The Detroit Pistons currently have the third-worst record in the NBA, just ahead of the Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic.
All three teams hope to stay in the top-3 of the 2022 NBA Draft, as Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith and Paolo Banchero have separated themselves from the rest of their NBA Draft class.
While the three bottom teams all have the same odds for the top pick and to stay in the top four, the worst team is guaranteed to stay in the top five, while the second worst can drop to sixth and the next team to seventh.
The Detroit Pistons currently have a seven percent chance at landing the 7th pick, which would be the worst-case scenario for them right now.
Getting the 7th pick in what is seen as a 3-player draft would not be ideal, but all drafts are crapshoots and the Pistons could still end up with an impact player even if they fall.
Here are five 2022 NBA Draft prospects they could target if the worst does happen in the lottery.
Detroit Pistons: 2022 NBA Draft prospects
Bennedict Mathurin, SG
Bennedict Mathurin is a 6-foot-7 shooting guard for Arizona who averages 17.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
Shooting guard is a position of need for the Detroit Pistons, and Mathurin has the size to play a couple of spots and would give them some intriguing options in the backcourt. He is a good defender and decent 3-point shooter, averaging 37 percent on 5.5 attempts per game.
He projects as a 3-and-D wing who will eventually develop the handles to make use of his plus athleticism and size.
He’d be a nice fit with Cade Cunningham and Saddiq Bey but there are questions about whether he’ll ever be more than a 3-and-D guy in the NBA.
Detroit Pistons: 2022 NBA Draft prospects
Jalen Duren, C
If the Detroit Pistons do fall to the 7th pick, they could still swing for the fences on upside or try to fill a need. In the case of Duren, they’d be doing both, as he’ll be just 18 at the time of the draft and could potentially fill a need as a rim protector, lob threat and rim runner.
Duren has been a prolific shot blocker this season for Memphis, but the question is whether he will ever be able to develop an offensive game. There are also questions about his height, as some have claimed he is closer to 6-foot-9 than 6-foot-11 and the Pistons don’t need another undersized center.
But he does have a massive wingspan, high motor and should at least be a good defender and rebounder at the NBA level.
Any pick in this range will have flaws, and Duren is no exception.
Johnny Davis, SG
Davis has been having an outstanding season for Wisconsin and there is a lot to like about his potential for the Detroit Pistons.
He is a winner, who knows how to make winning plays, isn’t afraid of the big moment and can hit shots all over the floor. He’s not an elite 3-point shooter, but he can get to the rim and finish with either hand, has great size and athleticism and is a plus rebounder for the position.
He’s not necessarily the floor-spreader that Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons need, but he’s one of the best pure scorers in the draft and a guy who brings a lot of intangibles and a high IQ on both ends. He’s had some of his biggest games against top competition and is a guy who knows how to win.
Detroit Pistons: 2022 NBA Draft prospects
Shaedon Sharpe, SG
Shaedon Sharpe is the big mystery man of the 2022 NBA Draft, as he hasn’t played in college this season, so scouts won’t have much to work with.
Sharpe was rated as the #1 high school basketball player in the country coming into this season and for good reason, he has the ideal size, athleticism and skill to be an elite scorer in the NBA.
At 6-foot-6, 200 lbs. he already has an NBA body, he can jump out off the gym and is a shot maker who can get his own and score from all three levels.
It is going to be a risk to draft him this high, but I predict some team is going to be very happy when they do. He looks a lot like Jalen Green on film, and if he had played for Kentucky this season, he might be in the conversation for a top-5 pick.
If the Detroit Pistons want to roll the dice on elite potential and a guy who could be the absolute perfect fit with Cade Cunningham, Sharpe might be the choice.
Keegan Murray, F
Keegan Murray is having a College Player of the Year type season for the Iowa Hawkeyes, averaging 23.3 points, 8.6 rebonds, 2.1 blocks and 1.3 steals per game.
Murray is not particularly elite at any one thing, but he can do it all and projects as a high-end glue guy in the NBA, the type of player every good team needs. He’s an efficient scorer from all three levels and doesn’t need the ball in his hands much to make an impact, as he is a high flyer who will run the floor, grab rebounds and get a lot of garbage points without any plays being run for him.
I think he is a Troy Weaver type guy, as he is committed on the defense end, versatile and can play a couple of different spots. He will be nearly 22-years-old at the time of the draft, which is the biggest knock against him, as he has the size and all-around skill to have a long NBA career.