The Detroit Pistons have a 14 percent chance of landing the number one pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
They have the same odds as last season, when they lucked out and got the number one pick, eventually choosing Cade Cunningham who has the makings of a future star and guy the Pistons can build around.
Unlike last season, there is far less of a consensus of who the number one guy will be, and any of the projected top-3 (Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith and Paolo Banchero) would be great fits on the Pistons and offer the kind of high-ceiling talent they’d love to put around Cade Cunningham.
You can make an argument for any of the three players and if the Detroit Pistons were to get one of them, fans would walk away from the 2022 NBA Draft with big smiles on our faces.
Banchero is a big, skilled forward who would give the Pistons a another scoring threat and playmaker. Jabari Smith would give Detroit the shooting they lack and has the size and athleticism to make day one impact on both ends. Chet Holmgren would give the Pistons the rim protection they need, as well as another skilled offensive player who can spread the floor.
So what would the Detroit Pistons do if luck is on their side again? A couple of experts think they know.
Pistons draft: Which top 2022 NBA Draft prospect fits best in Detroit?
In a recent article on ESPN (SUBSCRIPTION), draft analysts Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz gave their opinions on who the Pistons should choose with the number one pick.
They agreed that Chet Holmgren is the best fit for Cade Cunningham, with Jabari Smith coming in second and Paolo Banchero in third.
Here is some of what they had to say about why Holmgren is a superior fit over Smith or Banchero:
"“Adding a pick-and-pop threat like Holmgren will give Cunningham the necessary space to use his size, strength and skill level to score more efficiently inside the arc than he did as a rookie. Offensively, Holmgren also perfectly complements both Isaiah Stewart and Bagley III, while giving Saddiq Bey more space for mid-post isolations, where he’s really effective.”"
They also cited Holmgren’s elite rim protection as a distinct Pistons’ need, which also gave him a slight edge.
I can’t argue with their assessment, though I think many of the same arguments can be made for Jabari Smith.
The fit with Banchero may not be as clear, as he likes to create and have the ball in his hands, but I don’t see how having two guys who can get their own shot or set up teammates is a problem.
Givony and Schmitz named Jaden Ivey as the best fit outside of the top-3 and I agree, though mystery man Shaedon Sharpe is an interesting prospect as well.
I don’t think the Pistons can go wrong in the top-4, so start warming up your good luck charms and hoping the ping pong balls show Detroit some love.
What do you think? Are they right? Is Holmgren the guy?