The Detroit Pistons own the 46th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and are hoping to strike gold on some undervalued talent.
That’s what happened last season when they were able to get Isaiah Livers, who now looks like he’ll be part of the future rotation.
The Pistons have a number of needs, including rim protection, as they were just 24th in the NBA in points in the paint allowed this season and could use a guy who can come off the bench and impact the game with shot blocking.
There are a handful of bigs in the second round that fit this mold, including Yannick Nzosa, who currently plays for Málaga in the Spanish league.
Pistons draft: Yannick Nzosa’s strengths and weaknesses
Nzosa is a 6-foot-11, 200 lbs. combo center/power forward who originally comes from the Congo.
He was considered a first-round prospect until this season, when he played little as his team went through a lot of turmoil and head coaches.
He only averaged 10 minutes per game, but prior to this season was a guy many had pegged for the first round.
That’s because he has a 7-foot-6 wing span, elite athleticism and motor and could be an impact shot blocker in the NBA.
His offensive skills are raw and Nzosa is probably never going to be a guy who hits jumpers, but projects more as a rim runner who will finish in transition and make use of his athletic prowess.
As you can see from these highlights, Nzosa knows how to finish when he gets the ball moving downhill, plays above the rim on both ends and has a non-stop motor.
He’ll still be just 18-years-old at the time of the 2022 NBA Draft, so is a project player who will hope to hustle his way onto an NBA roster.
2022 NBA Draft How Yannick Nzosa fits on the Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons need athleticism and they need shot blocking and Nzosa can potentially provide both.
While the Pistons have plenty of long wings in their pipeline, they don’t have a guy who projects as a rim protector, so could use a developmental player who is dedicated on that side of the ball.
We know Troy Weaver likes guys who hustle and defend, so Nzosa makes sense, as he could play with any of the Pistons’ bigs and add a complementary skillset.
I like him as a Serge Ibaka type, a raw and athletic defender who could be developed into more. Ibaka also came out of the Spanish league as a raw shot blocker and he eventually evolved into a good face up shooter. I am not saying Nzosa will ever be as good as Ibaka, but guys can learn to shoot. It’s much-more difficult to teach motor and timing on blocking shots.
Nzosa is a first-round talent who could drop because of circumstances that were largely out of his control, which could make him a good value pick for the Detroit Pistons in the second round.
For more draft coverage, click here.