The Pistons and Thunder’s race for the number one pick
The Detroit Pistons and Oklahoma City Thunder are in similar spots as franchises.
Both are rebuilding and playing the long game. Both have some exciting young talent that needs more experience and reps. Both are going to have copious amounts of cap space to make moves over the next few seasons. And both have a chance to add another impact talent in the 2022 NBA Draft.
In fact, it would be easy to argue that they are the two worst teams in the NBA right now, as the Pistons have the worst record in the Eastern Conference and the Thunder are a game ahead of the Pelicans for the worst record in the Western Conference and should be there soon.
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“Tanking” is moot at this point, as neither of these teams have to try to lose, as teams full of 19 and 20-year-olds are never going to win many games in the NBA.
The race for the number one pick in the 2022 NBA Draft is on again and it will be a tight one between the Pistons and the Thunder.
The Pistons and Thunder have similar rosters
I should first mention that having the worst record in the NBA does not guarantee anything, as the Pistons thankfully found out last season when they rode the 2nd-worst record to the number one pick.
The three worst teams all have the same odds, but there is one advantage to having the worst record, which is that the team can’t fall out of the top five.
If you look at these two rosters, there are a lot of similarities. Both have a young star point guard to build around in Cade Cunningham and Josh Giddey. Cunningham has been great lately, as his shot is starting to fall.
Giddey has also been stuffing the stat sheet, but is also struggling with his shot at times.
Both teams also have All-Star level talents in Jerami Grant and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to go with solid role players with upside like Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart, Luguentz Dort and Aleksej Pokusevski.
These two rosters are similar in age and talent level and will undoubtedly be near the bottom of their respective conferences once again. The Pistons and Thunder are selling hope and patience to their fanbases as they race for another impact talent in the draft.