Detroit Pistons NBA Draft: Could Troy Weaver make a surprise top-5 pick?

We have learned a couple of things about Detroit Pistons’ GM Troy Weaver this season.

The first is that he has an eye for talent and the second is that he is not afraid to pull the trigger if he sees a player he likes.

Weaver has been efficiently aggressive in his first season as GM and so far it has paid off, as the Detroit Pistons have managed to find some undervalued talent.

Weaver grabbed Josh Jackson off the scrap heap, which has turned out to be a moderate success, and traded for Hamidou Diallo, who looks like he will be part of the future core.

Weaver hit home runs in his first draft, finding talent outside of the lottery in Isaiah Stewart, Saddiq Bey and Killian Hayes, but this season he will be choosing in the top six, so it should be even easier for him to get his guy.

But who that guy might be is still a mystery.

Detroit Pistons: The top-5 of the NBA Draft

This season, a narrative has emerged around the 2021 NBA Draft that there is a consensus top five that is a tier above the rest.

Most draft boards have Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs, Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga as their top five in some order.

Are we sure Troy Weaver feels the same way? He recently said that “I don’t see any Shaq’s or Lebrons” in this draft and he’s not looking for any one player to save the franchise.

In other words, the consensus that we are all sure exists may not, and Weaver could have his eye on someone outside of that consensus top five, especially if the Pistons were to drop to the fourth or fifth pick.

If the Pistons land in the top-2, I fully expect Cunningham or Mobley to be the pick, but outside of that? It could be someone else.

James Bouknight is one name I’ve been hearing a lot lately, but would Troy Weaver reach and take him in the top five?