The Detroit Pistons will have the 46th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft to go along with their lottery pick, wherever it lands.
The lottery pick is guaranteed to be in the top 7, so the Pistons have a chance to add an impact player and then draft for need or long-term upside in the second round.
The Pistons took a flyer on upperclassman in the second round last year in Isaiah Livers, and it paid off, as he looks like a rotation player for the future.
They could go a similar route this season, drafting a player that is a little older, has more college or international experience and may be able to contribute right away.
Detroit Pistons draft profile: Jake LaRavia
Junior Jake LaRavia from Wake Forest is a prospect who is projected to go in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft.
LaRavia transferred to Wake Forest after two seasons at Indiana State and improved his stats in all three seasons.
He’s a similar type of prospect as Isaiah Livers in that he is not going to wow you with his athleticism but is a smart player who knows how to make winning plays.
He averaged 14.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists for Wake Forest this season against tough competition in the ACC and at times looked like the best player on the floor.
LaRavia has a few skills that could help the Detroit Pistons, but he also has some flaws, as all second-round picks do.
I do think he fits the profile of a Troy Weaver guy, as he is a high I.Q. player with a high motor but do pros outweigh his cons as an NBA prospect?
2022 NBA Draft: Jake LaRavia’s strengths and weaknesses
LaRavia’s biggest strength is that he is an efficient scorer from just about anywhere on the court, shooting 56 percent overall and 38 percent from 3-point range.
He shot 61 percent from 2-point range this season and is a guy who can get buckets from all three levels.
He was able to put up points on a low number of shots, but showed he could go off for big games as well, like when he dropped 31 points and 10 rebounds on North Carolina:
LaRavia is definitely not an elite athlete but you can see from these highlights that he’s good at using his size to get to his spots and can hit the catch-and-shoot 3-point shot.
He also plays with a little edge, has a good motor and even though he’s not a great one-on-one defender, he’s very good at getting into passing lanes for steals.
He’s 6-foot-9, 228 lbs, but because of his lack of lateral foot speed, it’s going to be tough for him to cover NBA wings and he might not be strong enough to take on power forwards.
If LaRavia finds a place in the NBA, it will be as a scorer who comes off the bench and gets buckets. He is very good at moving without the ball and getting himself open, so he could benefit from playing with point guards like Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes, who are very good at finding open cutters and guys coming off screens.
Pistons draft: How Jake LaRavia fits with Detroit
It’s no secret that the Detroit Pistons have to improve their scoring efficiency. The Pistons were 29th in field goal percentage overall and need to get more efficient everywhere.
Part of that improvement will come internally as their young players develop and get more consistent, but the Pistons could use a few guys who can get efficient points off the bench.
In the NBA LaRavia would have to be a little more selfish, as his job would be to come off the bench and score. He was a good playmaker in college and will make the extra pass (much like Livers) but he is not going to be beating too many people off the dribble.
The biggest question is whether LaRavia can become a high-volume 3-point shooter, as he will find points in the paint much harder to come by with NBA defenders in the way, though he is very good at using his body to draw contact and get to the line.
LaRavia doesn’t fill a direct need for the Pistons, but would add another smart, versatile wing with size into the mix who could compete for a bench spot.
I like the idea of going for upperclassmen in the second round to try and find role players and LaRavia fits the mold.