The daily tank: Detroit Pistons 2020 NBA Draft odds for Feb. 4

Luke Kennard trade rumors are at the tip of Detroit Pistons fans’ tongues after the team lost its seventh game over the last nine.

It isn’t speculation anymore as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Pistons and Phoenix Suns are “gaining traction” on a deal that would involve Phoenix’s 2020 first. That would gives the Pistons a pair of lottery picks this summer.

Detroit (18-34) lost to the Memphis Grizzlies 96-82 Monday night. It comes on the heels of an impressive overtime win against the Denver Nuggets. Still, the Pistons sit seventh in the Tankathon standings but are gaining on the Warriors, who hold the league’s worst record by a game. The Pistons are 5.5 behind that mark and are five games back of the eighth spot in the East, held by Orlando.

It’s possible the Pistons begin to pass teams as they trade off their players ahead of Thursday’s deadline. Charlotte (16-34) is young but had talent, and Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns is better than what the Pistons have but he hasn’t won a game in 19 tries and the Wolves are losers of 12 straight, falling to 15-34.

Looking at Monday’s games, the Warriors beat the Wizards despite 43 points from Bradley Beal. Sacramento held off a late surge to beat Minnesota 113-109. Orlando beat Charlotte 112-100 to dampen the Hornets’ chances at the playoffs. The Celtics beat the Hawks 123-115. The Knicks used overtime to beat the Cavs 139-134, bringing the Knicks within 2.5 games of the Pistons.

As for the Suns, they lost 119-97 to Brooklyn and are slotted 11th overall in the Tankathon standings. If a trade were to happen today, that pick would have a 8.5% chance at a top-4 spot and 1.8% for the top pick.

Detroit’s pick is slated seventh and has a 32% chance at a top-4 pick and 7.5% chance at the top pick.

The Daily Tank

We’ll take 10 simulations of Tankathon’s lottery simulator and average out both picks, if the Pistons were to acquire the Suns’.

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In this simulation, the Suns pick remained relatively unchanged with an average draft position of 11.2, dropping to 12 twice. But the Pistons pick reached as high as third, however also dropped down to eighth six times and ninth another time. Detroit’s pick had an average draft position of 7.2.

Tankathon’s mock draft is fairly similar to the day prior. Detroit would have its pick of Onyeka Okongwu, R.J. Hampton, Nico Mannion and Jaden McDaniels, among others. Then at 11, Deni Avdija, Tyrese Maxey, Obi Toppin, Isaac Okoro, Josh Green and Vernon Carey Jr. would all be prospects in play.

Tuesday’s games are light on the NBA schedule with four. Notably, the Hornets visit Houston (31-18) and the Pelicans (20-30) host Milwaukee (42-7).