NBA Draft: How can the Detroit Pistons get the No. 1 pick
The Detroit Pistons currently have the seventh pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Since most experts see it as a weak year, the Pistons might be better off moving up to the No. 1 selection for more of a sure thing. What would the price be?
On November 18 the basketball world will be focused on the NBA Draft. Most of the speculation will be on the identity of the No. 1 overall pick.
The Detroit Pistons could be the ones everyone would be speculating about.
After the Draft Lottery, the Pistons were awarded the No. 7 pick in the draft (they have no second-rounders as of yet).
Looking at history, the No. 7 pick can get you a very good player (Stephen Curry in 2009) but sometimes it can be a waste (Emannuel Mudiay in 2015). The last time the Pistons picked at No. 7 was 2010, when they selected center Greg Monroe.
He had some good years with Detroit before leaving in free agency although his career took a downturn soon afterward.
This year’s draft is not suppose to be a strong one. There are no budding superstars who would make an immediate impact on a franchise like a LeBron James, Zion Williamson or Blake Griffin.
The Pistons can use that to their advantage. If there is no clear-cut super-hyped player that hometown fans have been made to salivate getting for months, the more a team high up in the draft would be willing to wheel and deal.
Losing out on James Wiseman or LaMelo Ball does not bring out the same passion in fans as losing out on, say, a Luka Doncic.
Related Story. Troy Weaver’s First Tough Decision: Who the Pistons should draft. light
Most mock drafts have no more than five players with the quality to be the No. 1 overall pick: Guards Anthony Edwards and Ball, center Wiseman and forwards Obi Toppin and Deni Avdija.
In a five-deep draft, being No. 7 is not a good thing. Unless Troy Weaver is being replaced by old tanking expert Sam Hinkie as general manager, one would hope the Pistons are not planning on another terrible season and thus another high draft choice.
So the time to strike for Detroit is now. One never knows when they will have a draft pick this high again.
The question then becomes; how far can the Pistons move up and what would it take to do so?