The Detroit Pistons will have a top-6 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft but one prospect you rarely hear mentioned is the G-League’s Jonathan Kuminga.
Kuminga is a consensus top-five guy on most big boards and even though he is a raw prospect, he has the skillset to be a dominate modern wing.
The NBA game has shifted to the perimeter in recent years, so getting versatile and athletic wings who can defend and shoot is a priority for every team.
The Pistons already have a couple of these guys in Jerami Grant and Saddiq Bey and hope to re-sign Hamidou Diallo, all of who profile as the types of wings teams are building around.
The Pistons have a number of priorities in the draft, but the main one is to get the best player they can with each pick regardless of fit.
Is Kuminga flying under their radar?
Detroit Pistons: 2021 NBA Draft is crucial
Every Pistons’ fan knows that the 2021 NBA Draft is going to be one of the most important in team history.
With four promising rookies already on the roster, the Pistons have one of the best young cores in the Eastern Conference and can set themselves up for sustained success by adding another impact talent in this year’s draft.
That is why most fans would prefer the Pistons draft a player like Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley or Jalen Suggs, who are all considered to be “sure things” as NBA talent with superstar potential.
Kuminga is considered more of a risk but has as much upside as anyone in the top-five and could end up being the best wing in this draft.
Detroit Pistons draft picks: NBA Draft prospect Jonathan Kuminga
When it comes to Jonathan Kuminga, his biggest strength and weakness might be the same thing.
Kuminga will be only 18 years old at the time of the draft, so he is one of the youngest players and a very raw prospect who might take a few years to make an impact in the NBA.
The flip side to that is that Kuminga has already played a year in the G-League, where he showed that he can compete and succeed against NBA-level talent and grown adults and HE IS ONLY 18 YEARS OLD!
Very few players this age come into the league with a year of professional experience, so although Kuminga is raw, he is actually ahead of the curve for his age.
He has plus size for a small forward at 6-foot-8, 210 lbs. and he may not even be done growing yet and will certainly put on more strength.
He is an elite athlete who can jump out of the gym and averaged 15.8 points and 7.2 rebounds in his first season in the G-League.
He has the skills and size to be an elite wing defender, which is something that every team needs.
His issues all revolve around shooting and offensive skill, as Kuminga shot just 38 percent in the G-League and a god-awful 24 percent from long range on five attempts per game.
These numbers don’t inspire hope that he will eventually be at least a league-average 3-point shooter, but if he can, Kuminga will end up being the best wing in this draft as he projects to be good at just about everything else.
The hope is that he becomes the next Kawhi Leonard but the fear is that he’ll be the next Stanley Johnson. So how would he fit on the Detroit Pistons?
Detroit Pistons draft picks: NBA Draft prospect Jonathan Kuminga
If the Pistons were to draft Kuminga it would likely be because they fell to the 5th or 6th pick, as I can’t see them reaching for him over guys like Suggs, Jalen Green or Evan Mobley.
It would also be a sign the rebuild is going to take awhile, as Kuminga will take a few years to develop the skill and nuance he needs to succeed as a small forward in the NBA.
This might not be the worst thing, as Kuminga will hopefully be good right about the time Jerami Grant’s contract is up, allowing the Pistons to move Grant at some point and reap the rewards.
Teams really can’t have enough versatile wings who can defend, so Kuminga fits in no matter who they end up keeping. If you look at the playoffs this season, having big wings who can defend is one of the most important assets for a contending team.
The Pistons already have a raw prospect in Sekou Doumbouya, so may be loathe to add another guy who is has a similar skill set, but Kuminga is far more athletic than Doumbouya and the two could play together in the future, giving the Pistons a big set of forwards who should be able to defend and run the floor.
Kuminga seems to be flying under the radar and I could see him dropping in the draft, which may be a mistake, as he has the type of raw skills to become a dominant wing.