When it was announced that Cade Cunningham was out for the season, the focus changed for the Detroit Pistons.
The Pistons went from dreaming of the play-in tournament to thinking about the NBA Draft Lottery, and put themselves in the best position to have the #1 pick by having the worst record in the league.
There is still only a 14 percent chance that the Detroit Pistons will get the number one pick and the chance to draft Victor Wembanyama, but the Pistons are guaranteed to fall no further than 5th in the NBA Draft, so should get a high-end talent no matter what.
We’ll know on May 16, when Pistons’ fans will have out their good luck charms hoping to see Detroit’s name called last. After that, the focus will turn to the 2023 NBA Draft, which could be a huge one for the franchise.
Detroit Pistons: When is the NBA Draft?
The NBA Draft will be held in Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 22nd, a day that is going to change the courses of a couple of franchises.
It’s not hyperbole to say that Victor Wembanyama could be a franchise player, but guys like Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller also have a chance to make an immediate impact on the right team.
The Pistons also have the 31st pick in the draft, which could end up being a sweetener in a trade or used to grab a talented player who might have fallen. There are some quality players ranked in that range and Detroit could definitely use an upgrade at their two-way spots.
This could be a transformative draft for the Detroit Pistons, or at least a chance to add to their talented young core with another high draft pick and possibly a trade to add complementary veteran talent.
We’re less than a month away from knowing when the Pistons will be choosing, which will ultimately be the most important number of the offseason.