When the Detroit Pistons fell to the 5th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft fans were disappointed, as this as been billed 3-player draft with a lot of uncertainty beyond that.
We spent months dreaming of Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith and Paolo Banchero, but now the Pistons have fallen into the second tier of prospects with Jaden Ivey, Shaedon Sharpe and Keegan Murray all viewed as potential picks.
With no real consensus of who the top guy is, it’s very possible that someone outside of the top-3 is going to get the best player in the 2022 NBA Draft, so I am certain Troy Weaver still feels he can get an impact talent at five and possibly even snag the draft’s best player.
But if the Pistons really loved one of those top-3 guys and were desperate to get him, it’s possible they could try to package their 5th pick with another asset or future pick to move up
Though it doesn’t happen often, there is recent precedent of a team moving up in the top-5, and there are two teams that make sense.
Detroit Pistons: Is moving up in the 2022 NBA Draft possible?
In the 2018 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks traded the number three pick to move back two spots to number five, and got a future 1st-round pick for their troubles.
The Mavericks famously used that pick to take Luka Doncic, while the Hawks took Trae Young, which has worked out well for both teams, but you have to wonder if the Hawks would do that trade again.
A year before, the Celtics traded the number one overall pick to move back two spots, got an extra first round pick out of it, and then selected Jayson Tatum third, which worked out pretty well.
The point is that it can happen, and the price has been set for what it might take to do it.
Of the four teams drafting ahead of the Pistons, only two seem like candidates to trade out of their spot. It would cost too much for most teams to trade for the #1 pick, so Orlando is out and will just take the player they like.
Same with the Houston Rockets, who already have a future star in Jalen Green and can just add whichever of the top-3 guys is left with the 3rd pick.
The Thunder are always a wildcard and have the 2nd, 12th and 30th picks in the first round. They could go in a lot of ways here, but if Orlando takes the guy they want, I could see OKC moving back to pick up another asset and future pick. The Thunder are always busy, so you never know.
Same with the Kings (who took Marvin Bagley III instead of Luka or Trae), who want to make the playoffs after making the splashy trade for Domantas Sabonis this season and might use their 4th pick to get a player who can help them now.