The Detroit Pistons have seven players under-25 who could end up being part of the long-term plans of the franchise.
This is the youngest the Pistons have been in a long time and once they move on from Derrick Rose and possibly even Blake Griffin, they are going to be even younger.
Detroit has a mixture of guys who Troy Weaver drafted and those who were leftover from the previous regime.
Some look like keepers with potential while others are hard to gauge.
When we talk about ceilings and floors we are basically giving best and worst-case scenarios for players based on what we’ve seen so far.
Let’s take a look at each young player for the Detroit Pistons. What’s is their ceiling? How about the floor?
Detroit Pistons: Floor and ceiling for Isaiah Stewart
Ceiling: Starting quality center that is tailor-made for the modern game
Floor: Impact bench defender
Isaiah Stewart has already endeared himself to Pistons’ fans through his fearless attitude and tough play, but I’ve written that he could end up being an ideal modern center.
He has already shown himself to be a rebounding force and has held his own against a variety of offensive players.
Teams are looking for centers who can switch onto perimeter players and Stewart looks like one of them.
Stewart may not end up being a star, but if his offensive game improves, he could be an impact starting center well-suited for the positionless era.
At the very least he will be an impact defender and rebounder off the bench.
Detroit Pistons: Floor and ceiling for Saben Lee
Ceiling: Quality backup point-guard
Floor: Career in the G-leauge
Saben Lee has flashed some ability in the small amount of playing time he’s gotten. He can get into the lane and has good vision in traffic. He’s not going to be a star, but he could be a quality backup point guard and is worth a look.
Detroit Pistons: Floor and ceiling for Svi Mykhailiuk
Ceiling: Starting two-guard who hits 40 percent from 3-point range
Floor: Fringe bench scorer
Mykhailiuk has shown the ability to shoot the 3-point shot, which is a valuable skill but he still hasn’t carved out a consistent role for himself.
He also has plus-size for the position and there are times when he looks like a poor man’s Klay Thompson. But other times he misses shots and doesn’t contribute much else, so Svi is hard to gauge.
Hopefully, he’ll get more minutes so the Detroit Pistons can get a better understanding of where he fits.
Detroit Pistons: Floor and ceiling for Killian Hayes
Ceiling: Star point guard
Floor: Bust
Unfortunately, we haven’t seen nearly enough of Killian Hayes to get a feel for what he can be, and now he is out for the season with a serious injury that could affect him long-term.
That makes Hayes the most difficult to judge. He has the size and skill set to be a star in the NBA, but if his shot never comes around or he never fully recovers from his hip injury, then he still has bust potential.
It’s too early to tell and not much has changed about that since the Pistons’ drafted him. We didn’t really know what the Pistons had then and we still don’t.
Detroit Pistons: Floor and ceiling for Josh Jackson
Ceiling: Starting small forward or two-guard on a good team
Floor: Quality bench depth
People seem to forget that Jackson is only 23-years old but he still has to be considered part of this young group.
Jackson is technically listed as a shooting guard but has the size of a wing and will probably play both. He has shown signs of being the guy who was drafted 4th overall by the Suns, but he has also been inconsistent.
Things have perked up the last few games and Jackson looks to be regaining his form after struggling with a minor injury.
At best Jackson could be a starter on a good team, a guy who can defend multiple spots and score from the perimeter. At worst he now looks like a solid role player, which couldn’t be said before this season.
Detroit Pistons: Floor and ceiling for Saddiq Bey
Ceiling: 3-and-D wing starter who shoots over 40 percent and defends
Floor: 3-and-D wing starter who shoots over 40 percent and defends
To me, Saddiq Bey was one of the safest bets in last year’s draft. The reason his floor and ceiling are the same is that he has already shown that he can do the things he was advertised to be able to do.
He can shoot the 3-point shot, defend multiple positions and has a high motor. He has plus size as a two-guard or wing and it’s hard to see a scenario where he is not an impact contributor.
That being said, he lacks the elite athleticism and offensive game to be a star but Bey will be a solid contributor and a player that can be part of the Pistons’ core.
Detroit Pistons: Floor and ceiling for Sekou Doumbouya
Ceiling: Star wing
Floor: Bust
Yep, we’re still here with Sekou Doumbouya, who has flashed some intriguing skills but still isn’t getting consistent playing time.
Keep in mind that he is only 20, so he is the third-youngest player on this list. If you are going to extend patience to Bey, Stewart and Hayes then you have to do it for Doumbouya, who came into the league as a raw prospect in need of practice.
But I’ve not seen anything from Doumbouya that looks like a guarantee, as he hasn’t done any one thing particularly well yet or really shown what he can be.
Does he have star potential? Yes.
Could he still be a bust? Absolutely.
My fear is that the Detroit Pistons will give up on him before he gets good, something they have a rich history of doing.
At the very least the Pistons finally have a big group of young players competing for spots. They look like they have some sure-fire players in Stewart, Jackson and Bey, and high-end prospects in Hayes and Doumbouya.
Things are finally looking up.