The Detroit Pistons currently have the third-worst record in the NBA, which gives them a 14 percent chance of landing the number one pick in the NBA Draft.
This is what all the bad teams are hoping for. Getting lucky in the lottery is the best way to rebuild, as teams can hand pick the guy they want from every player available.
But they can also trade the pick, which would certainly be an option for the Detroit Pistons if the lottery balls finally fell in their favor.
A lot of fans would recoil at such an idea, especially considering there are guys like Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley who look like franchise players.
Why not just grab one of them and got for it? There is certainly a case for just taking Cunningham, pairing him with Killian Hayes and moving forward with the backcourt of the future.
The same could be said of Mobley, who could be a perfect fit in Detroit.
But what if Troy Weaver doesn’t think either one of them is the best player in this draft? Would he consider trading the number one pick?
There are definitely pros and cons to doing so.
Detroit Pistons: Number one picks are hit and miss
Before we get into the pros and cons, it’s important to note that number one picks in the NBA Draft are far from sure things.
For every Zion Williamson there is a Markelle Fultz. For every Ben Simmons there is an Andrew Wiggins or Anthony Bennett.
You might get Anthony Davis or you might get Greg Oden, there are no certainties in the draft.
The best player in the draft is often not taken first, so the Detroit Pistons wouldn’t necessarily be giving up on getting a superstar from this draft just because he is not the first pick.
Let’s look at some pros and cons of trading down in the NBA Draft.
Detroit Pistons: Pros and Cons of trading down in the NBA Draft
Pro: If the Detroit Pistons were to trade the number one pick, they would almost certainly only do so if they were offered a massive haul in return. Let’s say the team with the number two or three pick REALLY wanted Cade Cunningham, the Pistons might be able to pick up 2-3 extra first-round picks for moving down.
Troy Weaver had one of the best drafts in franchise history last season, grabbing Killian Hayes, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart and Saben Lee, all who look like locks to be a part of the future core.
The man has an eye for talent and might be able to get the guy he wants and pick up a few extra picks along the way. What if the Pistons could get three quality players in this draft instead of just one?
What if Weaver thinks someone like Jalen Green or Jalen Suggs will be the best player in the draft? Could he pick up a load of assets and get the guy he wants anyway? These are fair questions.
Con: Do you really want to be the team that passed up a generational superstar for the chance at more draft picks? If the Pistons traded the chance to draft Cade Cunningham and he ends up becoming the next superstar of the league, it’s a move they could regret for a decade. Even if the players they got in return were very good, if Cunningham is better they will always have that hanging over them. Imagine if the Cavaliers had traded the chance to draft LeBron James and instead traded the pick for Dwyane Wade and three extra first-round draft picks. Even though Wade is a Hall-of-Famer himself, the Cavs would forever be known as the team that passed on LeBron. Cunningham is not the sure-fire superstar that LeBron was, but the Pistons don’t want to be that team.
If Troy Weaver were to trade that pick, he had better hope he’s right or it will be the thing that goes on his tombstone.
Detroit Pistons: Pros and Cons of trading the number one pick
Pro: Number one picks are put under a microscope in ways that no other player in the draft is. This can be a lot of pressure to put on a young player, especially one that is expected to pull a losing franchise out of the ashes. Any player who is going to be “that” guy should relish the pressure but not all guys do. People don’t put the same unrealistic expectations on the 3rd pick in the draft, so if the Pistons can get their guy and remove some of that external pressure, they are better setting that player up to succeed.
They also get out of the salary slot commanded by the first overall pick, which is currently around $10 million a year. This probably wouldn’t be a motivating factor but if the Detroit Pistons can get the best player, add future assets and retain more cap? They’d be crazy not to.
Con: The question is whether the Pistons really need more picks. You can only have so many young guys on the team at once, so grabbing a couple of extra picks might not be as appealing when you already have so many guys under 25 on the team.
The Pistons already have four rookies this season plus second year player Sekou Doumbouya. Add Hamidou Diallo, Frank Jackson and Tyler Cook and a whole lot of the Pistons roster would be guys who are 23 or younger.
That’s fine if the Pistons don’t mind their rebuild taking a little longer but if they want to win soon, adding more teenagers probably won’t help.
The Pistons might be better off just taking the guy they want with their pick and saving those roster spots for older players who are ready to contribute right away.
Detroit Pistons: Pros and Cons of moving down in the draft
Pro: While adding three more teenagers to the roster right slow the rebuild, the Pistons could actually use those picks to speed it up.
Let’s say the Pistons were to pick up 2-3 extra first-round picks by trading down. They could then use those picks to potentially get a young player who has already shown he can play. They could target a rebuilding team with a good player and try to get that guy using the extra picks as bait.
Troy Weaver has an eye for talent and knows what he wants and may be able to turn draft picks into productive players who he knows fit the mold.
Con: The Detroit Pistons have had next to zero luck in the draft lottery. In fact, they have never moved up once with their own pick. Can they really afford to waste the one opportunity they might get to take he best overall player in a loaded draft? Yes, you can argue that two players are better than one, or that the Pistons could get more overall value by trading down, but there is also something to be said for finally get THE guy, for putting a stamp on your rebuild with the player you think will be the next superstar in the league.
It’s actually a lot more complicated than people would have you think and brings in a wide-range of ways to measure value and impact. Are two stars better than one superstar? Is collecting draft assets the best way to rebuild?
It’s a problem the Detroit Pistons hope they have, as getting the number one pick gives them all the options.