Would the Detroit Pistons roll the dice on Shaedon Sharpe?
Detroit Pistons and Shaedon Sharpe: Does he fit?
Pistons general manager Troy Weaver is known as a wheeler-dealer, but that is different than being a gambler who takes major chances.
None of Detroit’s draft picks since Weaver has taken over have been out of left field. Cunningham was the safe pick at No. 1 last year and drafting Killian Hayes at No. 7 in 2020 was, if anything, expected by many people.
Many mock drafts had center Isaiah Stewart going lower than No. 16, where Weaver took him. But Stewart was still regarded as a first-round talent by most experts, and Weaver reportedly had intel ‘Beef Stew’ was going to be picked soon by another team, if he did not jump on him when he did.
Weaver is very careful and thorough in his talent evaluations. He said he was not 100-percent certain they were taking Cade Cunningham until the morning of the draft. But he does not take wild swings on draft night.
Weaver saves his gambling on trades, usually deals for low cost/possible high ceiling players like Dennis Smith Jr. and Marvin Bailey III.
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You can bet Weaver is looking at every scrap of video he can find on Sharpe.
The NBA Draft Lottery will provide some clarity on where Sharpe will go, but not as much as one would think.
Sharpe might not go No. 1, picking a player with no college or European pro experience would open up that team to a lot of scrutiny, but he likely will be picked not too long afterward.
Could the Pistons use Sharpe? Sure.
The starting guard spot beside Cade Cunningham is pretty wide open. Veteran Cory Joseph last season most of the time filled that role, but he is just a stopgap. Hayes seems to be better coming off the bench.
A young (Sharpe is still 18-years-old), super-athletic guard with a decent outside shot? In terms of attributes, Sharpe fits like a glove for the Pistons ‘restoring’.
Next. Would the Detroit Pistons trade their pick if they fall out of top-3?. dark
Sharpe does not have to play in the 5-on-5 games at the combine. But, if he does, and looks good, he could solidify himself as a top pick. If he chooses not to, which is a distinct possibility, then he remains a mystery man.
Teams will need to project what kind of player Shaedon Sharpe will become in the NBA based on little information, compared to the other top draft picks.
Sharpe is a definite roll of the dice for whoever takes him.