Top 3 NBA Draft prospect fits for the Detroit Pistons

Best NBA Draft prospect fits for the Detroit Pistons

Paolo Banchero: PF Duke

Paolo Banchero is probably the most offensively versatile player in this draft. He has shined for the Blue Devils in Coach Krzyzewski’s final season at the helm. Providing scoring and facilitation, he has the ability to orchestrate offense from anywhere on the court. He’s not expected to be on the board long, anything past three would be surprising.

In his one year at Duke he averaged 17.0 points 7.8 rebounds and dished out 3.1 assists. His efficiency has been on full display all year shooting 47 percent from the field. Banchero could be a replacement at power forward for Jerami Grant if the Pistons decide to move him this off-season.

He’s gotten high praise from Cade Cunningham, which could give him the upper hand with the front office.

What Banchero brings to the Pistons scoring/secondary playmaker 

His three assists per game might not jump off the stat sheet to most fans. However, when looking at the tape, Banchero seems to be a more fluent distributor than his numbers suggest.

Paolo’s points produced were 582, that’s more than Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith, Jaden Ivey, and the last two number one picks. His usage rate of 27.9 speaks volumes to how Duke depended on him in the regular season. Paola takes care of the basketball, having a turnover rate (estimated turnovers per 100 possessions) of 13.5 percent in this role, which isn’t bad at all, especially for a power forward.

To put this in perspective, Cade Cunningham had a similar usage at 29.1 with a 18.7 percent turnover rate in his one year at Oklahoma State, which shows Banchero can potentially be a secondary ball handler in the Pistons offense.

In the half court set he can score in a variety of ways. Using his body to create space is something he showed consistently out of the post. His handle makes him special, he can create off the dribble at his size. He gets to the basket and finishes strong. His mid-range jump shot is the best of the top prospects. He can catch and face up, play out of the pick and roll, or simply post up smaller defenders. Banchero bringing a multi-dimensional offensive skill set would be huge for the restoration process.

Paolo Banchero has the perfect blend of size, skill and mobility. He’s like a guard with the ball in his hands. Paola is a nightmare to deal with he can drive strong one way then spin back leaving defenders in the dust. He’s a underrated offensive rebounder, cleaning up a lot of his own misses with his quick second jump. Player comparison for Paola Banchero? The variety of ways he gets his offense reminds me of a young Carmelo Anthony.

There are certainly other players the Detroit Pistons will consider, but of the top picks, these three are the best fits.