The Detroit Pistons are likely sellers as the trade deadline nears and could obtain additional draft capital. Here’s a look at their 2020 NBA Draft odds.
The Detroit Pistons are likely sellers over the next 24 hours as the trade deadline nears, and then the focus will be on building for 2020-21.
The 2020 NBA Draft will be a big part of that, and the Pistons are currently seventh in the Tankathon standings, which the No. 1 seed is the best odds for the top pick. There were only a pair of games that impacted those standings on Tuesday.
Charlotte dropped its fourth-straight game and is now 1.5 games ahead of the Pistons. The Pelicans also lost, moving a half-game ahead of the Phoenix Suns for 11th.
Detroit (18-34) hosts the team from the desert (20-30) on Wednesday, which is interesting on several levels. One is that on Monday the two teams were “gaining traction” on a trade centered around Luke Kennard and the Suns’ pick. Both teams have lengthy injury reports — including Kennard who is expected to miss his 23rd straight game with knee tendinitis. The Pistons could get a good look at Jevon Carter and Elie Okobo, both mentioned in trade talks.
In the hours leading up to the trade deadline, a four-team blockbuster has likely unlocked the rest of the trade market as teams re-evaluate what they’re looking for and how they’re affected. More on that here.
The Daily Tank
Once again, we’ll simulate 10 results from the Tankathon lottery, resetting each time, and will include the Suns pick since it is on the table in trade talks.
Wednesday’s simulations were all over the place, which hasn’t been customary since tipping-off this column in February. Detroit’s pick averaged out at 6.3, which is a slot ahead of where its scheduled. The Pistons finished second twice, fourth once, eighth four times and ninth once. Twice it resulted in seventh.
There’s a lot more variance with the Pistons pick with 32% odds at a top-4 pick and a 7.5% chance at the top pick.
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Phoenix’s pick, on the other hand, only moved from 12th twice. Both times it slipped to 13, averaging out at an average draft position of 12.2. If the Pistons were to obtain the Suns pick, they would know exactly what they’d be getting.
Wednesday has a nine game slate with six projected lottery teams playing — including the Suns and Pistons. Atlanta (13-38) and Minnesota (15-34) meet in a battle of a team tied for second and fifth in the standings, respectively. The Timberwolves are on a 12-game losing streak and have lost 19 straight games with Karl-Anthony Towns playing, which dates back to before Thanksgiving.
Golden State (12-39) has won two straight games but visits the Brooklyn Nets, slated seventh in the East. Cleveland (13-38) visits Oklahoma City, currently sits seventh in the West.
It’ll be an interesting 24 hours with the slate of games and the NBA’s trade deadline.