The Detroit Pistons have the 5th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft as well as the 46th pick in the second round.
They’ll obviously be looking for a star to pair with Cade Cunningham in the lottery, and hope to find a sleeper in the second round who could be a surprising contributor or late bloomer.
There is one interesting second-round prospect from Stanford who isn’t easily categorized but could be on the Pistons’ radar if he is still available when they choose in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft.
Pistons draft: Harrison Ingram’s strengths and weaknesses
Ingram is a unique point forward prospect out of Stanford who can do a little bit of everything well, but doesn’t have any one elite skill.
He is a big forward who played the point at times for Stanford and is very good at passing from the elbow. He’s not a great shooter or an above-the-rim athlete, but he’s one of those guys who uses his size to rumble to the hoop and get buckets as you can see in these highlights.
He’s a slick passer with a high basketball IQ, who can rebound and make plays. He only shot 31.6 percent from 3-point range this season, but profiles as a guy who will get better when he’s asked to do it more often.
He’s really active on the glass and in the post, where he can take advantage of smaller defenders. Even though he’s not quite as big, he reminds me a bit of Zach Randolph, a guy who wasn’t fast or super athletic, but just knew how to get to his spots and get buckets.
2022 NBA Draft: How Harrison Ingram fits on the Detroit Pistons
The Pistons are trying to get bigger and more athletic, so Ingram isn’t really a fit in that regard, though he does have good size for the forward position.
What Detroit does need is guys who can get buckets efficiently, which is something Ingram should be able to do (he hasn’t yet) as he polishes his offensive game. He’s a bruiser who will come in and grab offensive rebounds, get some easy put backs and get buckets in the mid-range and the post.
What’s intriguing about Ingram is his playmaking, as he is very good at initiating the offense and could fit into a lot of different lineups. If he can develop a league-average 3-point shot, he could be a sleeper in the second round, as he is already very good at attacking the rim and getting to his spots.
The freshman still needs plenty of development but is an interesting point forward prospect who isn’t really like anyone else in the 2022 NBA Draft.