The Detroit Pistons hold the second-best odds in the 2021 NBA Draft Lottery. That placement gives Detroit a three-way tie with the Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic for best odds to land the number one pick. It also means the Pistons can fall no lower than sixth overall after the lottery.
Detroit obviously would like to move up in the lottery and select Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham with the first overall pick, but moving up in the lottery is far from a guarantee.
If they do not end up landing the number one pick in the NBA Draft, Detroit’s front office hopes that they can at least stay within the top three selections. Cunningham might be the consensus number one selection in this year’s draft class, but there are two other prospects the Pistons have their eyes on in the top three.
Pistons draft picks: Evan Mobley and Jalen Green
USC’s Evan Mobley and G-Leaguer Jalen Green have both been linked to Detroit if the team were to select at either the second or third overall pick. While Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs is also a great prospect in this year’s draft, reports indicate Detroit does not hold Suggs in the same regard as Mobley or Green.
Mobley, the 7-0 center for the Trojans, and Green, the 6-6 shooting guard for the Ignite, would both make a great addition to Detroit’s roster in their own way.
Mobley has the potential to be the league’s next “unicorn”-type player with great defensive potential as well. Green is a natural scorer who would pair nicely with power forward Jerami Grant to make a one-two punch for the Pistons offensively.
In this hypothetical, the lottery ends with Detroit staying put at the number two overall pick, and the team now has to decide between Mobley and Green.
Here is the case for and against each player to be Detroit’s draft selection, and who they should ultimately select if they stick at pick number two.