The Detroit Pistons have the 46th pick in the upcoming 2022 NBA Draft and are hoping to sniff out some undervalued talent.
The Pistons need an upgrade of talent just about everywhere, so anything is on the table in the second round.
Shooting is definitely a priority, as the Pistons were at or near the bottom of just about every offensive category this season and were just 29th in 3-point percentage.
Johnny Juzang from UCLA is an interesting prospect in this range after coming back for his junior season. Juzang briefly put his name into last year’s draft and we wrote about him as a possibility in the second round.
Juzang went back to school, which may not have helped his draft stock, as last year he was coming off a Final Four appearance and had a lot of buzz.
But he could be a value pick in the second round for the Detroit Pistons.
Pistons Draft: Johnny Juzang’s strengths and weaknesses
Johnny Juzang averaged 15.6 points for UCLA this season on 36 percent shooting from 3-point range. He only took 4.2 attempts per game, so his volume and accuracy are not great for a guy who profiles as 3-point specialist at the next level.
Juzang has a nice looking shot and hits a high percentage at the line, a stat that often translates to 3-point accuracy. Juzang was a pretty good catch-and-shoot scorer, which is the role he is destined for if he makes an NBA roster.
He doesn’t have great athleticism and isn’t going to beat people of the dribble or make plays, so he will need to be a knockdown 3-point shooter to have a chance in the NBA.
He was at times this season, like when he knocked down 3-of-5 against Arizona on his way to 15 points. But then he backed that up with an 0-of-4 performance against the same team in the very next game.
Juzang is a streaky shooter who could eventually become a guy who can come off the bench and get points in bunches, so it will really come down to whether teams believe he can be a volume scorer.
2022 NBA Draft: Johnny Juzang’s fit on the Detroit Pistons
Juzang reportedly didn’t have a great combine last year, which is why he ultimately went back to school. He is going to have to really impress in workouts to overcome some of the negative perceptions about his athleticism and ability to defend at the NBA level.
He’s similar to the Luka Garza pick in that his only real chance is to have an elite skill. Juzang does have great size for a two-guard, so if the shooting is there, he could be a fit off the Pistons’ bench in the future, as they need players who can create space and take advantage of the playmaking of Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes.
Juzang is going to have to grind to get on an NBA roster, but he does potentially have some skills that the Pistons need, and has proven he’s not afraid of the big stage. I think he’s one of the biggest low floor/high ceiling guys in the draft and it will be interesting to see where he ends up.
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