Detroit Pistons: Victor Wembanyama watch for January

The Detroit Pistons will enter 2023 on a victorious note after a nice comeback win on the road against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

There were some encouraging signs that will hopefully follow the Pistons into the new year, as they played better defensively and did a better job sharing the basketball.

But Detroit still has the worst record in the NBA, so would currently have maximum odds to land the number one pick and the chance to draft generational prospect Victor Wembanyama.

Wembanyama’s stock has only risen this season, as he is dominating the Betclic Élite league. His team is 11-4 and he is leading the league in points per game, rebounds and blocked shots, averaging 22.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and three blocks. He put on a show in the recent All-Star game, flashing handles that are really tough to believe when you consider he is 7-foot-4:

This kid is going to change a franchise when he is taken first overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, so what are the chances it is going to be the Detroit Pistons?

Detroit Pistons lottery odds for Victor Wembanyama

At 10-29 entering 2023, the Detroit Pistons have the worst record in the NBA, a game below the Charlotte Hornets and 1.5 behind the Houston Rockets.

This would give them a 14 percent chance at the number one pick and a 52.1 percent chance to stay in the top-four. The team with the worst record can drop no lower than the 5th pick, so that is the one real advantage to being the worst team in the league.

The Pistons’ schedule does lighten up as the season goes on, as they had a brutal start with all of the road games and back to backs. They have still played more games than any other team, so things will get easier in that regard.

But without Cade Cunningham and with the prospect of trading one of their veterans still up in the air, the Detroit Pistons should be well positioned to have one of those bottom three spots unless there is a big change in their defense and overall level of play.

The odds are against landing Victor Wembanyama even if they finish with the worst record, so fans should temper their expectations, but even that small chance is exciting, as he looks like a guy who can alter the destiny of a franchise, especially if put with Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren.