4. Detroit Pistons: His name is Luka, get to know him
The Pistons drafted the consensus top player in College Basketball, and, no, we are not talking about Cade Cunningham.
Luka Garza is a 6-foot-11 center and well known to Big 10 fans, as he terrorized Michigan and Michigan State in a four-year career at Iowa. He was the Big 10 Conference Player of the Year and also scooped up pretty much every national college player award.
Despite all the accolades, the Pistons were able to draft Garza with the No. 52 pick. That is eight slots away from the end of the draft. A lot of NBA scouts simply think his game does not translate to the NBA.
One of the criticisms of Garza’s game is that he scored most of his points in college close to the basket. As his father, Frank Garza, has shown in frequent videos, Luka should arrive in Vegas ready to knock down threes.
Dear #313, Opposite side + ❤💙🦚 #DetroitUp@LovelymarisaT@woodwardsports@BallySportsDET@detroitbadboys@detnewsRodBeard @BradGalli@PistonPowered @omarisankofa@NicolasHenkel @Pistons__Talk@KrispyFlakes2k @EliBashiNBA @DuncanSmithNBA
— Frank Garza.eth (@frankgarza57) August 5, 2021
@KuKhahilNBA @MotorCityHoops@RJ_Hunt36 pic.twitter.com/nUHnAvyZL3
Garza says he has lost 30 pounds to deal with the other negative critics have of his game, that he will not be quick enough on the defensive end.
With Stewart out, there should be plenty of time for Garza to show his outside shooting prowess and how he can handle things on the defensive end.
3. Balsa will also hit the wood in Vegas
With 17 players listed, it is hard to believe that the Detroit Pistons will be adding another player to its roster. But they will.
Balša Koprivica, a 7-foot-1 center out of Florida State, was officially drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the No. 57 pick and is being sent to Detroit as part of the Mason Plumlee trade.
Unfortunately, due to being part of a trade, Koprivica has not been able to participate in Pistons summer league practices so far. Until the NBA league office approves the trade (which Detroit hopes will happen soon), Koprivica is kind of in limbo.
The deal is expected to go through by the Pistons opener on August 8 against Oklahoma City. So look for Koprivica to be in uniform for Detroit. How much action he will see, having missed so much practice, will be determined.
There certainly will be a curiosity element for Pistons fans seeing Koprivica. While most basketball fans are familiar with the other two Pistons draft picks, Livers and Garza, Koprivica is pretty much an unknown.
He is familiar with Cade Cunningham, however. The two played a year of high school ball together at Montverde Academy in Florida.
Like with Garza, Isaiah Stewart not playing opens up playing time for Koprivica at the center position.