay Porter.

For the guards, Jerome isn’t quite a point guard. He did handle some playmaking duties on the National Championship Virginia team from time to time. He did well executing the pick-and-roll at the college level, which suggests he could handle the 3rd string point guard duties. However, he can offer more than just that. He is a great perimeter shooter at nearly 40%, and he could provide some spacing in any lineup he is involved in. While he tries hard defensively, he has athletic limitations as a player with a negative wingspan.

Carsen Edwards is undersized, but if you watched Purdue in the NCAA Tournament, that didn’t stop him from showing off his off-the-dribble shot-making and range. He is going to be someone who is attacked on the defensive end at his size, and he didn’t do much as a facilitator with less than three assists per game. Nevertheless, he would provide a different style of play than the Pistons have had at that position.

For the big men, Porter’s injuries excludes him from the conversation because of his lack of availability this season. Gafford has rim-running ability and some defensive upside, but seems to be limited beyond that. Reid is undersized, but he brings a lot of energy on both ends of the floor as well as versatility on the offensive end. He isn’t a rim defender, but he will hustle when he is out on the floor.

Detroit opts to go with Reid because they want to have a cheap backup center who is a change of pace player on the offensive end. Standing at 6’9.5” with a 7’3” wingspan, Reid brings some length even though he is on the shorter side for a center. He doesn’t project to be a rim defender and isn’t that quick to stick with the top guards when he gets switched onto them. But the spacing, offensive rebounding, and finishing at the rim could be really useful on the second unit.

With the 45th Pick in the 2019 NBA Draft…

The Pistons use their own pick to snag the best available point guard on the board to slot in as the third point guard. Guys like Shamorie Ponds, Tremont Waters, and Kyle Guy. Ponds and Waters are more conventional as point guards. Each of them averaged more than 5 assists per game last year. However, neither player can boast the shooting prowess of Guy.

MINNEAPOLIS , MN – APRIL 8: Virginia Cavaliers guard Kyle Guy (5) reacts after a play during The National Championship game at U.S. Bank Stadium. (Photo by Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS , MN – APRIL 8: Virginia Cavaliers guard Kyle Guy (5) reacts after a play during The National Championship game at U.S. Bank Stadium. (Photo by Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post via Getty Images) /

The 6’2.5” Guy shot 42.6% from downtown last year for Virginia, and while he doesn’t provide you with the skills of a traditional point guard, being a shooting specialist is arguably more valuable from the third point guard spot considering the Pistons have an other non-point guards that can handle the ball in Blake Griffin and Luke Kennard. Because of his shooting, Detroit decides to make Guy the 45th pick in the draft.