The Detroit Pistons stockpiled second-round draft picks in the recent trade of Sekou Doumbouya and Jahlil Okafor.
Detroit grabbed four picks and some cash from the Nets in exchange for the two players and taking on DeAndre Jordan’s salary, which they quickly bought out.
There has been debate whether this return was enough for Sekou Doumbouya, who hasn’t shown much yet but is just 20-years-old and was taken in the first round of the draft just two years ago.
Some fans may have overvalued Doumbouya, but Troy Weaver certainly didn’t, as he must believe he can find a superior talent with one of those second-round picks.
Weaver has done well in the draft so far, nailing the Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart picks and looking like he found second-round talent in Saben Lee and possibly Luka Garza and Isaiah Livers.
But will these second rounders eventually pan out? It’s tough to say, but the Detroit Pistons do have a history of finding talent in the latter part of the draft.
Detroit Pistons: Top second-round draft picks of all time
#7-Jonas Jerebko (2009)
The fact that Jerebko is on this list shows that second-round gems are not always easy to find. Jerebko flashed some potential with the Pistons in his rookie season before getting hurt and having to miss year two.
He was a 6-foot-10 forward who could shoot, a guy who might go higher in a modern draft than he did then, as he had several seasons where he shot over 40 percent from 3-point range.
You have to wonder what his career might have been like if he had not blown out his Achilles early on, but Jerebko was a decent rotation player for many years, which is really what you are looking for in the second round.
Detroit Pistons: Best 2nd-round draft picks #6-4
#6- Bruce Brown (2018)
Bruce Brown only played two seasons in Detroit but he quickly became a fan-favorite due to his defense, hustle and energy.
I was actually surprised that Troy Weaver traded him, as he seems to fit the mold of the players he’s been trying to acquire as a guy with a huge wingspan who can defend multiple positions.
Brown was a key part of the Nets’ playoff run last season and looks like he’ll be a solid role player for years to come.
#5- Amir Johnson (2005)
Amir Johnson played four seasons with the Detroit Pistons after they drafted him when he was just 18-years-old. He was a prolific shot blocker in his career, but never really put it all together for Detroit.
Johnson was the prototypical shot blocker and rim runner and carved out a nice career for himself without having much of an offensive game. In his best season he averaged 10 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game.
Johnson was never spectacular but he was a solid big in the NBA for 14 seasons.
#4- Spencer Dinwiddie (2014)
Spencer Dinwiddie kicks off the “Guys the Detroit Pistons gave up on too soon” portion of the list. Dinwiddie was an absolute failure of development and talent recognition for the Detroit Pistons, who played Steve Blake over him in 2015 before shipping him out for the mighty Cameron Bairstow, who is no longer in the league.
Dinwiddie went on to blow up in Brooklyn with an expanded role and averaged over 20 points per game before getting injured and missing last season.
He just signed a 3 year deal with the Wizards and hopes to get back to form.
Detroit Pistons: Best 2nd-round draft picks #3-1
#3- Mehmet Okur (2001)
The Pistons drafted the Turkish Hammer in 2001 but he didn’t play in the NBA until the following season because of contractual obligations in his home country.
Okur only played two seasons in Detroit, but he did help the team win a title 2004 as a key part of the bench before being a salary cap casualty who ended up in Utah.
The Pistons may have regretted letting him go, as he strung together six really good seasons for the Jazz, landing on the All-Star team in one of them. Okur had a season where he averaged over 18 points and 9 rebounds, so he was much better than some people remember.
#2- Khris Middleton (2012)
Middleton probably goes down as the Pistons’ biggest mistake in the modern era.
After playing sparingly in his rookie season, the Detroit Pistons shipped Middleton to Milwaukee as a side piece with Brandon Knight to get Brandon Jennings. I am trying to resist the urge to curse right now. %$£&!!
Middleton went on to become two-time All-Star for the Bucks and one of the deadliest 3-point shooters the league, in other words, exactly what the Pistons were missing in the years between inexplicably trading him and drafting Saddiq Bey.
Middleton is now one of the best two-way wings in the league and talking about him is making me ill.
#1- Dennis Rodman (1986)
Dennis Rodman was part of one of the Pistons’ best drafts, selected in the 2nd round after Detroit had already secured John Salley.
Rodman was one of the catalysts of the Bad Boys era, a two-time All Star for Detroit who also led the league in rebounds his final two years for the Pistons on his way to doing it seven times in a row.
Rodman was one of the best defenders in the history of the NBA, a guy who leapt like an antelope and could literally guard everyone in the league from Spud Webb to Shaquille O’Neal.
Rodman went on to win five rings total and was part of some of the best teams in NBA history, which is how the Worm ended up in the top spot on this list.
Can Troy Weaver find another gem with one of those second-round picks he got for Doumbouya? Let’s hope this list is soon expanded.