The Detroit Pistons are down bad right now, with the worst record in the NBA and nearly their entire team in health and safety protocols.
It’s ugly and going to get even uglier this season, which has some fans down about the state of the “restoration” which is now in season two.
But the Pistons will have cap space next offseason, and barring a miraculous turnaround, will be choosing in the top five of the 2022 NBA Draft.
Those two things, along with internal improvement from guys like Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart and Killian Hayes, should be enough for the Detroit Pistons to take the next logical step towards contention next season.
I am also going to assume in these scenarios that the Pistons did not trade Jerami Grant.
So who will these two players be? There are a number of combinations, so let’s take a sneak peak at what the Pistons’ roster might look like in the 2022-23 season with the addition of a top draft pick and one big free agent acquisition.
Detroit Pistons NBA Draft and free agents: Possible roster in 2022-23
Draft: Paolo Banchero-Duke
Free agent: Mo Bamba- Orlando Magic
In this scenario, the Detroit Pistons draft forward Paolo Banchero from Duke and steal restricted free agent Mo Bamba from the Orlando Magic.
The Magic already have a young center in Wendell Carter Jr, who is locked up through 2025-26, so Bamba could be the odd man out.
Bamba is a 23-year-old center who would averages nearly a double-double with 2.2 blocks per game, the type of rim protection the Pistons could use. He is also a legit seven-footer, giving the Pistons some size on the interior and pushing Beef Stew to the bench.
Banchero would give the Pistons a boost of athleticism and scoring, and would be great next to Cade Cunningham as foundational pieces.
- Cade Cunningham/Saben Lee
- Killian Hayes/Frank Jackson
- Jerami Grant/Saddiq Bey
- Paolo Banchero/Kelly Olynyk
- Mo Bamba/Isaiah Stewart
This group would be big, athletic and could protect the rim, and the second unit would actually have some talent, as Bey and Stewart get pushed to the bench to go along with Kelly Olynyk and Saben Lee.
I like this group a lot and think they could compete in the Eastern Conference next season.
Detroit Pistons NBA Draft and free agents: Possible roster in 2022-23
Draft: Jaden Ivey- Purdue
Free Agent: Deandre Ayton- Phoenix Suns
In this scenario, the Detroit Pistons draft a shooting guard that can actually shoot (crazy idea!) which is probably the ideal scenario guard-wise, as Cade Cunningham needs a floor spacer and Killian Hayes needs to be on the ball more.
Ivey is more of a prototypical shooting guard who can fill it up from all over the court. He would give the Pistons terrible 3-point shooting a boost, as he hits 44 percent from long range on 4.7 attempts a game and has an effective field goal percentage of 62 percent.
Ayton is the top center on the market and will hopefully be available after the Suns failed to extend him. It’s still possible he’ll stay with the Suns, but they will be up against the cap, so will have to make some difficult choices.
- Cade Cunningham/Killian Hayes/Saben Lee
- Jaden Ivey/Frank Jackson
- Saddiq Bey/Hamidou Diallo
- Jerami Grant/Kelly Olynyk
- Deandre Ayton/Isaiah Stewart
This group should be much improved on both ends, as Ivey would help spread the floor and create more space for Cade to operate, and they’d finally have a pick-and-roll threat with Deandre Ayton, who has been learning from one of the best point guards of all time.
Stewart and Hayes get pushed the bench, bolstering that unit and the Detroit Pistons have a balanced roster.
I like Ivey if the Pistons drop out of the top three, but I think they could do better.
Detroit Pistons NBA Draft and free agents: Possible roster in 2022-23
Draft: Chet Holmgren- Gonzaga
Free Agent: Miles Bridges- Charlotte Hornets
In this scenario, the Detroit Pistons draft unicorn center Chet Holmgren from Gonzaga and steal restricted free agent Miles Bridges from the Hornets.
Few players have raised their stock more this season than Bridges, who is averaging nearly 20 points per game and has made a big leap.
He is still only 23, so he fits the timeline well, and being from Flint, he would get to play in from of his hometown fans. I LOVE Bridges’ energy and think he’d fit right in, though he wouldn’t do too much to improve their 3-point shooting. He did shoot 40 percent last season but is hitting just 31 percent in this one.
Holmgren is the super duper skinny block machine out of Gonzaga who is a seven-footer with guard skills that many think will be the top pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
He would give the Pistons the rim protection they need as well as a pick-and-roll threat with Cade Cunningham.
- Cade Cunningham/Saben Lee
- Killian Hayes/Frank Jackson
- Miles Bridges/Saddiq Bey
- Jerami Grant/Kelly Olynyk
- Chet Holmgren/Isaiah Stewart
This would give the Pistons one of the most versatile rosters in the NBA, as every guy in the starting five can play multiple positions and be used in a number of ways.
I love the defensive possibilities with Grant, Bridges, Cade and Chet all plus defenders at their positions. I also love that you could use Beef Stew, Chet and Olynyk in a number of ways, allowing Detroit to go either big or small depending on matchups.
This roster may need more shooting but otherwise it is a group that I’d go to war with in the East.
Detroit Pistons NBA Draft and free agents: Possible roster in 2022-23
Draft: Jabari Smith- Auburn
Free Agent: Deandre Ayton- Phoenix Suns
Perhaps my favorite duo of the available possibilities is adding Auburn forward Jabari Smith via the draft and nabbing Deandre Ayton from the Suns.
Many think Jabari Smith may end up going number one, as he is putting up impressive numbers at Auburn as a 6-foot-10 forward who is hitting 45 percent from 3-point range this season.
He can rebound, block shots, score from all three levels and would give the Detroit Pistons a ton of lineup possibilities. As a long term fit, I love him with Cade Cunningham and the two could be a deadly pick-and-roll combination on the perimeter with their size and ability to shoot the three-pointer.
Ayton gives the Pistons a real center and a lob threat for Cade Cunningham, while also giving the Pistons some much-needed size. With these two Detroit would go from one of the smallest teams to one of the biggest.
- Cade Cunningham/Saben Lee
- Killian Hayes/Frank Jackson
- Jerami Grant/Saddiq Bey
- Jabari Smith/Kelly Olynyk
- Deandre Ayton/Isaiah Stewart
I really love the idea of drafting a bigger power forward to either replace Jerami Grant if they trade him or push him to small forward if they don’t. This pushes two current starters to the bench, bolstering the Pistons’ overall depth and gives them a big, athletic group that can run, defend and shoot.
This is probably my top choice for the offseason, but there are myriad combinations that could propel the Detroit Pistons out of the cellar.
This year has been somewhat of a disappointment with all of the losses, injuries and illness, but hopefully the Pistons (and the world at large) will be looking a lot better next year.