The Detroit Pistons are ranked just 20th in 3-point percentage this season and would love to add some more shooting.
The Pistons are definitely building around a certain type of player right now, namely guys who are athletic and versatile defensively.
This is a smart plan, as all of the best teams in the NBA are also near the top of the defensive rankings. The fastback to being good is to first be a top-ten defense and then worry about the offense.
The Pistons could be there as soon as next year, as they are middle of the pack now and have played much better since benching then jettisoning Blake Griffin to the Nets.
But eventually you have to score to win and the Pistons have just the 24th ranked offense in the NBA.
The Pistons’ defense is pretty good and getting better, but their offense pretty much stinks, partially because they don’t have enough shooting. Luckily shooters aren’t that hard to find.
The Pistons have three picks in the second round that would currently be #38, 48 and 53, which they could package to move up or use to try and find the shooting they need.
Here are five shooters that the Detroit Pistons might be able to get in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft.
Detroit Pistons draft picks: Joe Wieskamp
Joe Wieskamp is a junior out of Iowa who is projected to be one of the best shooters in this draft. He has good size at 6-foot-6, 212 lbs. and can stroke it from behind the arc.
Wieskamp had a bad sophomore season but bounced back this year, hitting over 46 percent from long range on 5.1 attempts per game, numbers that should translate to the next level.
Wieskamp has not yet declared for the NBA Draft but if he does, he will definitely get some interest, as he is not only accurate but has shown that he can hit them from NBA range.
He is projected to go somewhere in the middle of the second round, so the Pistons should have a chance at him.
Possible Detroit Pistons draft picks: Matthew Hurt
The Detroit Pistons don’t have to look for a guard or wing who can shoot, as there are a number of big men who can step out and knock them down as well.
Matthew Hurt, power forward from Duke, is one of them.
Hurt is a 6-foot-8 forward who is not much of a defender but he can hit shots from long range.
He shot 44 percent on 5.3 attempts from behind the arc this season for Duke and is projected to go near the top of the second round.
Hurt may be gone before the Pistons choose but he is a guy they might consider moving up to get, as he has an NBA-ready skill and would give them another versatile big man.
Shooters in the 2nd round: Luka Garza
Luke Garza is probably the most controversial prospect in this draft. He was the best player in college basketball this season but doesn’t necessarily have the traits modern NBA teams are looking for.
Some scouts believe he could be the next Nikola Jokic, a skilled center who can handle the ball, pass and step out and hit the 3-point shot.
Others think he is too slow to play in the NBA and that teams are just going to pick-and-roll him to death, as he does not have the lateral quickness to switch onto perimeter players.
One thing is certain, for a big man, Garza can shoot and his future might just be as an off-the-bench stretch five who can present matchup problems and get buckets in short bursts.
Garza shot 44 percent from long range on 3.2 attempts per game for Iowa in his senior season. Regardless of what you think of Garza’s overall ceiling, he should be able to find a spot in the NBA as a shooter as long as his defense doesn’t keep him off the floor.
Possible Pistons draft picks: Chris Duarte
Oregon senior Chris Duarte will be one of the oldest players in this year’s draft at age 24, but is still unlikely to make it out of the first round.
That’s because he is considered one of the best pure shooters in the draft, a guy who hit 42 percent on 5.5 attempts per game as a 6-foot-6 shooting guard.
His accuracy, range and size might get him nabbed in the late first round, so the Pistons would either have to get lucky and have him drop or use their ample second-round capital to move up.
With so many young guys already on the roster, Troy Weaver might decide that targeting one player with all of those picks is the way to go. If so, Duarte could be one of the targets, as he will come into the league with an NBA-ready skill that can help someone right away.
He is also a decent defender, so will definitely be on the Pistons’ radar.
Pistons draft picks: Isaiah Livers
Livers is a guy I have seen mocked to the Detroit Pistons several times, and for good reason, as he checks a lot of boxes for what they need from a second round pick.
Livers has good size for a small forward at 6-foot-7, and is a gritty defender with a high motor, things we know Troy Weaver likes.
Livers can also knock down 3-point shots, as he hit 43 percent on five attempts per game for the Wolverines this season before getting injured.
Given his skills on both side of the ball, he has a little Saddiq Bey energy and would give the Pistons another big small forward who can shoot.
I really like Livers as a sleeper in this draft, especially if he can prove that he is 100 percent healthy. He may end up going undrafted because of the injury, if so, being in the Pistons’ back yard could give Detroit an advantage.