The Detroit Pistons have the second-worst record in the NBA and there is a good chance they will end up in this spot by the end of the season.
Their recent loss to Orlando didn’t change their lottery odds and the only difference between having the worst record and the second-worst is that the Pistons could drop out of the top-five of the 2022 NBA Draft.
The same was true last season and Detroit still got the number one pick and Cade Cunningham, so for me, wins are more important than any slight change in lottery odds, which probably won’t happen anyway.
Fans of the Detroit Pistons have locked in on the top-3 picks, as they have set themselves apart from the pack and all three would fill a need.
But what happens in the worst-case-scenario where the Pistons drop all the way to the 6th pick? That’s what happened in this spin of the Tankathon lottery simulator.
2022 NBA Mock Draft: Pick #1
I think you can make an argument for any of the top-3 guys to go #1 but Smith has played himself into this top spot by taking his team to a 20-1 record.
Auburn is now number one in the country and Smith has been amazing on both ends. Questions about his defense are going away with every block and steal, and Smith can flat out make shots even draped in defenders.
He is shooting over 40 percent from long range and would be a perfect complement to Cade Cunningham if the Pistons were to get the top pick again.
2022 NBA Mock Draft: Pick #2
Houston gets the second pick again in this simulation and goes with versatile big man Chet Holmgren, who has been on a tear himself.
Holmgren is a seven footer who is shooting 63 percent overall and 45 percent from long range with 3.3 blocks per game.
There are questions about his strength but you can’t deny the skill, nor the fact that he is an absolute game changer at the rim, where he shoots over 70 percent and either blocks or disrupts every shot.
He’s another guy who would be great on the Detroit Pistons, as he would give them the rim protection they lack and would be able to play with or without Isaiah Stewart.
Het would give the Rockets an interesting collection of versatile big men, which seems to be the way the NBA is trending with teams like the Cavaliers going big while everyone else goes small.
NBA Mock Draft: Pick #3
The Spurs jump up five spots in this simulation and would be elated if this actually happened because they could use an infusion of high-end talent.
The Spurs already have collection of good/not great players, so getting a star in the draft will be the quickest way for them to get back to relevance.
Banchero could be that guy, as he can pretty much do everything well and is an elite athlete for his size and position.
He and Smith have similar strengths, though Banchero is a little bigger, a better rebounder, but a worse 3-point shooter, which is why Smith may ultimately go first.
But you can make an argument for Banchero as well, as he has all of the attributes teams are looking for in a modern forward.
2022 NBA Mock Draft: Pick #4
Oh man, would Pacers’ fans be excited about this.
Not only do the Pacers jump up two spots in this simulation but are able to get a player from Purdue in the process.
Ivey is being largely overlooked in what is being called a 3-player draft, but don’t be surprised if he ends up being the best player.
Ivey is an elite athlete who can score from all over the place and shoots 43.8 percent from long range.
He’d be an ideal running mate for Cade Cunningham, as he is a scoring threat off the bounce as well as a spot-up shooter.
He rebounds his position well and is going to be a solid addition to the team that drafts him and will probably contribute right away.
2022 NBA Mock Draft: Pick #5
The Magic get screwed for the second year in a row and drop four spots to the 5th pick. This simulation shows why tanking for the worst record isn’t really worth it, as you can still miss out on the top guys after throwing your season away.
The Magic are loaded with young talent pretty much everywhere, but with so many guards and young bigs, it would be smart for them to take a flyer on a wing.
After the 4th pick is where things get dicey, as you will get drastically different predictions depending on who is picking.
Mathurin is a solid two-way wing who projects as a plus defender and a guy who should be able to knock down 3-point shots at the next level.
Magic fans would be devastated if this happened, as this a deep but top-heavy draft and they are hoping to get another star, but Mathurin should be a decent consolation prize.
2022 NBA Mock Draft: Pick #6, Detroit Pistons get their big man
In this simulation, neither the Pistons nor the Magic are rewarded for their poor records but instead drop four spots to the 5th and 6th picks.
This is the Pistons third horrible season in a row, so dropping out of the top-3 would be disappointing, as they’d love to add another potential superstar to go with Cade Cunningham.
But Duren would fill a big need, as he is a bouncy center with a huge 7-foot-5 wingspan who can catch a lob and block shots, which is something they desperately need.
The Pistons could take a flyer on one of the high-ceiling guards like Jaden Hardy but in the end, Duren fills a need and may have the most potential anyway, as he’ll only be 18 at the time of the draft and has already flashed some NBA-ready skills.
This would be a disappointing result for most Pistons’ fans, but everyone outside of the top-4 has big flaws, and though Duren may not have superstar potential, he has “long, productive career” potential and fills an immediate need.
2022 NBA Mock Draft: Pick #7
The Kings are a hot mess, as they have a ton of talent but can’t seem to translate it into wins. They dropped two spots in this simulation, though there are whispers that they are about to blow things up, so the tank could be on for them soon.
Baldwin Jr. is another one of the big forwards in this draft who stands at 6-foot-10 but is projected more as a perimeter player.
He takes a lot of 3-point shots but is only hitting 31 percent of them, though teams will definitely be intrigued by his combination for size and shooting.
The Kings may need a wing if they trade Harrison Barnes and are already set at guard even if they trade De’Aaron Fox, so a forward with upside makes sense here.
2022 NBA Mock Draft: Pick #8
I think this is a pick the New Orleans Pelicans would trade, as they already have enough young players and need more adult talent around Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.
They are already set at forward with Zion (if he ever comes back), Ingram and Herb Jones, and have a solid center in Jonas Valanciunas. But the Pelicans need help at guard, where third-year man Nickeil Alexander-Walker is still not getting it done and Devonte’ Graham is more of a role player off the ball.
Hardy is one of the most polarizing players in the draft, as he looks like a superstar at times for the Ignite but disappears in others behind some bad habits.
This would be a high risk/high reward pick for the Pelicans, who really need a shooter, but they swing for the fences here and hope Hardy eventually becomes one, as he has the size and athletic ability to do just about everything else well.
2022 NBA Mock Draft: Pick #9
The Trail Blazers are in a tough spot, not good enough to be a real playoff contender but not bad enough to tank.
They also have to decide what they are going to do with the veteran backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, who have clearly peaked as a duo.
If the Blazers end up trading one or both of them, then it makes sense to grab a guard in the draft and TyTy Washington should be one of the better ones.
He’s a tough on-the-ball defender and can shoot the 3-point shot, so he’d fit well as a complement to their veteran backcourt (depending on what they do with Anfernee Simons, who would be a nice addition to the Detroit Pistons) or as part of the backcourt of the future if they do decide to move on from their two star guards.
2022 NBA Mock Draft: Pick #10
First off, I’d like to show some appreciation for the Knicks, as they find a way to be the NBA’s most disappointing and heartbreaking franchise year after year.
After fooling their fans into thinking they were good last season, the Knicks doubled down on their roster and are now stuck with an unhappy group that stinks and is mostly locked into high-priced long-term contracts.
To go from the 4th seed to this is pretty impressive, even for the Knicks, who were the feel-good story for exactly one year before reverting to their standard dumpster fire.
They are now locked into a disgruntled and regressing Julius Randle through 2025-26 (ouch), a mediocre Evan Fournier through at least 2023-24 to go with Derrick Rose and Alec Burks (double ouch) and a coach no one likes but Rose.
They’ve gotten pretty much nothing from Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quickley this season and now have to pin their hopes on RJ Barrett and newly-acquired Cam Reddish, who Thibodeau won’t play.
So my first “out of nowhere” pick goes to the Knicks, who take Sharpe in this simulation even though he has yet to play a game for Kentucky.
He is eligible for the draft and many think he might have the highest ceiling for a guard and will be a top-3 pick if he stays in college for another year after only recently joining Kentucky.
I like Sharpe as a sleeper in this draft if he does leave school, and if you are the Knicks, you need talent and have little to lose at this point.
2022 NBA Mock Draft: Pick #11-20
We’re still in the early stages of draft analysis and things can and will change dramatically before the actual draft, so we’ll go through the last 20 picks quickly.
#11-Washington Wizards: Jean Montero (Overtime Elite)
#12-Memphis Grizzlies (from LAL): AJ Griffin (Duke)
#13-Atlanta Hawks: Keegan Murry (Iowa)
#14- Boston Celtics: Trevor Keels (Duke)
#15-OKC Thunder (from LAC): Dyson Daniels (Ignite)
#16-Minnesota Timberwolves: Kendall Brown (Baylor)
#17-Toronto Raptors: JD Davison (Alabama)
#18-Charlotte Hornets: Johnny Davis (Wisconsin)
#19-Dallas Mavericks: Jeremy Sochan (Baylor)
#20-Denver Nuggets: Bryce McGowens (Nebraska)
2022 NBA Mock Draft: Pick #21-30
One thing we’ve learned from recent drafts is that teams can still get impact talent in this range, as there are so many good players available from college and overseas and the talent pool just seems to get bigger every year.
There are always going to be some sleepers in the late first round. Who will it be this season?
#21-Memphis Grizzlies (from Utah): MarJon Beauchamp (G-League)
#22-Houston Rockets (from BRK): Caleb Houstan (Michigan)
#23-Milwaukee Bucks: Kennedy Chandler (Tennessee)
#24-Cleveland Cavaliers: E.J. Liddell (Ohio State)
#25-Philadelphia 76ers: Ousmane Dieng (NZ Breakers)
#26-Chicago Bulls: Ochai Agbaji (Kansas)
#27-Miami Heat: Peyton Watson (UCLA)
#28-Memphis Grizzlies: Ismael Kamagate (Paris Basketball)
#29-Golden State Warriors: Christian Koloko (Arizona)
#30-Oklahoma City Thunder (from PHX): Mark Williams (Duke)