Detroit Pistons draft picks: Redrafting the 2000’s for the Pistons
Detroit Pistons: Redoing the NBA Draft of the 2000’s
2008: Detroit took DJ White but should have taken Nikola Peković
Yes, I know, Mario Chalmers and DeAndre Jordan are still on the board, why take Peković? The Pistons had Billups still and eventually tried to have Allen Iverson in the lineup, so Chalmers would not have been a good fit at all. DeAndre Jordan was not a good player until he was paired with Chris Paul, and Detroit did not have a point guard anywhere as good as Paul during Jordan’s peak. So Peković makes the most sense. He was a bigger and stronger center than DJ White and was actually a serviceable center until injuries cut his career short, but White never was even that. Also, White never even suited up for Detroit.
2009: Detroit took Austin Daye but should have taken Jrue Holiday
One is an All-Star, and one never started more than 30 games. One is one of the best defensive guards in the league and is still improving, and one is out of the league. In 2009 Detroit could have used a good point guard, especially a scrappy one like Holiday. This is an easy pick.
2010: Detroit took Greg Monroe but should have taken Paul George
Greg Monroe was not a bad pick at all. In Detroit, he was a good player and almost or did average a double-double in all five of his seasons in Detroit. Paul George just had a much, much better career. A seven-time All-Star, George has outplayed Monroe his entire career. Hindsight is rough though because up until 2014 Monroe was better or just as good. Gordon Hayward was still available too, and after his run with Butler, he probably would have been a very popular pick. But now Monroe is out of the league and Paul is one of the top wings in the game, so this one hurts.
2011: Detroit took Brandon Knight and should have taken almost anyone else
Until 2013, it looked like Knight would be the second-best player from this draft behind Kyrie Irving. Since, then, the 2011 draft class has proven to be one of the best classes in recent years. Detroit picked Knight at eight and missed Kemba Walker, who would have played the same position as Knight just at a much, much high level. Still on the board was Klay Thompson, both Morris twins, Kawhi Leonard Nikola Vučević, Tobias Harris, Jimmy Butler, and Isaiah Thomas. Considering Detroit was in need of a guard, Walker makes the most sense, but if they took a swing at any of the other talents, the pick would have been just as good. This one set the team back, as they could have had an All-Star.