The Detroit Pistons are doing their final research leading up to the 2022 NBA Draft, which is now just 10 days away.
The Pistons have a number of options with the 5th pick, and there is also a chance they will make a trade to obtain a second pick in the 1st round.
They also have the 46th pick in the second round, so the Pistons have had an eclectic group in for pre-draft workouts, including a few guys who are projected to go in that range.
This is all part of the process, and the Pistons have to prepare for a lot of different scenarios, especially if they end up trading Jerami Grant.
One player who was a bit of a surprise was Johnny Davis, shooting guard from Wisconsin, as most draft experts do not see him as a top-5 prospect, though he is expected to go in the top-15, and was even invited to the Green Room for the 2022 NBA Draft.
It seems a stretch that the Detroit Pistons see him as a possibility at five, but if they were to trade down or acquire a second pick, he would certainly be an option later in the lottery.
Pistons draft: Is Johnny Davis a fit?
If the Pistons were to trade down or grab a second pick later in the lottery, I do see Johnny Davis as a fit.
Davis was measured at just over 6-foot-4 without shoes at the Draft Combine (same as Bennedict Mathurin), and has a solid two-way game and a reputation as a big-game player.
He had huge games in back-to-back wins against Jaden Ivey and Keegan Murray (two guys projected to go ahead of him in the draft), and looked like the best player on the floor. He dropped 37 points and 14 rebounds on Ivey’s Boilermakers (beat them twice this season) and had a 26 point, 9 rebound, 5 assist performance against Murray and the Hawkeyes.
He has that mentality and will come into his rookie season eager to prove that his sub-par tournament was due to an injury and that he was the Big Ten player of the year for a reason.
He does have some limitations offensively, as he is not a great 3-point shooter and there is concern that he lacks the quickness to beat NBA defenders off the dribble to get to the mid-range spots where he thrives.
I think there would also be concern that his game is not a great complement to Cade Cunningham, as he wouldn’t stretch the floor (at least not right away, players tend to improve as shooters) and also likes to work around the hoop, in the post and in the mid-range.
The defensive possibilities are interesting though, as Davis projects as a quality perimeter defender who can guard a couple of spots.
It’s doubtful that the Detroit Pistons would reach for Davis at five just based on intangibles, but he does have them, and could be an option later in the first round if they were to trade back or acquire a second pick.