Detroit Pistons: Draft Options with the 45th Pick

In addition to owning the 15th overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, the Detroit Pistons also own the 45th overall selection. Although second round picks don’t usually pan out, could the Pistons strike gold?

While much has already been said about the Pistons options with the 15th pick, this article will look into some options at 45.

Now, sure, it’s no secret that finding a second round gem is hard to come by, especially in the mid to late second round. But some notable selections at the 45th pick in years past are still playing good minutes for their respective teams, and they include Dwight Powell, Lou Williams, and Goran Dragic. So, there’s no reason to believe that the 45th pick is completely worthless.

The Pistons drafted two players in the second round of the 2018 NBA draft and traded for another. Bruce Brown Jr., who started 56 games, became their best perimeter player and is a jump shot away from being a very good rotational piece. Khyri Thomas primarily played with the Grand Rapids Drive in the G-League, but averaged 20.3 points and shot 43% from three, all while playing great defense, proving he has the tools to play in the NBA. And trade deadline acquisition Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk possesses a 6’8 frame with a sweet shooting stroke and has been rumored to be trying out point guard.

None of these guys appear to have star potential, but there’s still a lot to like from this crop of former second round picks. They all have valuable attributes that translate well on a team built around Blake Griffin. With that said, there’s no reason to believe the Pistons can’t find more talent to put around Griffin in the second round of the 2019 draft.

With the 15th pick, many mock drafts have the Pistons addressing their biggest need and taking a larger wing player like Nassir Little, Kevin Porter Jr., or Romeo Langford. Even after drafting a larger wing, I would venture to say the Pistons will continue to upgrade that position in free agency as well.

With small forward likely taken care of, the Pistons should turn to other needs with their next pick. The general rule of thumb in the second round should be to take the best available player regardless of position. But there are several good options that may fill a need for the Pistons:

Jontay Porter: Power Forward/Center, University of Missouri

Jontay Porter almost entered the 2018 NBA draft along with his brother Michael, but decided to return to school to improve his draft stock. He ended up doing the opposite.

Last October, he tore his ACL and MCL, pushing him from a first to a second round prospect. Before his injuries, he showed flashes of being an excellent passer for a big man, and he shows promise as a stretch 4/5, shooting 36.4% from three. There is hope that he can return from his injuries as the same player.Y’all

Porter’s skills would help with the depth issue behind Andre Drummond. Zaza Pachulia and Thon Maker just couldn’t cut it at the backup center spot, and Porter would provide something the Pistons have not had before: a good shooter and passer from the center spot.

There are some mock drafts that say he could be gone by the 45th pick. But there’s a chance that he endures a draft day slide like his brother Michael did last year, whose injuries robbed him of becoming a high lottery selection. If Porter can prove that he has overcome his injuries, the Pistons should take a gamble on him.

Tacko Fall: Center, University of Central Florida

Fall is a fringe second round prospect and has been getting some buzz lately. Standing 7’7 tall with a wingspan of 8’3, he is a massive center who can provide rim protection and rebounding. He averaged 11.1 points and blocked 2.6 shots per game last season.

His free throw percentage of 36.2 is awful but fixable, which is something he would have to work on to even see the court in the NBA. Pistons fans may be familiar with another center who completely transformed his free throw shooting. It has been proven that it can be done.

Fall doesn’t project as a game changing prospect, but how many players can make the 7’3 Boban Marjanovic look small? That alone provides intrigue.

Jordan Bone: Point Guard, University of Tennessee

Jordan Bone is another good option at 45. He averaged 13.5 points, 5.8 assists, and 3.2 rebounds as a junior at Tennessee. He also shot 35.5% on three pointers.

Bone impressed scouts with his NBA Combine performance, recording the best times for the Lane Agility, Shuttle Run, Three Quarter Sprint, and Vertical Leap events. His performance now has him compared to two of the best athletes in the NBA: Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose (pre-injury).

His athleticism and speed may give the Pistons reason to take a chance on him in the second round. With backup Ish Smith’s status with the team uncertain, why not bring in a similar player who is a not only younger, but a better athlete and shooter as well?

Keep or Trade?

There is no doubt that trading one or both of the Pistons 2019 draft picks is likely on the table for the front office as they try to reconstruct the roster around Blake Griffin.

When second round picks are traded, they are typically used as throw-ins in larger deals involving first round picks and players. If the Pistons decide to succumb to the rumors and trade for Mike Conley, the 45th selection will almost assuredly be included in those discussions. But unless including the 45th pick moves the needle and brings in a game changing player, the Pistons should keep the pick.

With the Pistons constrained financial situation, bringing in a rookie on a cheap contract could allow the them to allocate more money towards an impact free agent player.

With limited resources, the Pistons front office had a fairly successful draft last year, netting two useful players and trading for the another. But even so, expectations should remain low for their 45th selection this year. Many second round picks don’t make it in the NBA, and we shouldn’t expect that the Pistons will draft a valuable contributor for the upcoming season. But we can still hope.

The draft is still a few weeks away, but for now, we should just cross our fingers and hope for a miracle.

What are some other potential options at 45? Let us know below.