Troy Weaver’s First Tough Decision: Who the Detroit Pistons should draft

The case for staying at No. 7

The simplest and most likely outcome is that the Pistons will draft at pick 7. The Pistons have yet to make a decision on which direction they intend on going, contending or rebuilding. Dwyane Casey and Troy Weaver have both called the current state we are in as a “retooling.”

This means, to me, that they don’t know which direction they are going. A player that would likely be there at pick 7 and is a bit win now and long-term play would be the fan-favorite, Kilian Hayes.

Hayes won the U-16 MVP for FIBA, and he’s already playing against grown men as a boy so the jump to the NBA might not be as tough for him as it traditionally is for players. Additionally, as we already know, Kilian and Sekou are good friends so that would help a lot with their chemistry on the court and helping the two French teens adapt to life in America and the Motor City.

Staying at pick 7 could be the route to go as outside of the top 3 players, (Wiseman, Ball, Edwards) there’s a second tier of players (Avdija, Toppin, Haliburton, Hayes, Okongwu) and doing the math there, in at least three of those five will be available to choose from at pick seven and I would be happy with any of those players becoming Pistons.

Toppin would be a great steal at pick seven as would Avdija so if they’re there, make it happen Troy.

In conclusion, I would love the Pistons to take a risk and try and get their hands on LaMelo Ball at pick 2 first and foremost, if that were to not be an option, look to draft Kilian Hayes at pick 7.

If Kilian is off the board and Onyeka is still available, then you draft Onyeka 100%. You do this for two reasons, either hold him for ransom with the Celtics for their three first round picks or “worst case scenario” keep Onyeka on the roster. The Pistons could get weird and have a lineup of Rose, Mykhailiuk, Griffin, Okongwu, Wood.