PistonPowered
Fansided

Detroit Pistons: 5 best options for pick No. 1

By Stuart London

Cade Cunningham should be the primary draft target for the Detroit Pistons (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Cade Cunningham should be the primary draft target for the Detroit Pistons (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 6
Next
Cade Cunningham Detroit Pistons
Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Cade Cunningham (2).Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 1 option: Cade Cunningham to Detroit Pistons

Sometimes the obvious choice is obvious for a reason.

Cade Cunningham is the consensus No.1 player in the draft, the Detroit Pistons have the No. 1 pick in the draft. Easy peasy.

Cunningham is the most hyped draft prospect since Zion Williamson. He is 6-foot-8, 220-pounds and can do … everything.

Now, Pistons GM Troy Weaver has said there are no LeBron James or Michael Jordan-level players in this draft, so Detroit fans need to be realistic in their expectations.

Cunningham is special because he checks off every box. He might not be great at every facet of the game, but he is good at them all, at the very least. He can play anywhere from point guard to power forward.

Cunningham is also a high character individual, very important to the Pistons.

light. Related Story. Detroit Pistons: How Cade Cunningham would fit with Killian Hayes

Jalen Green has the advantage over Cunningham in terms of pure athleticism and fit with the current Pistons roster.

Of course, Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum have done pretty well without being incredible athletes, two players Cunningham has been compared to.

And the current Pistons roster will most likely be very different than in a few years. Detroit will have lots of salary cap space following the 2021-22 season to be a major player in free agency.

Importantly, Cunningham wants to be here. After the draft, Cunningham’s camp let it be known he will only work out for one team: the Pistons.

As has been shown many times, Detroit GM Troy Weaver does not go along with the crowd.

He has said he will work out five players (most likely Cunningham, Mobley, Suggs, Green and either Scottie Barnes or Jonathan Kuminga) and make his decision.

The workouts loom large.

Back in 2018, presumptive No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz had a terrible workout with the Boston Celtics, who held the first draft spot at the time. Celtics GM Danny Ainge decided to trade down and got Jayson Tatum at No. 3, while the 76ers celebrated getting Fultz at No. 1. Google it to see how that turned out.

This is not an election where everyone gets a vote. Troy Weaver, with some guidance from coach Dwane Casey, is the only vote that counts.

If he likes another player better than Cunningham, he will draft him. If Detroit gets some incredible offer for No. 1, he will take it. Bowing to public opinion has not been his style.

However, the betting here is, literally, that Weaver will go with Cunningham and make him the No. 1 pick in the draft.

Next. Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham highlights show how he’ll be a superstar. dark

There are five viable options for the Detroit Pistons with the No.1 pick.

Do the option No. 1 with the No. 1 pick, and take Cade Cunningham.

Odds of occurring: 2/5